LearningLearning PowerPowerEngaging learners in reflection Engaging learners in reflection

on on

identity identity andand

strategies for changestrategies for change

The Effective Lifelong Learning InventoryThe Effective Lifelong Learning Inventory(ELLI) Project (ELLI) Project

Graduate School of Education, University of BristolGraduate School of Education, University of Bristol

ELLI Research & Development Workshop Charles Darwin University 30th July 2009

““In times of change learners In times of change learners inherit the earth, while the inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer with a world that no longer exists.”exists.”

Eric HofferEric Hoffer

Double Helix of Double Helix of LearningLearning(McGettrick 2002)(McGettrick 2002)

Knowledge Skills and Understanding

Attitudes, Values, Feelings, Dispositions, Motivation

Personal Development

Achievement

Key questionsKey questions

What are the qualities and What are the qualities and characteristics of successful learners?characteristics of successful learners?

How can we develop assessment How can we develop assessment strategies which strengthen these strategies which strengthen these qualitiesqualities

How do we help learners to engage their How do we help learners to engage their life story, lifeworlds life story, lifeworlds and communitiesand communities in in their learning?their learning?

Four stations in the Four stations in the learning journeylearning journeySelfSelf CompeteCompete

nt Agentnt Agent

IdentityIdentity

DesireDesire

MotivationMotivation

StoryStory

LifeworldLifeworld

Personal Personal qualitiesqualities

DispositionsDispositions

AttitudesAttitudes

ValuesValues

Skills Skills

KnowledgeKnowledge

UnderstandinUnderstandingg

Competent Competent learnerlearner

citizencitizen

mathematiciamathematiciann

Artisan etcArtisan etc

PersonalPersonal PublicPublic

Seven Dimensions Seven Dimensions ofof Learning Power Learning Power

Changing and Changing and learning*learning*

Meaning making*Meaning making* Critical curiosity*Critical curiosity* CreativityCreativity

Learning relationshipsLearning relationships

Strategic awarenessStrategic awareness ResilienceResilience

Being stuck & staticBeing stuck & static Data accumulationData accumulation PassivityPassivity Being rule boundBeing rule bound

Isolation & Isolation & dependencedependence

Being roboticBeing robotic Fragility and Fragility and

dependencedependence

Changing and learning v Changing and learning v being stuck & staticbeing stuck & static

““I see learning as something I can I see learning as something I can get better at, and myself as an get better at, and myself as an improving learner. This often reflects a improving learner. This often reflects a more general interest in ‘self-more general interest in ‘self-improvement’, and faith that this is improvement’, and faith that this is possible. I have a sense of history and of possible. I have a sense of history and of hope. I tend to take ownership of my hope. I tend to take ownership of my own learning, and like to be responsible own learning, and like to be responsible for what I’m learning and how I go about for what I’m learning and how I go about it. I’m usually quite ready to ‘sign up’ to it. I’m usually quite ready to ‘sign up’ to learning tasks that are presented to me”learning tasks that are presented to me”

Critical curiosity Critical curiosity v passivityv passivity

““I like to get below the surface of things and I like to get below the surface of things and see what is really going on. I like to work see what is really going on. I like to work things out for myself, and to ask my own things out for myself, and to ask my own questions. I tend to go looking for things to questions. I tend to go looking for things to understand better, rather than just responding understand better, rather than just responding to problems that come my way. I am usually to problems that come my way. I am usually excited by the prospect of learning, and have excited by the prospect of learning, and have a good deal of energy for learning tasks and a good deal of energy for learning tasks and situations. In general, I’m attracted to learning situations. In general, I’m attracted to learning and enjoy a challenge. I value getting at the and enjoy a challenge. I value getting at the truth.”truth.”

