Empowering Learners

1. EmpoweringLearners

2. Aims • To consider the case for giving learners more autonomy and ownership. • To recognise different ways of empowering learners. • To consider strategies for empowering learners in our school. • To agree action that would increase learner autonomy and ownership.

3. Activity 2: Group discussion • What do you understand by the term ‘active learning’? • What are some of the features of active learning? • Is there a project or piece of work in the school (or in your own teaching) that illustrates active learning? What kinds of activities did pupils experience? Why do you consider this work to exemplify active learning?

4. Empowering learners - background • In a rapidly changing world, schools face the challenge of equipping children with skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work.  

5. Empowering learners - background • Many schools are responding to this challenge by implementing strategies designed to empower learners – ie, giving them more autonomy, ownership and responsibility for their learning. Instead of being passive recipients of information provided by teachers, children are becoming active controllers of their learning, with a greater say in both what and how they learn.  

6. Empowering learners - background • Empowering learners is viewed as one of the key outcomes of Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence. There is growing evidence to indicate that where learners are genuinely empowered, their learning is more successful.

7. Activity 3: Empowering learners - video Questions • What are the main arguments for empowering learners, as presented in this film?  • To what extent do you agree or disagree with these views?

8. Activity 3: Summary of key points • Only learners can do the learning, and the best learning occurs when learners are empowered.  • Empowering learners means redefining the relationship between teacher and learner. The teacher is also seen as a learner – leading to co-creation of learning.  • The role of the teacher involves (to a greater extent) guiding and facilitating, rather than transmitting information to learners. 

9. Activity 3: Summary of key points (cont) • Empowerment means giving learners more responsibility and autonomy within the learning process. They become owners and active controllers of their learning.   • Learners greatly value the opportunity to talk about their learning. Discussion and feedback are critical components of learning.  • Pupils are very effective learning resources for one another. Peer-to-peer teaching and mentoring is an excellent way of empowering learners. 

10. Activity 3: Summary of key points (cont) • Self and peer assessment are important ways of giving learners more autonomy and responsibility. • Pupils need skills to help them become self-directed and autonomous learners. Fostering metacognition (learning about learning) helps develop these skills.

11. Activity 4: Metacognition video • Metacognitive skills help children develop greater understanding of how they learn and the factors affecting their learning. • What are some of these metacognitive skills? • To what extent do we currently help children develop metacognitive skills in this school? • What might be done to help learners develop skills of metacognition?

12. Activity 4: Metacognition video • In this film Dylan Wiliam refers to a ‘language for learning’ – a common vocabulary that helps teachers and learners discuss and evaluate learning. • What aspects might form the basis of a language for learning? • What kinds of vocabulary might be included in a language for learning?

13. Activity 4: Summary of key points • An important way of empowering learners is to develop skills of metacognition.  • If children are able to develop a greater understanding of how they learn and of the factors affecting their learning, they can take more responsibility for the nature and direction of their learning.   • Pupils need opportunities to reflect on their learning. Self-evaluation and regular feedback from teachers helps them to become more autonomous learners.  • Developing a language for learning gives teachers and learners a vocabulary for evaluating learning.

14. Activity 5: Technology video • Stephen Heppell believes the new and emerging technologies of the 21st century empower learners? Do you support this view? In what ways might technology empower learners?  • Stephen Heppell holds the view that learners are often better placed than teachers to use technology in leading learning? Do you agree with this? How might this change the relationship between teacher and learner? • Many schools seek and receive feedback from learners on their learning and teaching experiences. To what extent do we seek and make use of learner feedback in this school?

15. Activity 5: Summary of key points • The changing nature of digital technology creates new and rich opportunities for learning.  • Some schools use technology to gather feedback from learners on the effectiveness of learning and teaching.   • Children are more immersed than teachers in the digital technologies of the 21st century. They are often better placed to lead learning and use technology as an innovative tool within the classroom.  • The new and emerging technologies of the 21st century empower learners.

16. Activity 6: Self-evaluation • To what extent do we involve pupils in decisions about learning?  • To what extent do we help pupils become autonomous learners?  • To what extent do we enable pupils to be active in their learning?  • To what extent do we challenge pupils in their learning?  • To what extent do we enable pupils to learn using technology? 

17. Activity 6: Self-evaluation (cont) • To what extent do enable pupils to learn collaboratively?   • To what extent do we provide pupils with feedback on their learning? • To what extent do we involve pupils in assessment of their learning?  • To what extent to we listen to and act upon the voice of learners?  • To what extent do we foster metacognitive skills in pupils?