Giving pupils the green light! Improving outcomes for all pupils through independent learning

Andy Mellor, Head teacher of St Nicholas C of E primary school, Blackpool, looks at Implementing and developing a knowledge based curriculum.

As we returned to school and undertook the latest exciting chapter on our journey into pupil focused independent learning, I was left wondering why more schools aren’t engaging with this agenda.

Create an account to read this article

£7.00+ VAT

One-off purchase

Purchase and Download today

Register for free

No Credit Card required

Register for free
Access to 3 free articles
Free TeachingTimes Report every month

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#43005"
  ["title"]=>
  string(35) "Is your assessment fit for purpose?"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "Leadership"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(57) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/assessment-fit-for-purpose/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1459254479)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-43005-2"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(329) "Why do we assess our students? Is it to please Ofsted? The government? External accountability isn’t going away, but the freedom from levels gives schools the unparalleled opportunity to refocus assessment on its true purpose – to drive learning and support mastery for all. Ann O’Hara explains. "
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(381) "... work on the teacher as ‘activator’ picks up ‘mastery learning’ andchallenging goals. He talks about the art of teaching being to balance the need forsurface knowledge with deep processing of this knowledge. Both are essential, butcrucially, ‘You can’t do the deep stuff until you know the shallow stuff’.7 ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(4) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(44) "Is your assessment fit for purpose?"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(1) {
        [0]=>
        string(10) "assessment"
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(329) "Why do we assess our students? Is it to please Ofsted? The government? External accountability isn’t going away, but the freedom from levels gives schools the unparalleled opportunity to refocus assessment on its true purpose – to drive learning and support mastery for all. Ann O’Hara explains. "
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(6) {
        [0]=>
        string(10) "assessment"
        [1]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [2]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [3]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [4]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [5]=>
        string(7) "mastery"
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(6004) "cyclical process ofthe lesson, intervention or unit, in order to adjust teaching to needs.At the decision levelTwo key points to guide processes seem to be emerging:■ Learning needs to be visible to teachers and pupils – Hattie’s work on VisibleLearning is crucial to understanding the power and impact of this.■ We need to have a readily accessible way of identifying ‘surface understanding’ and‘deep learning’, ideally wider than the taught criteria.Making the leap to deeper learningWhat is emerging at impact level? The most significant implication, noted in ourdiscussions, is the frequency with which we are returning to the following sources forguidance, learning from the past to guide our development work.The significance and importance of the work of John Hattie, making learning visible,is being revisited. Hattie’s work guides us to ensure planning considers not only priorand intended achievement, but also learning dispositions. If we are to enable pupils tobecome self-aware as learners, we need to plan for and support the development ofthese and to create ‘growth’ mindsets – points relevant to both the guidance from theCommission on Assessment without Levels and current Ofsted expectations (see alsothe work of Carol Dweck and Shirley Clarke).Hattie’s work on the teacher as ‘activator’ picks up ‘mastery learning’ andchallenging goals. He talks about the art of teaching being to balance the need forsurface knowledge with deep processing of this knowledge. Both are essential, butcrucially, ‘You can’t do the deep stuff until you know the shallow stuff’.7 As one assessmentadviser said to me recently, ’I had forgotten how relevant and powerful this is’.We