Meaning making v Data Meaning making v Data accumulationaccumulation

“ “I tend to look for patterns,I tend to look for patterns,

connections and coherence in what I am connections and coherence in what I am learning, and to seek links between new learning, and to seek links between new situations and what I already know or am situations and what I already know or am interested in. I’m on the look-out for interested in. I’m on the look-out for ‘horizontal meaning’ I like to make sense ‘horizontal meaning’ I like to make sense of new things in terms of my own of new things in terms of my own experience, and I like learning about what experience, and I like learning about what mattersmatters

to me.”to me.”

CreativityCreativity

Or ‘Or ‘springboard springboard zonezone.’.’

Thinking around Thinking around thingsthings

Coming up with new Coming up with new ideas, sometimes a ideas, sometimes a bit crazy!bit crazy!

Trusting your Trusting your huncheshunches

ResilienceResilience

Or ‘Or ‘gritty gritty zonezone’!’!

Not giving up, Not giving up, even if it’s even if it’s toughtough

STRATGEIC STRATGEIC AWARENESS: AWARENESS: WEDGED_TAIL EAGLEWEDGED_TAIL EAGLE– Spirals high in the sky to Spirals high in the sky to

look for preylook for prey– Patient, strategic, smart, Patient, strategic, smart,

stealthy, big, strong and stealthy, big, strong and proudproud

– Uses aerodynamicsUses aerodynamics

LEARNING LEARNING RELATIONSHIPS: ANTSRELATIONSHIPS: ANTS– Work togetherWork together– Each have a different job, Each have a different job,

scout and travelscout and travel– Can predict rainCan predict rain

The power of The power of narrative!narrative!

“They marvelled at the way everything came together through their combined gifts: Willy Wagtail’s creativity, when he came up with new and surprising ideas; Emu’s curiosity, to question every detail and check it out; Platypus’s meaning making, to make sure that every part of the plan fitted together and made sense and Echidna’s resilience, to keep them going even though it was late and most of them were tempted at least once or twice just to let their eyes close and nod off to sleep. The ants moved amongst them, encouraging them all to listen and learn together. The Eagle spoke only occasionally: her planning had brought them together in the first place…”

Changing and learning

Learning relationships

Strategic Awareness

ResilienceCreativity

Meaning Making

Critical Curiosity

Type One ELLI Profile

Changing and learning

Learning relationships

Strategic Awareness

ResilienceCreativity

Meaning Making

Critical Curiosity

Type Two ELLI Profile

Changing and learning

Learning relationships

Strategic Awareness

ResilienceCreativity

Meaning Making

Critical Curiosity

Post-intervention ELLI Profile

ELLI profiles shown as ELLI profiles shown as bar graphsbar graphs

ELLI profiles shown as ELLI profiles shown as pie chartspie charts

Pre- profiles:

Mar/Apr ‘05

100.0080.0060.0040.0020.00

creativity

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

Fre

qu

ency

Mean = 66.3768Std. Dev. = 15.92829N = 184

creativity

Post- profiles:

Apr/May/Jun ’06

Up by 5.3261

100.0080.0060.0040.0020.00

creativity

40

30

20

10

0

Fre

qu

ency

Mean = 71.7029Std. Dev. = 16.74477N = 184

creativity

Learning Power Learning Power seems to get weaker and seems to get weaker and more fragile as children go more fragile as children go through schoolthrough school

N = 6045 Study 1 Schools = 116

Some quantitative findings:

N=851

Age 9 – 14

6 schools 2003 -4

N=550

Age 16-19

3 sixth form centres

An ‘ecology’ of learningAn ‘ecology’ of learning(studies 2 and 5)(studies 2 and 5)

Learning power is Learning power is positively associated withpositively associated with

Attainment - some Attainment - some

predictive powerpredictive power What teachers do AND What teachers do AND

what they believewhat they believe Emotional literacyEmotional literacy Learner centred practicesLearner centred practices

– Students’ perceptionsStudents’ perceptions ValuesValues Citizenship Citizenship

Learning power and Learning power and underachieving studentsunderachieving studentsN=1000 Age 14 N=1000 Age 14

Changing and LearningChanging and Learning Meaning MakingMeaning Making Critical CuriosityCritical Curiosity CreativityCreativity Learning relationshipsLearning relationships Strategic awarenessStrategic awareness Fragility and dependenceFragility and dependence

.003.003 .002.002 .001.001 .345.345 .691.691 .011.011 .099.099

Tentative findings….Tentative findings….

