Workshop on effective Workshop on effective curriculum designcurriculum design

(Approx 2 hours)

ObjectivesObjectives

• This workshop will help you to consider – the characteristics of curricula that provide effective

learning experiences for pupils– the relationship between CPD and curriculum

development

Key areas examined in this workshopKey areas examined in this workshop

• Context-based learning and linking learning at school and in Context-based learning and linking learning at school and in the homethe home

• Building on pupils’ existing knowledge, understandings and Building on pupils’ existing knowledge, understandings and skills and engaging pupils in assessmentskills and engaging pupils in assessment

• Structured group work and talkStructured group work and talk• Fostering a cross-curricular approach to promote conceptual Fostering a cross-curricular approach to promote conceptual

developmentdevelopment• ChallengeChallenge• The importance of excellence in subject knowledge and CPD The importance of excellence in subject knowledge and CPD

for curriculum changefor curriculum change

Research evidenceResearch evidence

• Learners are more likely to engage in learning if it is Learners are more likely to engage in learning if it is put in context*put in context*

• When physics teachers, for example, constructed When physics teachers, for example, constructed study units around themes such as ‘traffic and safety’ study units around themes such as ‘traffic and safety’ and ‘energy at home’ the students achieved more and and ‘energy at home’ the students achieved more and enjoyed the subject more**enjoyed the subject more**

*Bell, M. et al (2008) Review of individual studies from systematic research *Bell, M. et al (2008) Review of individual studies from systematic research reviews. CUREEreviews. CUREE

** Wierstra, R.F.A. (1984) A study on classroom environment and on cognitive ** Wierstra, R.F.A. (1984) A study on classroom environment and on cognitive and affective outcomes of the PLON curriculum. and affective outcomes of the PLON curriculum. Studies in Educational Evaluation Studies in Educational Evaluation 10 pp.273-28210 pp.273-282

Activity 1Activity 1How can you increase your plans for contextualising ideas and How can you increase your plans for contextualising ideas and concepts? concepts?

• Share some examples of where you contextualise learning by Share some examples of where you contextualise learning by illustrating concepts in practical ways or pointing to real world illustrating concepts in practical ways or pointing to real world examples in lessons and schemes of work (SoW) first with a examples in lessons and schemes of work (SoW) first with a colleague, then with the groupcolleague, then with the group– In which part of the lesson or SoW did you make the connections? In which part of the lesson or SoW did you make the connections?

Where did connections work best for which purposes?Where did connections work best for which purposes?– Consider whether some connections were more successful than Consider whether some connections were more successful than

others with your pupils – and whyothers with your pupils – and why• Identify a partner and plan to try out one or two of your Identify a partner and plan to try out one or two of your

colleagues’ ideas to try to increase context-based learning colleagues’ ideas to try to increase context-based learning activities and explore their effects on your learnersactivities and explore their effects on your learners

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Research evidenceResearch evidence

• Learning in the home and involving parents can support Learning in the home and involving parents can support context-based learning by strengthening ‘real life’ context-based learning by strengthening ‘real life’ connections*connections*

• Strategies aimed at promoting conversations between Strategies aimed at promoting conversations between learners and their parents are particularly effective**learners and their parents are particularly effective**

*Bell, M. et al (2008) Review of individual studies from systematic research reviews *Bell, M. et al (2008) Review of individual studies from systematic research reviews (CUREE)(CUREE)

**Sheldon, S & Epstein, J. (2005) Involvement counts: Family and community **Sheldon, S & Epstein, J. (2005) Involvement counts: Family and community partnerships and mathematics achievement. Journal of Educational Research 98 (4)partnerships and mathematics achievement. Journal of Educational Research 98 (4)

Activity 2Activity 2

How do you/could you link school learning with learning in How do you/could you link school learning with learning in the home or community?the home or community?