are revisiting the need for learning objectives and success criteria to use‘active’ verbs, in order to make learning intentions visible for assessment by teacherand pupil. How do you assess, for example, the curriculum requirement ‘to be awareof…’? Combining active verbs with a developing understanding of ‘mastery’, leadersand teachers have referenced tables such as the one below, drawn from the NationalCollege for Teaching and Leadership report ‘Beyond Levels’8, connecting Bloom’smetacognition and active verbs.The knowledgedimension1Remember2Understand3Apply4Analyse5Evaluate6CreateA. Factualknowledgelist summarise classify order rank combineB. Conceptualknowledgedescribe interpret experiment explain access planC. Proceduralknowledgetabulate predict calculate differentiate conclude composeD. Metacognitiveknowledgeappropriateuseexecute construct achieve action actualiseTable 1: From the NCTL report, ‘Beyond levels’, adapted from the work of David R. Krathwohl945Vol 7.3School Leadership Todaywww.teachingtimes.comLeadershipSkillsAssessmentHowever, while Bloom’s Taxonomy has proven an accessible and useful planning tool,which many teachers and pupils have become adept at using to structure questions,leaders and teachers are asking if we use it in a way that is too restrictive. In a taughtsession, is use of such a matrix sufficiently accessible to support the flow across ‘surface’to ‘deep’ learning for the breadth of teaching, learning and assessment?Hattie’s Visible Learning Labs are also asking questions about Bloom’s; they havebeen exploring the Structure of Observed Learning Outcomes (SOLO), created byBiggs and Collis. Is this a more accessible, easily applied tool, which supports planningand assessment across ‘surface’ to ‘mastery’? Using a simple structure, SOLO describesa progression of increasing complexity in learning to reach ‘deep’ understanding.Figure 2 has been a useful focus for discussion because it connects active verbs withprogression in a way that makes progression in understanding and learning visible toboth teachers and pupils, assisting our understanding of mastery.Figure 2 (Image: John Biggs)Both Hattie and Pam Hook have noted a high degree of consistency between teachersand pupils using SOLO to make judgements about achieved learning and next steps.10The progression from ‘quantified’ knowledge to connecting and using knowledgeindependently and purposefully in familiar and new contexts is easily understoodand instantly accessible. It is guiding planning, questioning, feedback and pupil self-awareness of their learning.If SOLO gives us a means by which to identify and respond to personalisedprogression in learning, how do we structure a taught session to include such a rangeof differentiation where we need to provide both support and independence? Onceagain, we are returning to past wisdom. The work of Belle Wallace, Thinking Actively ina Social Context (TASC), is a powerful resource. Revisiting the TASC Framework, we havebeen able to see how it connects to and supports many of the points discussed above.The TASC Framework:■ requires collaborative learning, supporting mixed ability classes and/or groups, anda culture committed to the development of ‘growth mindsets’;■ employs a simple structure that connects learning skills and questions to promotemetacognition and self-awareness as a learner;■ can be aligned with Bloom’s and supports use of SOLO; sohttp://www.johnbiggs.com.au/academic/solo-taxonomy/46Vol 7.3School Leadership Todaywww.teachingtimes.comLeadershipSkillsAssessment ■ provides for focused independent application of learning, requiring and prompting‘deep’ learning/mastery.The TASC wheel (Image © Belle Wallace, used here with permission)In Table 2, I have summarised developing thoughts, indicating how using"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(12) {
        [0]=>
        string(10) "assessment"
        [1]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [2]=>
        string(4) "deep"
        [3]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [4]=>
        string(6) "growth"
        [5]=>
        string(8) "mindsets"
        [6]=>
        string(11) "independent"
        [7]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [8]=>
        string(9) "knowledge"
        [9]=>
        string(10) "curriculum"
        [10]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [11]=>
        string(7) "mastery"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(10) "Leadership"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Leadership

