Download Learning Objects for Key Skills

Evaluating the application of
re-usable learning objects to
support Key Skills
The Challenge
Deploying e-learning to support Key Skills
…what works best and why?
Issues with Key Skills
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New
Evolving
Cross-curricular
Strong need to contextualize and make
relevant for students
• Requires combination of stand-alone
coaching and integrated delivery
Issues with e-learning
• Courseware often monolithic
• Difficult to manipulate and integrate
• Mixing the best elements of one publisher with
another is not usually possible
• Difficult to adapt and integrate into local teaching
and learning strategies
• Largely ineffective
Field trialling a new approach
• Classification and storage of content in smallsized, re-usable “learning objects”
• All publisher content compatible
• Mixing and matching best-quality and most
relevant content from multiple
sources…including in-house materials
• Playable on any system
• Individualized, contextualized courseware
Intended benefits
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Access to wide source of appropriate materials
Re-use of materials versus constant re-invention
New culture of collaboration and sharing
New pedagogy
Shift in axis of control away from publishers and
vendors towards users
• More relevance for students
The Project
• Users - schools/colleges in South East
England Virtual Education Action Zone
(SEEVEAZ)
• Publishers
• Digital repository/content management
• Key Skills Support Programme (LSDA)
• DfES, BECTa, QCA,
• Demos & Ithaca
South East England Virtual
Education Action Zone
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Unique
‘Headteacher-led’ bid
Geographically spread
19 schools Essex and Bromley
10 Primary - 9 Secondary
Not primarily low socio-economic
New approach to improve student outcomes
SEEVEAZ Aims
• Introducing innovation in teaching and
learning
• Using leading edge technology in classrooms
• Delivering high quality professional
development
• Creating the capacity of the school to selfevaluate and take responsibility for its own
improvement
ESTABLISHING A CULTURAL CHANGE OF
CONTINUOUS SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
Leadership
Management and
School
Organisation
Student
Welfare
Teaching
Learning
World Class
Student Learning
Outcomes
Parent/
Community
Partnerships
Outstanding
Professional
Development &
Training
Student
Expectations
Curriculum
Principles of Excellence
& Quality
Innovative use
of Technology
`
SELF EVALUATING - SELF MANAGING SCHOOLS
Implementation
• SEEVEAZ Teachers working as consultants
to the field trial
– Reviewing web-based, CD ROM and paper-based
materials within the ‘browsing library’
– Selecting and rejecting materials
– Defining learning episodes and course assembly
– Developing pedagogy in the classroom
– Ensuring that e learning content is appropriately
integrated into the learning cycle
Course Assembly
Content
Suppliers
Review
SEEVEAZ
Students
Browsing
Library
Selection
(Fitness for
Purpose)
Content
Repository
Evaluation objectives
• How is the trial distributed learning
environment supporting the teaching and
learning of key skills for sixth formers?
• How is the trial distributed learning
environment affecting schools and teachers
and the way they work?
• What are the future implications of the trial for
e-learning and publishing?
Research Methodology
Student tests
Effectiveness
Online questionnaires
Diaries and timetabling analysis
Efficiency
Dictaphone records
In depth interviews with pupils and teachers
Culture change
Observation days and group sessions
Challenges
• How to measure change over time including
an appreciation of each school’s starting point
• How to understand the impact of other
variables
• How to measure progression without a VLE
• How to foster good relationships with the
schools
Contact
• Rod Paley, Ithaca Associates
[email protected] 0207-916-1933
• Martin Clark, Greensward College
[email protected]
01702-202571
• Gillian Thomas, Demos
[email protected] 020-7401-5330