•In groups of 4 discussIn groups of 4 discuss– interactive homework activities that you set or could setinteractive homework activities that you set or could set (for (for

example a history assignment that requires students to interview example a history assignment that requires students to interview parents, grandparents , carers or neighbours about changes they parents, grandparents , carers or neighbours about changes they have witnessed over time)have witnessed over time)

– activities that you set up or could set up which enable learners to activities that you set up or could set up which enable learners to draw on their experiences outside of school, for example bringing in draw on their experiences outside of school, for example bringing in artefacts such as food packaging for a project on air milesartefacts such as food packaging for a project on air miles

– activities going on in your local community that could strengthen activities going on in your local community that could strengthen links and create shared talking points about learning beyond schoollinks and create shared talking points about learning beyond school

Research evidenceResearch evidence

Starting from and continually revisiting what pupils know, believe and can do already is explicit or implicit in many approaches to learning highlighted as effective

Bell, M. et al (2008) Review of individual studies from systematic Bell, M. et al (2008) Review of individual studies from systematic research reviews (CUREE)research reviews (CUREE)

Activity 3How can we find out pupils’ starting points?How can we find out pupils’ starting points?

•One way of finding out pupils’ existing knowledge and level of understanding is through opening up thinking through enquiry questions that :

– prompt a range of possible responses, – invite pupils to offer hypotheses and explain their thinking – open the conversation to as many pupils as possible

•In pairs think about the next learning unit you will be working on and compose some open and/or probing enquiry questions you could ask at the start to find out what your pupils already know•What misconceptions or problem areas are you likely to find?•How could you plan to tackle these?•Explore with the group other approaches e.g. pupil surveys to finding out what pupils know, believe and can do already

Research evidenceResearch evidenceAssessment can raise achievement when it involves pupils in learning, thinking and talking about their learning and in having a role in its assessment*

For example, in an experiment, classes that discussed how their work would be assessed and then self-assessed their work against the criteria they had created made considerably more progress than classes which simply discussed their likes and dislikes about the teaching**

*Bell, M. et al (2008) Review of individual studies from systematic research reviews (CUREE))

**Frederiksen, J. R. & White, B. Y. (1997). Reflective assessment of students’ research within an inquiry-based middle school science curriculum. Paper presented at the Annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association

Activity 6Activity 6

Copy and complete this grid to show some of the activities you recently organised for a class

Activity Length of time

Reason for choice

How much time do we give to our pupils for thinking and talking about assessing their learning?

Afterwards, discuss with a colleague• the tasks which engaged pupils in assessing and talking

about their learning • the moments when more involvement in assessment

would have been possible• whether you’d like to give more time to this kind of

activity in future and if so how and when?

Research evidence

There is strong evidence that collaborative group work is an There is strong evidence that collaborative group work is an effective strategy for securing access to the curriculum for all effective strategy for securing access to the curriculum for all pupils, but its effectiveness depends on teachers modelling pupils, but its effectiveness depends on teachers modelling and providing clear guidance for group working and designing and providing clear guidance for group working and designing tasks and activities that tasks and activities that requirerequire pupils to work collaboratively pupils to work collaboratively

For exampleFor exampleWegerif, R. et al. (2004) Widening access to educational opportunities through teaching children Wegerif, R. et al. (2004) Widening access to educational opportunities through teaching children how to reason together. how to reason together. Westminster Studies in Education 27 pp.143-156Westminster Studies in Education 27 pp.143-156

Swan, M. (2006) Swan, M. (2006) Collaborative learning in mathematics: a challenge to our beliefs and practices.Collaborative learning in mathematics: a challenge to our beliefs and practices. National Research and Development Centre for adult literacy and numeracy (NRDC) and the National National Research and Development Centre for adult literacy and numeracy (NRDC) and the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE)Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE)

Activity 4

How can you improve your pupils’ group working How can you improve your pupils’ group working skills?skills?

• In pairs, think about what makes for unproductive and In pairs, think about what makes for unproductive and productive group work, Create two lists (e.g. pupils talk over productive group work, Create two lists (e.g. pupils talk over each other – pupils take turns) you could use to identify your each other – pupils take turns) you could use to identify your own pupils’ strengths and skills they need to developown pupils’ strengths and skills they need to develop

• Does this change for different types of tasks? If so how?Does this change for different types of tasks? If so how?• Work with a colleague to plan a more ambitious task than Work with a colleague to plan a more ambitious task than

pupils have achieved alone for a future learning unit by, e.g. pupils have achieved alone for a future learning unit by, e.g. using tight time limits, involving a range of different resources using tight time limits, involving a range of different resources and tasks or providing different team members with only part and tasks or providing different team members with only part of the picture.of the picture.

