skills supporting personalised learning

Skills; supporting personalised learning

John Pallister

June 2010

Skills supporting personalised learning - www.JohnPallister.net

• The task – For the next 2 hours, observe each other and everyone in the room.

• When someone in the room ‘does’ one of the ‘outcome statements’ described on a card, move the card into an ‘evidenced’ area on your table.

The envelopes, one per table:


schools being ‘told’ to:

“put personalising learning at the heart of their vision for transforming teaching and learning” http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/personalisedlearning/about/

4Skills supporting personalised learning - www.JohnPallister.net

http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/personalisedlearning/about/

Why should we personalise learning?


Equality for all learners

“Developing personalised learning in schools is critical in working towards a society where a child’s chances of success are not limited by their socio-economic background, gender, ethnicity or any disability.”

http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/00844-2008DOM-EN.pdf




Educational agendas

(Children’s Plan, 2007; Every Child Matters, 2004; Gilbert Review, 2006; Further Education White Paper, 2006; Leitch Review of Skills,

2006 and World Class Skills, 2007) all endorse the concepts of personalisation and the learner’s right to have a voice.”

Using digital technologies to promote inclusive practices in education – www.futurelab.org.uk/handbooks


Aspiration: to provide the best ‘education’ for all learners regardless of ability, special need,

interest, background, location, age...

• that prepares learners so that they can operate and function ‘independently’– demand from employers – changing working styles;– everyone a lifelong learning - continuous personal and

professional development ; – increasing value given to non-planned, informal learning– changing expectations of learners;– aspiration to harness new technologies and tools.

need for Personal Learning and Thinking skills;


Personalised Learning;

• means different things to different people;– Lots of discussion – talking about different

things;– schools confused about what it is that they

need to introduce, implement or support


confusion - who personalises ‘it’?

• ‘Personalised’ - done to the ‘learning’; that it had been structured, organised or presented for the consumption of the learner. [passive]

• OR the learner ‘personalises their own learning; organising their own learning; organising their own time; seeking info, advice and support from anyone who is appropriate, available and accessible [active] – our focus today


Learners ‘do’ personalised learning in their Personal Learning Environment

• To ‘do’ personalised learning they need a skills set that will enable them to operate in their Personal Learning Environment;

need for Personal Learning and Thinking skills;


A Learning Environment where learners:

• are encouraged to use their initiative to solve problems and to be creative. Where they organise themselves, plan what they need to do and how to do it. Where they process and evaluate information, reflect on what they have done, learnt or achieved and collaborate and work with others.

• are committed to their own self improvement and will monitor their own performance and development. They will be caring and active citizens who take an active part in all aspects of school life. Their opinions, contributions and ideas will be sought and valued.


“Nationally, our challenge is to create a curriculum that:

• raises achievement in all subjects, particularly in English and mathematics

• equips learners with the personal, learning and thinking skills they will need to succeed in education, life and work

• motivates and engages learners• enables a smooth progression from primary, through secondary and beyond

• encourages more young people to go on to further and higher education

• gives schools the flexibility to tailor learning to individual and local needs

• ensures that assessment supports effective teaching and learning

• provides more opportunities for focused support and challenge where needed.”

http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/key-stages-3-and-4/organising-your-curriculum/the_secondary_curriculum/index.aspx


The Big Picture


A curriculum that values skills

• “continues to recognise the importance of subjects while at the same time it places emphasis on the development of skills for life and work.”

• “Functional skills of English, mathematics and ICT have been built into the curriculum, and the key processes sections in the programmes of study highlight the essential skills that learners need in order to make progress and achieve in each subject.”

http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/key-stages-3-and-4/developing-your-curriculum/what_has_changed_and_why/index.aspx


http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/key-stages-3-and-4/developing-your-curriculum/what_has_changed_and_why/index.aspx

“For learners it means being engaged not just with the content of what

is being taught but being involved with the learning process, understanding what they need to do to improve and taking responsibility for furthering their own progress.” http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/organising-your-curriculum/personalisation/?return=http%3A//curriculum.qca.org.uk/search/index.aspx%3FfldSiteSearch%3Dpersonalised+learning


http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/organising-your-curriculum/personalisation/?return=http%3A//curriculum.qca.org.uk/search/index.aspx%3FfldSiteSearch%3Dpersonalised+learning

http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/organising-your-curriculum/personalisation/?return=http%3A//curriculum.qca.org.uk/search/index.aspx%3FfldSiteSearch%3Dpersonalised+learning

Activity 1


Personal Learning and Thinking skills

• independent enquirers• creative thinkers• reflective learners• team workers• self-managers• effective participators.

defined as six groups of skills:


Reflective learners are expected to "evaluate their strengths and limitations, setting themselves realistic goals with criteria for success”. They have to “monitor their own performance and progress, inviting feedback from others".


As Self-managers the same learners

• will be expected to "organise themselves, showing personal responsibility, initiative, creativity and enterprise with a commitment to learning and self-improvement"


A process?

Reflective learners and Self-managers will need to use a Plan, Do and Review cycle


Independent enquirers?

• "process and evaluate information in their investigations,"

• Investigations - they need to plan "what to do and how to go about it."


