14-19 english curriculum reform: impact of the extended project qualification on teaching and...
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14-19 English curriculum reform: impact of the Extended Project
Qualification on teaching and learning
Faith Muir: CEI Regional Directorwith Trisha Fettes & Andrea Laczik
Centre for Education and IndustryUniversity of Warwick
•Numbers in education at post-16 – too low•Most able learners – not fully stretched or challenged•Employers – dissatisfied with basic skills levels
Curriculum reform - 14-19 White Paper (DfES, 2005)‘…a new curriculum entitlement for all young people, to choose a qualifications pathway which suits them and which can be the basis for progression to further learning, higher education and employment.’
(14-19 Implementation Plan, 2005)
Background: England 2005
‘…a single piece of work, requiring a high degree of planning, preparation, research and autonomous working. The projects that students complete will differ by subject, but all will require persistence over time and research skills to explore a subject independently in real depth.’ (14-19 White Paper, DfES 2005)
Extended Project - vision
Extended Project process
1. Selecting a Project topic
2. Developing a Project proposal and plan
3. Developing and realising the Project
4. Presenting the outcomeincluding evaluation of
Project and own learning
Plan
Do
Review
An exploration of mood in Shakespeare’s sonnets expressed in photographs
Here, the student engaged in literary research and textual analysis of Shakespeare’s sonnets and produced a photographic exhibition expressing her findings in the medium of images. Her report described her research on, and analysis of, the poems and the synthesis of her findings. Her presentation was a walk-through talk explaining the genesis and purpose of her exhibition.
Example: Artefact/short report
Higher Order Research Skills• Planning and organisation skills – awareness/application regarding deadlines • Critical reasoning skills – ability to analyse and evaluate sources, selecting
material effectively to support a case • Synthesis of appropriate material into a written report• Reflection on the research process - to improve and modify• Evaluation – of research material + own progress + final outcomes
Broader Skills• Sense of responsibility for own learning• Independence of thought, initiative, sense of enterprise and creativity• Ability to communicate complex ideas confidently and with enthusiasm, both
verbally and on paper• Independent learning skills• i
Skills required for success
A more personalised, student-centred, independent approach to learning, resulting in: •more motivated learners•development of a different teacher/learner relationship•learners as managers of their own learning processes:
managing timemanaging choicemanaging riskmanaging datamanaging resources
Impact on learners/learning
Change of role to: •EPQ supervisor, facilitator, mentor, tutor… and learnerIncreased opportunities for:•one-to-one working with learners•focus on student discussion and debate•more creative, enterprising approaches to teaching and learning•personal and professional development •collaborative, cross-curricular approaches – ‘boundary crossing’•development of the school as a learning community
Impact on teachers/teaching
Higher Education:•EPQ: increasing undergraduate skills quality•Opportunity to support professional development for teachers•Increased collaborative working with schools and colleges•Qualification accepted for university entrance Employers:•EPQ learners bring tangible and long-lasting benefits to business•Meaningful partnerships (sometimes instigated by learners) based
on principle of mutual benefitWider community:•Learners/teachers increasingly recognising value as a resource
Impact on wider stakeholders
The Extended Project:•opening up innovative ways of preparing young people for
university, employment and adult life•motivating young people to become lifelong learners because
they can see the reason for doing so•equipping them with a ‘toolkit’ of skills for ‘learning to learn’
and a meaningful opportunity for testing and development•nationally, challenging a culture where students and schools
chase exam grades rather than knowledge But:‘The way the Extended Project is set up determines the outcome.’
Evaluation conclusions
• Managing the rapid growth: 200% increase in completed Projects in 2 years – a total of 15,958 candidates in 2010
• Quality training for supervisors: based on motivating and helping learners rather than teaching to the specifications
• Shared understanding with universities: of type of research skills and project management HE requires
• Raising the profile of the EPQ: ensuring the qualification is recognised, understood and valued nationally
Where next for the EPQ?
The Extended Project The Extended Project Our experience is that
the vast majority of EPQ students gain a range of highly transferable skills and report that the challenge has been a valuable and enjoyable confidence builder (College Project co-ordinator)
Our experience is that the vast majority of EPQ students gain a range of highly transferable skills and report that the challenge has been a valuable and enjoyable confidence builder (College Project co-ordinator)
14-19 English curriculum reform: impact of the
Extended Project Qualification on teaching and learning
Additional information for delegates
Was the Russian communism of the Cold War era true to its Marxist roots?
Here, the student researched a critical question in History and Politics, producing an extended essay based on extensive academic research. A PowerPoint presentation described the process of research, selection and synthesis of materials, the problems encountered in managing the process. It reflected on the student’s own learning and identified key areas for further future research.
Example 2: A long report
The Chemistry of ScentHere, the student researched the
chemistry of elements of scents used in the perfume industry and the bio-chemical reactions of the human body to these. The student produced a rigorously researched long report that included a wealth of illustrative diagrams to describe her findings. The presentation was a talk, assisted by the use of PowerPoint, describing the research process, findings and the organisational challenges of such an ambitious project.
Example 3: A long report
a) Pilot qualification evaluation: March 07 – September 08b) Evaluation of national roll-out: September 08 – March 09
To examine:• The extent to which the Extended Project is meeting the aims
for the qualification• Manageability and sustainability• Consistency and quality of learner experiences and outcomes• Comparability across models, contexts and outcomes• Staff experiences of support, teaching and learning materials
Evaluation details
For further information on the Extended Project Qualification or the evaluation findings, please contact:
Trisha Fettes: [email protected] Andrea Laczik: [email protected]
Faith Muir: [email protected]
Contact
• Biggs, J. (1999) Teaching for quality learning at university, Buckingham: SRHE/OpenUniversity Press
• Centre for Education and Industry, University of Warwick (December 2008), Evaluation of the Extended Project Pilots. London: Qualifications/Curriculum Authority
• Gordon, J. et al (2009) Key Competences in Europe: opening doors for lifelong learnersacross the school curriculum and teacher education. CASE Network Reports No.87,European Commission
• Giddens, B. and Stasz, C. (1999) Context matters: teaching and learning skills for work,Berkeley: National Center for Research in Vocational Education, University of California
• Leney, T. (2003) Developing the 14-19 Curriculum and qualifications in England – Aims and purposes: international and comparative aspects. Discussion paper for The Nuffield Review of 14-19 Education and Training in England and Wales
• QCA, (2008) An introduction to the extended project. London: The Qualifications andCurriculum Authority
• Stanley, J., Fettes, T. and Huddleston, P. (2008) The Diploma and its pedagogy. London: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
References