• How will you know if it’s been successful?How will you know if it’s been successful?

Research evidenceResearch evidencePlanned curriculum experiences, which make connections between subjects through cross-curricular strategies or thematic approaches, are important for overcoming the difficulty learners sometimes have in transferring thinking and learning from one subject to another*

For example, in one study, drama was used to convey science content about genetics and ethical questions. Taking on character roles helped the students relate more easily to the different elements of the debate** *Bell, M. et al (2008) Review of individual studies from systematic research reviews (CUREE)*Bell, M. et al (2008) Review of individual studies from systematic research reviews (CUREE)** Black, D.R. & Goldowsky, A. (1999) Science theater as an interpretive technique in a ** Black, D.R. & Goldowsky, A. (1999) Science theater as an interpretive technique in a science museum. science museum. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Boston,Research in Science Teaching, Boston,

Activity 5Activity 5

How could you help your learners make connections between different curriculum areas?

Working in pairs that bring together confidence in different subject areas (such as English and mathematics, science and art) – Describe the key contours of a forthcoming unit of learning – Identify areas where you want to deepen pupils’ understanding– What cross curricular links could be made that would help achieve

this?– Where you could offer each other support in using each others’

subject to meet your aspirations for your pupils? – How will you make this happen and know you have succeeded?

Research evidenceResearch evidence

Planning from the start to challenge all pupils through both content and process makes a difference.How pupils are challenged is important too. For example, pupils are often more motivated by the challenge of open-ended investigational tasks in mathematics than exercises selected from text books designed for older pupils

Koshy,V. et al. (2009) Mathematically gifted and talented learners: theory and practice. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology 40 (2) pp. 213–228

Activity 7Activity 7

How can we plan challenge into our curriculum?

Work in pairs or trios to design some open-ended activities for a forthcoming unit of learning that will require pupils to solve a problem together

For example– in MFL, pupils could be asked to work together to find examples of

words which look familiar, but mean something different (e.g. l’histoire means story not history)

– in music, pupils could be asked to work together to perform a well known piece of music using different styles

– in English, pupils could be asked to work together on writing a story, discussing the plot, setting, characters etc

Research evidenceResearch evidence

• CPD and depth in subject knowledge are essential components of effective curriculum development, and curriculum development is a strong driver for high quality CPD and developing subject knowledge

• Schools that manage to set up a virtuous circle between the two do so through careful alignment of CPD, curriculum development and informal accountability systems

CUREE and QCDA (2010) Monitoring the curriculum: evidence from research, practice and CUREE and QCDA (2010) Monitoring the curriculum: evidence from research, practice and learnerslearners (unpublished report)(unpublished report)

Activity 8Activity 8What kind of support would enable us to develop our curriculum effectively?

Working with colleagues in your department or phase, could you– note down some changes to the curriculum you have thought

about making, but have so far failed to make– identify how those changes align with school priorities and spot

opportunities for offering or securing support for the change by tying the two together

– list reasons why you haven’t been able to make the changes– identify sources of support that might help you overcome the

obstacles, for example a workshop during an INSET day participating in some coaching by a specialist or participating in a task group developing curriculum resources or a scheme of work

– make a proposal for taking the curriculum and your personal development forwards in an integrated way

Follow upFollow up

• The research resource pack from which this workshop has The research resource pack from which this workshop has been taken contains a series of research summaries and been taken contains a series of research summaries and micro enquiry tools. You could:micro enquiry tools. You could:– look at one of research resources using the links provided look at one of research resources using the links provided

on the accompanying PowerPoint on the accompanying PowerPoint – examine one in detail and try outexamine one in detail and try out some of the practical some of the practical

strategies that it describes with a colleaguestrategies that it describes with a colleague– plan to meet again to give a briefing on the research you plan to meet again to give a briefing on the research you

examined and/or exchange your experiences of the examined and/or exchange your experiences of the strategies you triedstrategies you tried