Underachievers are characterised Underachievers are characterised by:by:– Passivity in learning dispositionsPassivity in learning dispositions– Accepting things at face valueAccepting things at face value– Lacking strategic awareness – of thinking, Lacking strategic awareness – of thinking,

feeling and planning/doingfeeling and planning/doing– Not looking for meaning and sense Not looking for meaning and sense

making in their learningmaking in their learning– Being ‘stuck and static’ in their sense of Being ‘stuck and static’ in their sense of

themselves as learners.themselves as learners.– Being unable to ‘tell their story’Being unable to ‘tell their story’

Qualitative Evidence:Qualitative Evidence:messages from school and other messages from school and other projectsprojects

Qualitative findings Qualitative findings about the impact of about the impact of ELLI:ELLI:

• Acquiring a language ‘with which to name the world’

• Ideas that ‘span and link’ across pastoral/subject/ sector/cultural/organisational boundaries

• A greater sense of agency and self-awareness in learners

• Teachers feeling less ‘depended upon’

• Links with relationships, attitudes, behaviour

• Illuminates issues for leadership and change

Developing a language with which to ‘name’ the world

…my changing and learning area had increased tremendously simply because I can now study in the presence of my friends. This has also improved my learning relationships area.My creativity has increased considerably.My critical curiosity has also increased. I realised that I began to feel unsatisfied with the answer given to me.Strategic awareness increased by about 25%. I recorded all my daily achievements and performances for future reference.”

Malaysian Sixth-formers(Study 7 – Learning Outside the Box)

Spanning and LinkingSpanning and LinkingStudy 14 – ‘The Learning Agents’ Study 14 – ‘The Learning Agents’ (first year secondary)(first year secondary)

The Seven Dimensions are helpful The Seven Dimensions are helpful because they flow across subjects and because they flow across subjects and they all link togetherthey all link together

I’m much better at organisation skills, I’m much better at organisation skills, homework and planning time at the homework and planning time at the stablesstables

I find I now relate to other things I I find I now relate to other things I know. I linked history and science by know. I linked history and science by meaning makingmeaning making

It gives you life skills, helps connect It gives you life skills, helps connect lessons togetherlessons together

• It’s life skills that help you in all of your life…

(a student – Parkview School)

• I don’t think I realised how much impact it’s had on their lives!

(a teacher).

Spanning and LinkingSpanning and LinkingStudy 9 –Study 9 – ‘The Outdoor Dimension’ ‘The Outdoor Dimension’ (first year secondary)(first year secondary)

Applies to HE as well as Applies to HE as well as schools:schools:messages from 14 universities’ messages from 14 universities’ projectproject(Study 8)(Study 8)

Key themes emerging from trialling ELLI in variety of Higher Education settings include its usefulness in relation to:

•engagement in reflection•managing transitions:

International students – cross-cultural from school to university from university to work

-how to do Personal Development Planning-improving learning and teaching

Agency and self-Agency and self-awarenessawarenessListen to the voices of learners!Listen to the voices of learners!

The Learning Agents! The Learning Agents! (Study 14 – first year secondary)(Study 14 – first year secondary)

I have clear targets and I can set I have clear targets and I can set myself ones nowmyself ones now

Even if teachers don’t tell you to, Even if teachers don’t tell you to, you can still use it to help with you can still use it to help with your workyour work

I used to leave homework till the I used to leave homework till the last minute, now I do a piece last minute, now I do a piece every day and plan aheadevery day and plan ahead

Now I plan everything!Now I plan everything!

