Developing and accrediting personal competencies

FutureLab is an agency that describes itself as
'passionate about transforming the way people learn. Tapping into the huge potential offered by digital and other technologies, we develop innovative resources and practices that support new approaches to learning for the 21st century.'

They have a wide range of resources available at their site, including this report on developing and accrediting personal competencies within a new curriculum.

They also produce newsletters that you can sign up for, including Vision which is published every six months and which is available to download.

new curriculum scotland

There is a lot of curriculum innovation going on North of the border. Check out Extreme Learning and a Curriculum for Excellence

Personalised learning USA

While the debate over what exactly personalised learning means continues, here is a description of one approach used by the MET schools in the USA.

Resources and support materials

Teachers in Buckinghamshire are ably supported by the Buckinghamshire Grid for Learning which offers a wide range of resources and support for a wide range of different areas including Subject specific materials as well as Whole School issues such as Assessment.

I have personally found some of the Art and Technology materials very helpful and hopefully you will will find something there that is of use to you.

When downloading some materials I have found that my computer initially blocks them. A message at the top of the screen (just below the address bar) warns you but if you click on the message you can choose to override this and download or open files.

Self assessment strategies

Zoe Newbery has found this resource which includes useful strategies on using self assessment with your pupils

AfL - Where it all began

The report 'Inside the Black box' is often cited as having kicked off the current focus on assessment for learning. Read it here.

Assessment resources

There are some more resources on AfL from the AAIA here:
'10 principles for Assessment for Learning' presents the underlying principles in a visual form.

'Self assessment' is a booklet produced by teachers from the North-East to help teachers develop this skill among their pupils.

Curriculum 2008 subject training

The Educational Trust CfBT are running regional training events in Leicester for Subject leaders on Curriculum 2008. Register your interest here. Better hurry as events start in January.

Leading Learning

One way that Campion School has been leading learning in the last few years has been the Opening Minds scheme which has been piloted at the school under the leadership of Helen Boyle.
The scheme uses a competency based curriculum in KS3 and is already being used by schools elsewhere.

blog potential

Missed your favourite programme on the TV or radio or want to experience it again?
No worries - you can find it on the web.
We are no longer tied to schedules and listings - we can find information when it suits us - so could it be the same for our lessons?
A blog has the potential to share information with students at a time to suit them (and you) and allows them to respond with questions and observations.
Check out this blog by Doug Belshaw,a History teacher based in Yorkshire, as an example of what can be done.
He also has another blog aimed at teachers which addresses some of the issues and potential in and around the use of new technologies in schools - although he is currently taking a break from frequent posts there.

Achievement and Improvement through Assessment

The Association for Achievement and Improvement through Assessment (AAIA) links teachers, advisers and other education professionals across the UK who are exploring ways to use AfL to support teaching and learning.
They have a wide range of resources available including this guide to Self evaluation and development in the use of AfL.

There are more resources available for members.

Gifted and Talented arts pupils

The Creative Generation website has a great many resources on supporting Gifted and Talented pupils in all aspects of the arts.

AfL in everyday lessons

Zoe Newbery has produced this presentation for the Humanities faculty on Assessment for Learning:



Click on the 'View in Full Screen' icon on the bottom right of the screen above if you want to enlarge the presentation.

Asking the right questions

Carole Lewis has highlighted the following resources to inform your use of questioning in lessons:

Answering and answering questions

Effective techniques of questioning

Questioning questions

Socratic questions

Types of questions

AfL 'Hot Research'

This very short video from Teachers TV gives a brief introduction to Assessment for Learning by the late, great Ted Wragg.

Competetive coursework

Another, longer, Teachers TV video here which uses Afl as a tool to increase pupil motivation.
Controversially the teacher uses class league tables to measure progress and achievement.
Crucially marks are value added and linked to their prior assessment and target grades so that weaker pupils can come out on top.

Innovation

One place to start if you want to keep up with new ideas, projects and debates is the Innovation Unit.
They describe their work like this:

The Innovation Unit promotes innovation to improve education and children's services. It acts as a catalyst for change and draws on expertise from both the public and private sectors, combining practitioner expertise with the ambition of policy makers.

You can sign up for information and there are opportunities to collaborate with others. So far I feel like I've only begun to scratch the surface of what they offer so let me know if you find anything of interest.

Welcome to the future

As Lead Practitioners at Campion School, near Northampton, UK we aim to keep up to date with current changes in Education and to take a lead ourselves in shaping the future of schools and schooling.

There is so much information and research going on in the world of education right now that it is hard to keep track of it all. You can stumble across a resource on the internet and think "I must get back to that" and then forgot where or when you saw it. Either that or you miss it completely.
The aim of this blog is to act as a library of such resources that you will be able to search and use as well as a forum to discuss and contest their value.

If you find anything useful that you would like saved please email me.