Learning How to Learn – in classrooms, schools and networks

1. Learning How to Learn – in classrooms, schools and networks Sue Swaffield University of Cambridge

2. Supporting schools developing AfL AAIA Conference 14 September 2005 Stratford-upon-Avon

3. Outline • Overview of project • Conditions that support classroom practice • Approaches to embedding • Critical friendship

4. Overview of project

5. Learning How To Learn KMOFAP Black and Wiliam 1998 review (Inside the black box)

6. The Learning How to Learn Project • 4 year Development & Research project • 40 primary and secondary schools in 5 LEAs and one VEAZ (1500 teachers & 6000 students) • Investigating the CONDITIONS in classrooms, schools and networks that support development, spread and sustainability of AFL practice • Limited intervention at school level (inset, data feedback and ‘light touch’ critical friendship) • Research through qualitative and quantitative data, at classroom, network and school levels

7. Teacher and school conditions that support classroom practice drawing on staff questionnaire

8. The Staff Questionnaire • A quantitative measure of values and reported practices, and change over time • 3 sections: • A. Classroom assessment practices • B. Teachers’ professional learning • C. School management systems

10. Classroom assessment practice factors • A1: Making learning explicit • A2: Promoting learning autonomy • A3: Performance orientation

11. A1: Making learning explicit • eliciting, clarifying and responding to evidence of learning; • working with students to develop a learning orientation

12. A2: Promoting learning autonomy • widening the scope for students to take on greater independence over their learning objectives and the assessment of their own and each others’ work

13. A3: Performance orientation • a concern to help students comply with performance goals prescribed by the curriculum through closed questioning and measured by marks and grades

14. Teachers classroom practices - 2002

15. Changes in teachers’ classroom practices, 2002-2004

16. Mean changes in teachers’ assessment values and practices

17. Teachers’ professional learning factors • B1: Inquiry • B2: Building social capital • B3: Critical and responsive learning

18. B1: Inquiry • using and responding to different sources of evidence • carrying out joint research and evaluation with colleagues

19. B2: Building social capital • learning, working, supporting and talking with one another

20. B3: Critical and responsive learning • through reflection, self-evaluation, experimentation and responding to feedback

21. School leadership and management factors • C1: Deciding and acting together • C2: Developing a sense of where we are going • C3: Supporting professional development • C4: Auditing expertise and supporting networking

22. C1: Deciding and acting together • Involving staff in decision making and using their professional know-how in the formulation and critical evaluation of school policy

23. C2: Developing a sense of where we are going • Clear communication by SLT of a clear vision, and the fostering of staff commitment to the whole school, based on good working knowledge among staff of school development priorities which they view as relevant and useful for learning and teaching

24. C3: Supporting professional development • Providing formal and informal training opportunities

25. C4: Auditing expertise and supporting networking • Information is collected on practices that staff themselves think they do effectively, and on informal teacher networking in which they play an active role. • Teachers are supported in sharing practice with other schools through networking.

26. School conditions that support learning how to learn in classrooms Developing a sense of where we are going Making learning explicit Inquiry & Critical and responsive learning (Teachers’ classroom based learning) Supporting professional development Promoting learning autonomy Auditing expertise and supporting networking

27. Discussion 1Supporting classroom practice • How could the classroom level factors be used to deepen the dialogue about AfL? • How can teachers be helped to promote students’ learning autonomy? • How can teachers be supported in classroom based collaborative learning? • What can I do?

28. Embedding Practicedrawing on interviews with school co-ordinators and headteachers

29. Embedding Becoming integral to the structure and culture of the school

30. The process of embedding … • Seen as a sequential process? • Implies building consensus? • Seeks homogeneity of practice?

31. Some issues • The existing situation • Conceptions of leadership • The model of change

34. Approaches to embedding Structural Cultural

35. Professional collaborative activity External influences APPROACHES TO EMBEDDING Management mechanisms Cultural leadership

36. Mandate Change practice Change thinking?

37. Mandate Tipping point? Spread ideas and practice Change practice Change thinking? Encourage individuals

38. Discussion 2Embedding practice • How could the idea of seeing the embedding of practice structurally and culturally be used? • How can school leaders be supported in embedding practice both structurally and culturally ? • What can I do?

39. Critical Friendshipdrawing on interviews with critical friends and school co-ordinators

40. Role of the Critical Friend • Liaison among the project partners; advocate for the project • Initial inset • Feedback of data from first staff questionnaire • Critical friendship for development work - critiquing plans, asking questions, linking to other resources and research • ‘Light touch’

41. ‘Light touch’ critical friendship: an oxymoron too many? • Trust • Understanding • Critical engagement • Whose critical friend? • Expectations • Roles and responsibilities • Dependency avoidance • Relationships with researchers and LEA advisers

42. Discussion 3:Critical friendship • How can ‘light touch’ critical friendships best be established and maintained? • What are the particular issues about critical friend type relationships that need to be addressed? • What can I do?

43. www.learntolearn.ac.uk James, M. et al. (2006) Learning How to Learn: tools for schools (A4 practitioner book of inset materials in the TLRP Improving Practice Series, linked to website), London, Routledge. James, M et al. (2006) Improving Learning How to Learn in classrooms, schools and networks (TLRP Improving Learning Series (Gateway) Book), London, Routledge. Journal Special Issue: Research Papers in Education (2006)

44. Discussion 1Supporting classroom practice • How could the classroom level factors be used to deepen the dialogue about AfL? • How can teachers be helped to promote students’ learning autonomy? • How can teachers be supported in classroom based collaborative learning? • What can I do?

45. Discussion 2Embedding practice • How could the idea of seeing the embedding of practice structurally and culturally be used? • How can school leaders be supported in embedding practice both structurally and culturally ? • What can I do?

46. Discussion 3:Critical friendship • How can ‘light touch’ critical friendships best be established and maintained? • What are the particular issues about critical friend type relationships that need to be addressed? • What can I do?