Thinking+About+Learning

=== Developing New Ways of Thinking Ab out Student Learning ===

Gregor Fountain
During a 2009 Woolf Fisher Teaching Fellowship, Gregor visited the UK to investigate ways in which secondary schools were developing inter-disciplinary programmes of learning. He observed the use of student voice as the basis for curriculum decision-making and as a means of personalising learning to meet the needs of students.

Some points: > Outcome: visitors spent 40% longer than normal viewing the pictures. > Conclusion: stop thinking adults hold all the keys. There are some great young minds out there just waiting to be asked. > Tended to focus heavily around the concept of a "Good Learner", a concept that took considerable time and discussion to evolve. .
 * 1) Went to an exhibition in the UK. Pictures were lower on the walls than usual. Asked why. Curator said they had sought advice from a group of students, whose recommendation it was to lower the pictures.
 * 1) Some places now give students responsibility for organising their own field trips: they make their own decisions about which sites to visit, how to get there, and what to do when there. Very successful.
 * 2) Positive, restorative, motivational environments sometimes take tipping things on their head to achieve. What if we totally threw out the traditional Dean concept, i.e. an accountability and punitive approach organisation, to one that was staffed by "learning advisors". In schools that have done this, there has been a significant change in tone. Success has become much more of a collaborative, supported venture. Needed more staff, so utilised a number of support staff, many of whom already had great relationships with the students. Gave some PD and added them to the system.
 * 1) TOPIC TO DEVELOP: What are the attributes of a good learner? Are our contributions to this concept likely to be the same as (say) senior students, support staff, parents? Does it matter what they think? What if we found out their thoughts were different to ours.
 * 2) Used an inquiry process for staff PD goals. Allowed staff to own this process and target PD goals relevant and interesting to themselves. Took on some lofty goals! Worked harder and with more interest than had previously.
 * 3) Did a lot of project based learning that crossed several subject lines and focused very heavily on developing the attributes of a "Good Learner". Didn't close in on subject specific material until exam years, but which time the attitudes, awareness and skills developed in students resulted in much faster (and appreciative) uptake and high levels of success.
 * 4) Student Voice: allowing students to conduct observations of teaching practice. Interesting reaction amongst viewers, and GF also reported on range of reactions in UK. Used a “2 stars and a wish” type approach. Some very positive results.