Effective participators

• "propose practical ways forward, breaking these down

into manageable steps"

– will need to engage in some analysis and employ some problem

solving strategies.

• "identify improvements that would benefit others as well

as themselves"

– they will need to review and reflect on what they, or others have

done or proposed. – an Effective participator must also be a reflective learner


Team workers

• "collaborate with others to work towards

common goals“

– working towards a common goal will involve some

element of problem solving (collaborative)

– Problem solving relies on the Plan, Do and Review

process

– Team workers will need to use the Plan, Do, Review

process


Creative thinkers

• "try different ways to tackle a problem, working with others to find imaginative solutions"

– they will need to solve problems – problem Solving will require them to follow the

Plan, Do, Review cycle


PLTs require learners to:

• reflect on their learning

• Solve problems

• Work collaboratively

• Take responsibility for and Manage their own learning

• use the Plan, Do and review process


Activity 2.

• Identify the PLTs that your group used in Activity 1.

• Will learners be able to develop PLTs in a traditional classroom situation?


“PLTS are essential to achieving the aims of the Diploma and the wider curriculum in enabling young people to become successful learners who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve; confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives; and responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society.”

• http://www.qcda.gov.uk/resources/assets/QCA_guidelines_on_recording_personal_learning_and_thinking_skills_in_the_Diploma.pdf


• “A curriculum with maximum impact uses coherent themes to link learners’ experiences across the school. Schools need to determine what learning opportunities, events and experiences are necessary to ensure that PLTS are developed according to their school’s specific aims.

• Opportunities need to be created where these skills are explicitly taught or articulated, practiced in different contexts, and reinforced over an extended period of time, so that young people can reflect on the development of their PLTS.” QCA

“Once you are clear about what you want to achieve, you can make decisions about the best ways to organise learning”.


“Personal learning and thinking skills (PLTS), together with functional English, mathematics and ICT, cover the areas of competence that are most demanded by employers. Integrating these skills into the curriculum and qualifications will provide learners with a platform for employability and further learning.”

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/14-19/index.cfm?go=site.home&sid=3&pid=386&ctype=TEXT&ptype=Single

Employability:


Functional Skills are:

‘the core elements of English, mathematics and ICT that provide an individual with the essential knowledge, skills and understanding that will enable them to operate confidently, effectively and independently in life, education and work.’

QCA October 2006


Functional skills:• functional English• functional Mathematics• functional ICT

At the levels:– Entry 1, 2 and 3 (National Curriculum levels 1, 2 and 3) – Level 1 (GCSEs grades D-G) – Level 2 (GCSEs grades A*-C)

• each level incorporates and builds on the level below


Relationship with ‘Learning Pathways’


The Functional Skills standards


The emphasis:

• on the development of skills that the

learner can select and apply in a range of

different contexts.


To develop skills:

• learners need to have the opportunity to practise

them

• Having developed the skills they need to be able

to ‘transfer’ and apply them in a wide range of

different ‘real’ life contexts.

They need to be able to select and apply the skills

‘independently’.40Skills supporting personalised learning -

www.JohnPallister.net

following a ‘curriculum’ that:

• provides the opportunities that will allow

learners to develop, practise and apply their

Functional Skills;

• provide a range of ‘real life’ contexts and

situations in which learners apply their

Functional Skills to solve problems.

Problem solving, Plan Do Review, collaborative working


Activity 3 – Functional Skills Mapping


• complexity

• technical demand

• familiarity

• independence

Factors affecting ‘level’:


Preparing for Functional Skills

1. Promoting a positive agenda for the rationale and delivery of functional skills

2. Implementing an effective curriculum

3. Establishing clearly defined roles and responsibilities for the delivery and

4. Coordinating activity to underpin the delivery of functional skills provision

5. Delivering effective teaching and learning that assures learner achievement by identifying individual needs and providing relevant opportunities for functional skills development

6. Establishing clear assessment procedures

7. Using resources efficiently and effectively … including the deployment of specialists

8. Embedding quality assurance procedures

9. Delivering appropriate staff

10.Reviewing and planning ahead for next year’s cycle of functional skills development


Activity 4: Functional Skills Readiness Self Assessment

• Red/Amber/Green (RAG) rate your Functional Skills provision or planning for Functional Skills against five questions (based on the Common Inspection Framework)

• teaching and learning

• planning for delivery

• leadership and management

• CPD quality assurance

• resources

• Collaboration

• Discuss possible Action Points

Downloaded from http://www.fssupport.org/training-support/readiness-tool


Activity 5:


• based on real-life contexts

• tasks and problems embedded in realistic scenarios

• skills, knowledge and understanding applied to solve problems

• cannot prescribe the processes or methods

Assessment - task-based:


• adding ‘communication’ to the speaking and listening component of English

• BSL is acceptable form of communication• text can include Braille for reading and writing• assistive technologies may be used• exemptions may be issued for English

components• similar format and structure across the three

subjects.

Increased accessibility and inclusivity by:


• must be straightforward and direct

• must be accessible to learners operating at least a level below that of the assessable content (except for English).

Technical language essential to the skill area at the level being assessed is permitted.

The language used in assessments


skills supporting personalised learning

Education

real life

functional

problem solving

solve problems

young people

functional

personal learning

gcses grades