Resources

Jim Fanning, Assistant Headteacher, Tideway School

Summary

What does classroom learning look like when pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning, progressing at their own pace and being assessed at a time and place that best suits them?

Tideway School, a mixed ability specialist technology college in Newhaven, East Sussex, with 650 pupils, has been exploring this approach in relation to Key Stage 4 ICT. The core qualification is a Level 1/2 IT User Certificate. It is taught in eight distinct units, each having its own formal end of unit online assessment test. In a typical Year 11 IT lesson of one hour – and there are two of these each week – 20% of a class of 27 pupils may have completed the full qualification; 20% may be working towards their Level 1; whilst the others, as individuals or groups, could be studying any of the five remaining units in any order.

The embedding of the school learning platform into this melting pot of learning experiences has made the delivery of this model of teaching possible. Whilst end of course results have been very good, this approach has opened up some important and unresolved issues relating to flexible learning, issues that all schools will face if the agenda for a more personalised approach to learning is to be successful.

Introduction

Three years ago at Tideway School the core technology qualification at Key Stage 4 was GCSE IT. A consultation took place with staff, pupils, employers and parents about a more appropriate qualification. The result was the adoption of the IT User Certificate from the British Computer Society. The certificate is available as a three-part qualification, built around eight distinct units of study. The Level 1 qualification is gained when pupils complete three units: Concepts of IT, Using a PC & Managing Files and Communication. The European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) is awarded on completion of a further four units: word processing, spreadsheets, database and presentation. The Level 2 certificate is awarded on completion of the last unit. Each unit has its own formal assessment test, which can be paper-based or online.

The philosophy behind adopting this qualification was quite clear. Its modular nature opened up the possibility of progression by age rather than stage, with the embedding of the learning platform in its delivery allowing flexibility in both teaching and learning.

When first introduced the qualification was taught in a very structured way, eg term 1, unit 1; term 2, unit 2; etc. In 2008 a high degree of flexibility was introduced, with all units and lessons being made available online. Once they had gained their Level 1 qualification, pupils were encouraged to study the remaining units in the order that best suited them. They were given an option of where to study, either in lessons, from another location in school or even from home. They could choose the time and place of assessment, with formal end-of-unit assessment exams being offered as a timetabled option or after school or at weekends. This resulted in a high level of negotiation between pupils and staff over programmes of study and assessment.

So what does a typical Year 11 lesson look like when this approach is taken?

The case study

It is period 5 on a Monday afternoon with a mixed ability class of 27 Year 11 pupils. Eight pupils have completed the full Level 2 qualification (equivalent Grade B at GCSE). They now have the option of completing the advanced qualification (equivalent to a Grade A at GCSE), gaining another technology-based qualification (some are studying GCSE IT through self-supported study), supporting other pupils in their studies (some have been attached to fellow pupils as mentors) or negotiating support from other curriculum areas (a number have outstanding Music and DT coursework to complete and are using IT ‘time’ to catch up).

Four pupils have still to complete their Level 1 and are being supported by this group.
The remainder of the class are working, as individuals or in small groups, on a variety of units that have been set up on the learning platform. Access/database is the specialist unit being directly teacher taught in this term and for the first part of the lesson those pupils – six in total - who have chosen to complete this unit can be found around the SmartBoard. Four pupils in the group have chosen to work from home as part of a flexible learning pilot programme of study. It’s interesting to note that most of the class were given the option of studying in this way but only a small number opted to do so. Three pupils have negotiated after-school assessment tests and are taking practice tests in the lesson in preparation.

Observations/discussion points

• The success of this model is dependent upon the ‘attitude’ of both teacher and pupil towards classroom learning. Learning is negotiated as opposed to directed, with the teacher role being that of mediator: “I am used to being in charge and it’s difficult to give up control and move to this model, especially when so much depends on end-of-course results” (Teacher). For some pupils it’s equally difficult to adapt: “I need a teacher encouraging me, telling me what to do. I won’t achieve as much studying online – and anyway, it’s your job to teach” (Pupil).
• Pupils have some difficulty adapting to this classroom model. They do not simply become independent learners in Year 11. Teaching pupils how to learn in a different style needs to begin as soon as they join school. It needs to be a whole-school approach and not limited to just one subject.
• The model does not fit in easily to the formal three or four-part lesson plan or observation checklist that many schools insist on to ensure consistency of learning across the curriculum.
• The use of technology is central to this model. The learning platform has been embedded in ICT with every lesson available online. There is some lack of understanding as to how e-learners of a certain age learn best and this was reflected in the design of online content. Staff, both teaching and support, struggled to identify the appropriate design-for-learning skills necessary to creating successful online content.
• The tracking of individual pupil progress, the mentoring of pupils and the setting of agreed targets is critical. This takes time. Sometimes school systems don’t match the flexibility of pupil needs. For example, creating weekend, evening and school holiday assessment slots at the times that pupils had identified as most suitable for them proved difficult due to the inflexible nature of school opening hours and staff contracts.
• A one-hour lesson format does not easily lend itself to this model and encourages little creativity in terms of flexible learning styles. Similarly, the physical layout of the classroom is a barrier to learning. The classroom was designed for the teacher-at-the-front-leading-learning model. There are no spaces where pupils can work privately or as small groups. It can be difficult to provide small group teaching in this environment.

Where next?

Can this model be applied to other areas of the curriculum or does the structure of the IT qualification more easily lend itself to this ‘pic-n-mix’ flexible style of learning? In Term 3 the use of the learning platform will be embedded into the classroom teaching of Year 10 GCSE History in an effort to answer this question.

This project also suggested that system or structural change was essential if a more flexible and personal model of teaching and learning were to be successful. SLT and governor committees are currently investigating this very issue.

Jim Fanning is Assistant Headteacher at Tideway School in Newhaven, with responsibility for technology across the curriculum. He can be contacted at fanningj [at] tidewayschool [dot] org , and has set up a website at www.learningplatforms.info to illustrate the learning platform projects that are taking place in school. He is currently studying a professional doctorate at Sussex University, researching the impact that classroom use of learning platforms has on teaching and learning. This paper is a summary of a presentation made at BETT 2009.

top of page