The Learning Engineers:The Learning Engineers:

(Study 13 (Study 13 -Primary schools in Bristol –Years 1 & -Primary schools in Bristol –Years 1 & 5)5)

Teachers feeling less depended Teachers feeling less depended

upon:upon: they have become more responsible and they have become more responsible and

independent learners, using strategic independent learners, using strategic awareness, thinking of the next steps for awareness, thinking of the next steps for themselves – helping the teacher to become themselves – helping the teacher to become more of a facilitator, not them depending on more of a facilitator, not them depending on youyou

We can see a tangible difference in the We can see a tangible difference in the children’s attitudes, that they are seeing children’s attitudes, that they are seeing school as being more than a place where you school as being more than a place where you are told what to doare told what to do

Children are more motivated….now all children Children are more motivated….now all children turn up for SATS whereas in the past there turn up for SATS whereas in the past there were several who didn't because they were were several who didn't because they were afraid to be found outafraid to be found out

Building self-efficacy:Building self-efficacy:

Their self-esteem (is improved) – they’re Their self-esteem (is improved) – they’re ready to give it a goready to give it a go

““It’s OK to find things hard because we It’s OK to find things hard because we know we can get better!” Part of the know we can get better!” Part of the classroom culture is: “If I’m stuck, I can…!”classroom culture is: “If I’m stuck, I can…!”

The children are becoming a lot more The children are becoming a lot more confident in recognising their strengths – confident in recognising their strengths – competent too!competent too!

Building self-efficacy:Building self-efficacy: Study 9 – ‘The Outdoor Dimension’ Study 9 – ‘The Outdoor Dimension’ (first year secondary)(first year secondary)

• “Kids are thinking ‘How do I learn?’ and ‘What do I need to do?’ “ (a tutor)

• “It has increased their awareness …“(a teacher)

• “For instance, I plan my homework, see how long it’s going to take, how many questions there are etc…” (a student)

• “I’ve started to put my hand up and ask questions a lot more.

Learners choosing change

Kolej Yayasan UEM – a Sixth Form College in central Malaysia

Learning Outside the Learning Outside the BoxBox(Malaysian 6(Malaysian 6thth form: Study 7) form: Study 7)

I have become more analytical and more conscious of the events happening around me. It excites me when I can fit the pieces of the puzzle together and understand the meaning …”

Attitudes to learning, improved relationships

“The increase in “Learning Relationships” is a result of having improved in my communication and teamwork skills… expressing my thoughts, ideas and opinions whilst…being mindful of what the others think…

Contrary to being quite rigid in my learning patterns previously…I (have) a slightly more creative approach…I feel that active participation in class has nurtured my ability to, as it were, think outside the box”

•  C has improved in his reactions – he is learning to control his feelings, not throwing things around the table – now he hardly ever does it – it used to really bug us (Samantha)

 • D always used to sit like that (slouched in chair) doing nothing! He used to sit like that for ½ hour doing the title! – now he just gets on with it (Sam)

• J – he’s improved so much – he never used to say anything or show any interest and now he’s amazing, he’s always asking questions (Bay)

• T used to be really quiet – she has improved more, puts up her hand and says ‘ don’t agree with that!’ (Ashley)

• A – he used to moan and groan and whine ‘why’ and now he’s completely different – he just does it (Shaun)

Relationships and behaviour:

Do you see a difference in other people in the class?

Can we make a difference?Can we make a difference?Study 6: Locked up learningStudy 6: Locked up learning

Young offenders before and after self assessment Young offenders before and after self assessment strategiesstrategies

Danny – a ‘NEET’ Learner with profound learning difficulties – targeted Critical Curiosity and Learning Relationships

“I’ve improved my way of finding out information on certain subjects

I’ve got a new way of learning. I have questions, and I scan and pick out the things I need.

You have to take a leap of faith!

It’s opened my eyes quite a bit to learn how to do these things

…that astrophysicist has invited me to his next call-out with telescopes and to a lecture

So I’ll go on learning!

And it’s changed what I think I can do.