This presentation from the Futurelab learner conference challenges the “notion of [students], as learners, being able to conceive of the future of their learning, being able to articulate that, and it seems to us very problematic”. It is a good question. The usual idea is that we ask the children but children can state preferences. They are less likely to be able to tell us what they want. Invariably they can only choose from the things that are currently available. This is another example of defining children with greater agency than they have. It also disempowers or disaggregates responsibility from those responsibility for learning or care etc.
John Potter September 22, 2009
I heard John Potter speak at the Futurelab conference about Learner Voice. He discussed his research with children and how he had used drawings and focus groups with children acting as researchers. (presentation) I have included his report for BECTA.
Research with Children September 22, 2009
I wonder whether this book is any good. It’s about concepts of childhood and how we find out what they think.
Participatory Techniques September 22, 2009
This book seems to offer an approach to looking at research with children through participatory techniques.
Becta listening to students September 22, 2009
This report from BECTA intends to hear what students think – how did they do?
Metacognitive Plenaries September 17, 2008
The key stage 3 and 4 materials, The Learning Challenge, have a range of materials to support children in recognising their attitude to learning.
One idea is the metacognative plenary. Taking some time at the end of lessons to discuss how they learned during the lesson and talking about what the teacher did that was helpful.
What is learner voice? May 29, 2008
These statements are taken from Learner Voice, a handbook by Futurelab
• letting learners know why something is important to learn
• showing learners how to direct themselves through information
• relating the topic to the learners’ own experiences and background
• understanding learners will not learn effectively until they are ready and motivated to do so
• helping learners to overcome inhibitions, behaviours and beliefs that may represent a barrier to their effective learning.
BBC: testing times for school assessment May 29, 2008
I was interested to read this article from the BBC in 2007 (thanks to Pete Bradshaw - http://petebradshaw.wordpress.com/2007/01/24/bbc-testing-times-for-school-assessment/). The argument is for a return to teacher assessment. How can there be so many people saying the same thing and their requests go unanswered? The next government answer could be Making Good Progress which at least aims to respond to children failing in the system through one to one tuition. The drawback is that rather than seeking a sampled assessment for judging school performance it may actually increase assessment by testing more children more often and more level thresholds. Again we are left with a system that doubts teacher professionalism.
ETH Lecture Communicator May 29, 2008
This is an open source version of a program that creates an online testing environment where students using computers interact with questions posed by the teacher.
Analysis of Delight May 28, 2008
Richard Millwood has developed his thinking from the New Learning Landscape into an analysis of delight. He defines various loves that can be enlivened through learning. It seems the next challenge is agreeing that learning is the purpose rather than future economic prosperity and then second considering how we communicate to ALL learners that this love is for sale.
http://blog.richardmillwood.net/2008/05/15/an-analysis-of-delight/
