Naace Conference 2103 - Creating a Learning Palette using Technology - Sir Mark Grundy and Kirsty…

Creating a Learning Palette using Technology

Sir Mark Grundy

Executive Principal

Kirsty Tonks e-Learning Director

March 2013

Data

Targeted Interventions

Student’s Progress Student’s

Needs

Curriculum Change

Creating a Learning Palette using Technology

Decoding Learning

“Digital technologies offer new ways of presenting information and ideas in a dynamic and interactive way. However learners may need the support of teachers to interpret those ideas and to convert that information into knowledge. New forms of representation (e.g. augmented objects) offer the potential to enrich the dialogue about information between teachers and learners.”

Decoding Learning

“We found many examples of technology building on existing teaching practice, rather than creating new, innovative practices. It is open to question whether simply building on traditional approaches will improve dialogue between learners and teachers in a way that will ultimately improve learning.”

BYOC

Decoding Learning

“We need to change the mind-set amongst teachers and learners: from a ‘plug and play’ approach where digital tools are used, often in isolation, for a single learning activity; to one of ‘think and link’ where those tools are used in conjunction with other resources where appropriate, for a variety of learning activities.”

Decoding Learning

“Over recent decades, many efforts to realise the potential of digital technology in education have made two key errors. Collectively, they have put the technology above teaching and excitement above evidence.. As we continue to develop our understanding of technology’s proof, potential and promise, we have an unprecedented opportunity to improve learning experiences in the classroom and beyond.”

Context

• A journey to truly “Outstanding”.

• Basic skills of the students at one stage came in with a KS3 APS of 20.4, less than a level 3 average. Lowest of any Academy in the country at the time.

• We now think we are 43rd from the bottom.

• Technology has been a silver bullet in transforming our Academy.

Transformation Using Technology

Targeted Intervention

Granular Knowledge

More than Expected Progress

Radical Curriculum

Change

Holistic Knowledge

The Transformation

• 20% Jump in

5A*-CEM 93% 5A*-C

89% > 96% Attendance

No Fixed Term

exclusions this year.

Inspiring More than Expected Progress.

Expected Progress

• Too many standard predictive tools helped support the assertion that we would never move the Academy forward. FFT, CVA, VA, RAISE predictions were something we were used to beating but their predictions still left us below floor targets.

• 4 Levels and 5 Levels has to be the norm for many of our students to gain a C grade at GCSE.

• Move away from a predictive targeting process to creating cohorts of students who need 4 and 5 levels of progress and different curriculums and intervention strategies around those students.

Staff CPD and Understanding

• Data is only useful if staff can understand it and use it effectively.

• CPD is supported by wikis and collated data sites.

• Creating bespoke solutions when the MIS is not enough.

Cohort Analysis

Pivot

• Used to graphically represent to departments the students they are teaching.

• Bridges the gap of understanding to the heads of department and teachers who are managing the interventions.

• Accessible, Visual, Holistic

Supporting Targeted

Interventions

Traditional Intervention

Better ethos and motivation

Better attendance and

behaviour

Better organisation

Better relationships

with staff

Specific knowledge of

areas of improvement

Improvement in learning skills

One to one intervention to

clear up misconceptions.

Using technology to surface data to support Senior and Middle Leaders

•Maintaining a clear sense of direction

•Making data “tactile”

•Monitoring subject level delivery of the RAP

• Supporting staff and sharing best practice

Planning Bank

Subject Sites

Leadership Portal Pivot

Decoding Learning

“Technology can enable schools to tap into the wealth of expertise that exists within their communities.

Technology can link learners with other learners, experiences, and settings much more easily and, often, cost effectively.”

Our Learning Gateway

A device without a Learning Environment or a context is of limited value!

Schools need to “manage” the learning through technology, not just let it happen.

Student Portal

Family Portal

Staff Portal

Staff Portal

Mathematics Subject Site

Humanities

Supporting Student’s Progress

Literacy for Life curriculum

Granular Knowledge • 4 years into a 5

year plan where we have moved our students to a competencies based model.

• Worked with Richard De Lorenzo, Mick Waters and others to develop 200 competencies across 10 different literacies.

• These are tracked and a number of cross year interventions are put in place to ensure all students ‘graduate’ at the end of Year 9.

Detailed Student Knowledge

• Students know where they are and where they need to go next.

• Staff and students track all competencies.

Reinforced Knowledge

• Advanced levels insist on students knowing the information to teach to others.

• Invaluable as we move to an environment where knowledge is at the end of a course.

Decoding Learning

“Flipped classrooms, or inverted classrooms, use technology to allow learners to view teacher exposition (Learning from Experts) before the start of a lesson. This allows more time for other forms of learning to flourish during lessons, such as Learning through Practising or Learning with Others. To ‘flip’ their classroom, teachers present learning materials online, perhaps created using screen–casting technology, which learners use to prepare in advance.”

Student Portal

Class Sites; Flipped Learning

Resourcing Flipped Learning

Supporting our Holistic

Knowledge of Student’s

Needs

More than Grades and Levels

• In the same way our data moves to a deeper level with competencies. We also track large amounts of information around students’ welfare, attendance, behaviour and family relationships.

• This information is often as crucial as teacher

assessments as it goes to the heart of the reason for underperformance.

• We track holistic information in Pivot alongside assessments. Then back this up with a full time safeguarding manager, Police Officer, EWO and school nurse.

Attendance Live

• Gets key attendance data to all key personnel.

• Takes data live from the MIS system and repurposes it.

Family Portal

Governance Portal

Radical Curriculum

Change

Radical Curriculum Change

• A 5 year plan where we hope that 70%+ students who have been through our system will gain 5A*-CEM next year.

• Students taught integrated curriculum based on competencies for:

• 18 hours in Year 7 • 13 hours in Year 8 • 9 hours in Year 9

• Only Arts, PE and Science which need specialist

facilities are taught separately.

Achievement Weeks and Focus Days

• The Academy collapses the curriculum for all students one day a week and for a week every Half Term.

• This is applicable for all students.

• For years 7, 8 and 9 these are often drive workshops, mixed year taught to improve students who have fallen behind on self diagnosed competencies.

Class Sites; Flipped Learning

3 Key

examples

Kirsty Tonks e-Learning

Director

Technology is our way …

Technology is our way in …

…..to support improvement.