Learning How to Learn

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Learning How to Learn in classrooms, schools
and networks

• Sue Swaffield
• University of Cambridge

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Supporting schools developing AfL

• AAIA Conference
• 14 September 2005
• Stratford-upon-Avon

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Outline

• Overview of project
• Conditions that support classroom practice
• Approaches to embedding
• Critical friendship

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Overview of project
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Learning How To Learn
KMOFAP
Black and Wiliam 1998 review (Inside the black
box)
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The Learning How to Learn Project

• 4 year Development Research project
• 40 primary and secondary schools in 5 LEAs and
  one VEAZ (1500 teachers 6000 students)
• Investigating the CONDITIONS in classrooms,
  schools and networks that support development,
  spread and sustainability of AFL practice
• Limited intervention at school level (inset, data
  feedback and light touch critical friendship)
• Research through qualitative and quantitative
  data, at classroom, network and school levels

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Teacher and school conditions that support
classroom practice drawing on staff
questionnaire
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The Staff Questionnaire

• A quantitative measure of values and reported
  practices, and change over time
• 3 sections
• A. Classroom assessment practices
• B. Teachers professional learning
• C. School management systems

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Scale X This school now About you Scale X This school now About you Scale X This school now About you Scale X This school now About you Teachers Assessment Practices Scale Y How important are these assessment practices for creating opportunities for students to learn? Scale Y How important are these assessment practices for creating opportunities for students to learn? Scale Y How important are these assessment practices for creating opportunities for students to learn? Scale Y How important are these assessment practices for creating opportunities for students to learn? Scale Y How important are these assessment practices for creating opportunities for students to learn?
Never true Rarely true Often true Mostly true Not important Limited importance Important Crucial Bad practice
I provide guidance to help my students assess their own work
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Classroom assessment practice factors

• A1 Making learning explicit
• A2 Promoting learning autonomy
• A3 Performance orientation

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A1 Making learning explicit

• eliciting, clarifying and responding to evidence
  of learning
• working with students to develop a learning
  orientation

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A2 Promoting learning autonomy

• widening the scope for students to take on
  greater independence over their learning
  objectives and the assessment of their own and
  each others work

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A3 Performance orientation

• a concern to help students comply with
  performance goals prescribed by the curriculum
  through closed questioning and measured by
  marks and grades

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Teachers classroom practices - 2002
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Changes in teachers classroom practices,
2002-2004
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Mean changes in teachers assessment values and
practices
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Teachers professional learning factors

• B1 Inquiry
• B2 Building social capital
• B3 Critical and responsive learning

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B1 Inquiry

• using and responding to different sources of
  evidence
• carrying out joint research and evaluation with
  colleagues

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B2 Building social capital

• learning, working, supporting and talking with
  one another

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B3 Critical and responsive learning

• through reflection, self-evaluation,
  experimentation and responding to feedback

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School leadership and management factors

• C1 Deciding and acting together
• C2 Developing a sense of where we are going
• C3 Supporting professional development
• C4 Auditing expertise and supporting networking

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C1 Deciding and acting together

• Involving staff in decision making and using
  their professional know-how in the formulation
  and critical evaluation of school policy

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C2 Developing a sense of where we are going

• Clear communication by SLT of a clear vision, and
  the fostering of staff commitment to the whole
  school, based on good working knowledge among
  staff of school development priorities which they
  view as relevant and useful for learning and
  teaching

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C3 Supporting professional development

• Providing formal and informal training
  opportunities

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C4 Auditing expertise and supporting networking

• Information is collected on practices that staff
  themselves think they do effectively, and on
  informal teacher networking in which they play an
  active role.
• Teachers are supported in sharing practice with
  other schools through networking.

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School conditions that support learning how to
learn in classrooms
Developing a sense of where we are going
Making learning explicit
Inquiry Critical and responsive
learning (Teachers classroom based learning)
Promoting learning autonomy
Supporting professional development
Auditing expertise and supporting networking
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Discussion 1Supporting classroom practice

• How could the classroom level factors be used to
  deepen the dialogue about AfL?
• How can teachers be helped to promote students
  learning autonomy?
• How can teachers be supported in classroom based
  collaborative learning?
• What can I do?

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Embedding Practicedrawing on interviews with
school co-ordinators and headteachers
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Embedding Becoming integral to the structure
and culture of the school
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The process of embedding

• Seen as a sequential process?
• Implies building consensus?
• Seeks homogeneity of practice?

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Some issues

• The existing situation
• Conceptions of leadership
• The model of change

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Approaches to embedding

• Structural
• Cultural

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Professional collaborative activity
External influences
APPROACHES TO EMBEDDING
Management mechanisms
Cultural leadership
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Mandate
Change practice
Change thinking?
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Mandate
Tipping point?
Spread ideas and practice
Change practice
Change thinking?
Encourage individuals
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Discussion 2Embedding practice

• How could the idea of seeing the embedding of
  practice structurally and culturally be used?
• How can school leaders be supported in embedding
  practice both structurally and culturally ?
• What can I do?

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Critical Friendshipdrawing on interviews with
critical friends and school co-ordinators
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Role of the Critical Friend

• Liaison among the project partners advocate for
  the project
• Initial inset
• Feedback of data from first staff questionnaire
• Critical friendship for development work -
  critiquing plans, asking questions, linking to
  other resources and research
• Light touch

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Light touch critical friendship an oxymoron
too many?

• Trust
• Understanding
• Critical engagement
• Whose critical friend?
• Expectations
• Roles and responsibilities
• Dependency avoidance
• Relationships with researchers and LEA advisers

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Discussion 3Critical friendship

• How can light touch critical friendships best
  be established and maintained?
• What are the particular issues about critical
  friend type relationships that need to be
  addressed?
• What can I do?

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www.learntolearn.ac.uk
James, M. et al. (2006) Learning How to Learn
tools for schools (A4 practitioner book of inset
materials in the TLRP Improving Practice Series,
linked to website), London, Routledge. James, M
et al. (2006) Improving Learning How to Learn in
classrooms, schools and networks (TLRP Improving
Learning Series (Gateway) Book), London,
Routledge. Journal Special Issue Research
Papers in Education (2006)
44
Discussion 1Supporting classroom practice

• How could the classroom level factors be used to
  deepen the dialogue about AfL?
• How can teachers be helped to promote students
  learning autonomy?
• How can teachers be supported in classroom based
  collaborative learning?
• What can I do?

45
Discussion 2Embedding practice

• How could the idea of seeing the embedding of
  practice structurally and culturally be used?
• How can school leaders be supported in embedding
  practice both structurally and culturally ?
• What can I do?

46
Discussion 3Critical friendship

• How can light touch critical friendships best
  be established and maintained?
• What are the particular issues about critical
  friend type relationships that need to be
  addressed?
• What can I do?