Observing teaching, learning & assessment under the new CIF

1. Observing teaching, learning & assessment under the new CIF Julie Hughes Sept 2012

2. Starter Activity - Why Observe?

3. Sir Michael Wilshaw ‘I firmly believe that an outstanding provider must have outstanding teaching, learning and assessment and be a model of excellence with very strong leadership. The best teachers, trainers and assessors should be properly supported, developed and rewarded and I want to see inspectors evaluating the rigour of decisions made by providers regarding performance management.’

4. Session Plan • Introductions & personal learning goals • Impact of new CIF on TLA • Finding the evidence • Grading • Feeding back

5. Outcomes, by the end of this session you should be able to: • Identify the key differences in the new 2012 CIF • Identify the characteristics of outstanding TLA • Determine whether/how learning is taking place • Make consistent judgements • Identify the key element of constructive feedback

6. Overall effectiveness Effectiveness of leadership and management Outcomes for learners Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Common Inspection Framework for further education and skills 2012

7. 2012 - What’s new…. • 48 hours notice • Emphasis on teaching, learning and assessment • No limiting grades (????) • Satisfactory is no longer acceptable • Increased observation of teaching, learning, skills development and assessment – in the classroom and ‘between lessons’

8. 2012 - What’s new…. • Teaching, learning & assessment now includes: • Care, guidance & support • Emphasis on progress and progression • Promotion of independent learning skills • Focus on skill development including functional skills • Promotion of E&D

9. September 2012 version now available • P. 45 - 53 Quality of teaching, learning & assessment

10. Activity 2: Observation challenges/fears • What aspect of conducting an observation worries you most? • Name one thing that would help deal with this concern. • Top tips from colleagues?

11. Activity 3: Observing learning & skills? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJtWdvtn6F8&feature=player_detailpage Watch and comment What skills did you observe? Was this easy?

12. So where do we start? • What is the difference between opinion and evidence? • How/where can you find evidence against the new CIF criteria?

13. Activity 4 - Finding the evidence Working individually read through the Ofsted criteria. • Familiarise yourself with terminology • Identify 2 examples of evidence that might support each criterion • What would outstanding TLA look like for each one? • Move round the room adding examples to each flip chart

14. Hinge question • Engagement and attitude of learners is: • No longer relevant under the new CIF • Key evidence that learning is taking place • Only important in vocational learning • A crucial E&D indicator

15. Break – 15 minutes

16. The challenge for observers is to observe learning, not teaching.. • Are the learners learning? • How do you know? • Is the teacher checking learning? • How do you know? • Are learners making timely progress? • How do you know?

17. Observing learning Activity 5: Look for the learning taking place in this clip of level 3 learners studying the Diploma in Society, Health and Development.

18. Paired activity 6 – observation reports • Is the report focused on learning? • Is the wording consistent with the grade, if not indicate where and how it could be better worded? • Does the report convey to the teacher what they need to do to improve, i.e. get a better grade or sustain their grade 1. • Is the report judgement-rich? If not how would you improve it? • How will you moderate your reports? Feedback and whole group discussion

19. Potential pitfalls include... • Observation records that: • Focus on teachers & teaching more than learners and learning • Describe rather than evaluate • Tell us little about the standards learners achieve or what they are actually learning / not learning • Include evidence that doesn’t match the judgement • Identify norms as strengths

20. Strengths v Norms • Good teacher knowledge / subject expertise. • Good attendance / punctuality. • Effective scheme of work and lesson plan. • Learners develop good skills. • Very good range of activities.

21. Common pitfalls include... • Observers: • Watching the teacher rather than learners • Focusing on processes rather than the impact on learners • Having pre-conceived ideas about what works and what doesn’t • Basing judgements on how much they (the observers) enjoy the session

22. EFFECTIVE OBSERVATION FORMS • Tell the story of the lesson • Talk about learning • Give specific examples of good practice/AFI (quotations/times/behaviour) • Forms which are ‘thin’ on evidence: • Make moderation difficult/impossible • Make feedback less effective • Give the teacher a bad deal – efforts not valued/little to build on

23. Effective feedback – Activity 7 • Working individually identify: • Issues • Key criteria that you need to consider before giving feedback.

24. Feedback • All observations should be followed up with teacher feedback as soon as possible after the observation. • Try to write up your observation in the lesson, you can plan the feedback afterwards. • Ensure feedback is given where you will not be disturbed • Make sure a time boundary is set • Be careful with the words you use to convey the message • Support every judgement with evidence • Praise sandwich/Medal & Mission/GROW • Shared aim: support your colleague to improve teaching • You are judging the lesson and the learning – not the teacher.

25. Common pitfalls following observation • ‘Fluffy’, feedback that lacks clarity • Action plans which fail to identify desired improvements to learners’ experiences – e.g. • Action: attend Q&A training • Progress: completed training • A focus on fixing poor teaching, rather than on achieving excellent learning • Little or no follow up to measure the impact of strategies to improve learning

26. Activity 8: giving feedback • Write your judgement on the SHD session you watched • Take turns in giving feedback to your partner (role playing the teacher) • Peer review this process

27. Effective questioning of learners Activity 9 • Working in pairs devise two really effective questions to ask learners that will determine whether they are learning. • Now share these with the rest of the table a revise your questions onto the flip chart • Present these to the whole group

28. Observation outside the classroom • Where else does learning take place? • How can the quality of this learning be evaluated?

29. Discussion questions • Art or science? • How important is subject specialism? • How important is the lesson plan/SoW? • What’s different in observing practical sessions?

30. Observing practical sessions • Importance of health & safety • Importance of equipment • Industry standards • Links between theory and practice • Participation/inclusion of all learners • Role of ILT e.g. to improve sight lines • Monitoring of progress & skill development

31. and finally… For the teacher… • How will you plan? • What will you teach? • What will they learn? • How will they learn? • How will you know?

32. And even more finally... • WWW • EBI • Progress towards learning goal? (Self/peer?)