Skills for a Changing World Programme

1. Skills for a Changing World Programme Materials Review Workshop 12 – 13 November 2008 Bloemfontein

2. Expected deliverables • Agreed strategies for refining the submitted and outstanding drafts of materials • Agreed outline of an integrated assessment task • Refinement of the writing process • Evaluation of the workshop

3. Overview of workshop Day One - Review • Where are we? • Peer review of selected sections • Summary of findings • Discussion of key issues identified

4. Overview of workshop Day Two-Integration and Process • Integration challenges • Integration strategies • Integrated assessment task • Refined view of materials development process • Next steps

5. Vision of the programme Create a comprehensive programme that provides students with key cognitive and practical competencies required to participate successfully in post-school education programmes and appropriate levels of the world of work. Break the cycle of poverty.

6. How do we focus on the essential knowledge and skills? Let’s get a fresh perspective

7. Side one – insight Contains an illustrated insight about innovation from the ancient philosopher Heraclitus Side two – strategy Contains an interpretation of the insight in the form of a creativity strategy. A short story illustrates the strategy The whack pack cards can help to trigger new ways of thinking about our challenge

8. In pairs – here is what you do • Pick a card from the deck. It gives you an opportunity to find new answers to the question we posed. • Read the insight and the strategy sides carefully. • Brainstorm: The information will trigger ideas for our context. Think of as many ideas as you can. They don’t have to make sense. Don’t worry how practical they are. Give free reign to your thinking. • Reflection and sharing: What new insights have you gained about our challenge? Be ready to share them with the group.

9. Where are we in the process? • Progress report by module coordinators • Progress of programme as a whole

10. Issues emerging from the progress reports • Accessibility of the materials • Mediation of the materials • Facilitator guide • Training of facilitators • How much material? Can we use existing resources? • Use of technology • Coherence of parts/sections - strategy • Length of modules in terms of pages e.g. Maths • Writing takes longer than anticipated

11. Peer review activity - what to focus on • What are your first impressions? • What do you like? Examples of what you think works well • What concerns you? • What are key problems? • What suggestions do you have for improving the section.

12. Peer review – suggested approach • Individually scan the text and jot down first impressions. • Identify examples of good learning text and problem areas. • List problem areas. • Share your impressions with your partner. • Make suggestions for how the materials might be improved. Be prepared to share these with the group.

13. Reflection on day one • What have we achieved today? • What new insights have you gained about the programme? • What questions are still unanswered?

14. Let’s calculate student’s workload • How many notional hours are allocated to your module? • What activities make up these notional hours? • Allocate hours to each of the activities

15. Reading text: 20h Activities in workbook: 45h 12 credits=120 hours Contact sessions: 10h • Assignments: 10h • Portfolio: 35h Assessment From Household Food Security Programme

16. About learning outcomes A Learning Outcome is a statement of an intended result of learning and teaching. It describes knowledge, skills and values that learners should acquire by the end of a programme. (From National Curriculum Statement, Life Orientation, DoE)

17. About assessment standards and criteria Assessment Standards are criteria that collectively describe what a learner should know and be able to demonstrate at a specific grade. They embody the knowledge, skills and values required to achieve the Learning Outcomes. Assessment Standards within each Learning Outcome collectively show how conceptual progression occurs from grade to grade. (From National Curriculum Statement, Life Orientation, DoE)

18. Integrated assessment • Assess a number of outcomes together –’coherent chunks of learning’ • Combine theory and practice • Assess across the subject within a specific field • Assess across different subjects • Use a combination of assessment methods and instruments

19. Interrogating examples of integration (see accompanying Word document) • Is this a good example of integration? Why? • What suggestions do you have for improving the activity?

20. Questions to guide the selection and design of learning and assessment activities • What is the purpose of the activity? • What level of knowledge and skills are the learners expected to learn? (Knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation) • Is the activity pitched at the right level? • Does the student know why s/he should do this activity? • Are the instructions clear and will the learners know exactly what to do? • Does the feedback provide the students with a means of checking their progress? • Is the activity realistic in terms of time allocation and the resources required to do the activities?

21. Learning/assessment activities in your modules – where can you make linkages? This is a module/section activity Interrogate your learning and assessment activities • What linkages can you make? Be prepared to share your ideas with the group.

22. Building in quality • Writing team approach: writers, subject experts, critical readers, editors, module coordinators, project coordinator • Cooperative course design • Orientation and induction of the writing team • Support materials for the writing team • Review of draft materials by selected reviewers: critical readers, instructional design specialists

23. Materials development process – next steps for writers • Writers complete outstanding sections and update existing sections based on review. • Writers submit sections to module coordinators who compile and consolidate the module. • Draft modules are posted on the website for feedback from writers. Allow for 2 weeks.

24. Materials development – refining the modules • Overview editor consolidates at programme level • Module coordinators check and make input as necessary. • Layout and graphics • Language editing • Module coordinators check and make necessary changes • Proofreading

25. Reflection on day two • What have we achieved today? • What new insights have you gained about your module? • What questions are still unanswered?