Is your assessment fit for purpose?

29 Mar 2016

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#43625"
  ["title"]=>
  string(35) "Leading a school research community"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(1) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "Leadership"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(55) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/slt81-learning-community/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1497954313)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-43625-0"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(202) "In today’s often claustrophobic, standards-driven climate, a research-based approach can empower teachers to take charge of their own learning and improve practice across the school."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(389) "... and new designs for learning are required. Through a disciplined approach to collaborative inquiry, involving all stakeholders ,we hope to gain the insights and the mindsets required to design new and powerful learning systems. This process we believe will  transform our school into a more innovative learning environment and powerful ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(5) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(35) "Leading a school research community"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["author"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(16) "Johnathan Cooper"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(202) "In today’s often claustrophobic, standards-driven climate, a research-based approach can empower teachers to take charge of their own learning and improve practice across the school."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(5) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [1]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [2]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [3]=>
        string(5) "based"
        [4]=>
        string(8) "learning"
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(5804) "Why Action Research?We are experiencing a time of unprecedented pressure on school: greater accountability, a narrowing of the curriculum through more prescriptive assessment, a flood of directives and additional budget pressures. It  threatens to overwhelm the profession and lead to a fragmented and fragile system in which we are inclined to cling to what we know or seek simple answers to ever more complex questions.Paradoxically, there has never been a more important time for teachers to take control of the teaching and learning debate, to acknowledge the challenges we face educating children for the 21st century and to recognise our capacity to lead on innovation and improvement.  It is not only essential it is also a moral imperative. We must remain vital and energised by our potential and aim to develop as organisations rich with interpretation. No matter how comfortable it feels, we must not seek equilibrium. We have to create a culture in which we are continuously motivated and intrigued with the chaos and complexity of new ideas. As Timperley, Kaser and Halbert have so clearly stated, new approaches to learning are necessary and new designs for learning are required. Through a disciplined approach to collaborative inquiry, involving all stakeholders ,we hope to gain the insights and the mindsets required to design new and powerful learning systems. This process we believe will  transform our school into a more innovative learning environment and powerful institution that leads rather than follows.Creating the conditionsAt St. Luke’s Primary School in Brighton, we have been engaging in research led improvement for the last five years. We knew that our context, like all schools, is unique and that one-size- fits -all solutions are merely sticking plasters which do not address the underlying local issues and needs. Traditional CPD risked making us unthinking professionals who grabbed the latest idea and applied it without owning and deeply understanding the true nature of the problem, never mind the so-called solution. We came to realise that we needed to create the conditions where curiosity and experimentation were encouraged, developed and sustained. The problems we faced were complex (and always will be) and so it was essential to open up thinking, to deconstruct our assumptions and habits, and to explore powerful and innovative approaches to learning and teaching. We knew that we had to move from staff simply listening to and commenting on improvement ideas to staff creating improvement ideas. We were well aware of the competing demands of creativity and basic skills in learning but did not see it as an either-or situation but rather looked to promote both through our explorations. St. Luke’s growth has become an organic process where we are continually moving through what are termed spirals of enquiry which I will explain later. We recognised that our true capacity for improvement had remained dormant. It lay with the experience, knowledge and intuition of the staff.  As a head, the key to releasing this rich resource was straightforward. It was to lead an organisation with:A strong and mutually agreed vision and values’ system which acts as the touchstone for all our questions and actions and which keeps us focussed and driven even when things become messy!A commitment to sharing information with all so that everyone can freely contribute.Clear channels for teacher voice.A risk free environment which recognises failure as part of the process for even stronger learning.The impactThrough committing to an action research based approach to professional development we have seen:More positive staff well-being, sustainable and significant changes to practice, and a strong belief in chosen improvements as they have been tested by our respected colleagues with our particular children, and found to be effective.We know that the has been a significant impact on learning outcomes and is has created a dynamic  solution focused ethos in the school, with a consequent  rapid growth of expertise within an energised team. In the process we have seen the development of staff who are reflective beyond their areas  of their research and who now take enquiry into their day-to-day work in the classroom. Most gratifyingly, we have seen a deep on-going professional dialogue between colleagues.And not least, we have arrived at a very  cost effective solution to learning issues with often unforeseen wider ranging impact.The journeyWe gained the courage to start our journey from the 2011 CUREE report ‘Understanding what enables high quality professional learning’. This report identified the following key actions:enquiry oriented learning activities spread over (usually) two terms or more; peer support to embed new practices and support risk taking; professional dialogue rooted directly in evidence from trying out new things and focused on understanding why things do and don’t work in order to build an underpinning rationale (also known as ‘professional reflection’); carefully targeted (usually external) specialist expertise including the selection of high leverage strategies, modelling them, the provision of support via observation and debriefing and gradual transfer of control over learning to the teachers involved; learning to learn from observing the practice of others; ambitious goals set in the context of aspirations for pupils. The Simple Action Research ModelWe developed our initial framework"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(12) {
        [0]=>
        string(10) "assessment"
        [1]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [2]=>
        string(4) "deep"
        [3]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [4]=>
        string(6) "growth"
        [5]=>
        string(8) "mindsets"
        [6]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [7]=>
        string(9) "knowledge"
        [8]=>
        string(5) "based"
        [9]=>
        string(10) "curriculum"
        [10]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [11]=>
        string(10) "strategies"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(10) "Leadership"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Leadership

Leading a school research community

20 Jun 2017

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#55606"
  ["title"]=>
  string(29) "A Guide to  Good Project Work"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(3) {
    [0]=>
    string(14) "Growth Mindset"
    [1]=>
    string(10) "Leadership"
    [2]=>
    string(22) "Project-Based Learning"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(59) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/a-guide-to-good-project-work/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1557764109)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-55606-2"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(184) "If cross-curricular projects are done well, they can open students’ hearts and minds, but good projects are few and far between. Jackie Beere, OBE passes on some rules of engagement."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(411) "... assessment. Include drafting and redrafting within the project activities to reinforce iterative learning. Include drafts in project submissions. Use the PLTS to reflect on personal learning progress. Have peer critique and low stakes testing embedded within the project. Have a concluding public performance that elicits feedback. Keep a reflective learning ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(6) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(29) "A Guide to  Good Project Work"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["author"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(12) "Jackie Beere"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(3) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(184) "If cross-curricular projects are done well, they can open students’ hearts and minds, but good projects are few and far between. Jackie Beere, OBE passes on some rules of engagement."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(4) "none"
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(0) {
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(2125) "flexibility. Allow the children to set their own rigorous success criteria for chosen tasks to enable self-assessment. Include drafting and redrafting within the project activities to reinforce iterative learning. Include drafts in project submissions. Use the PLTS to reflect on personal learning progress. Have peer critique and low stakes testing embedded within the project. Have a concluding public performance that elicits feedback. Keep a reflective learning journal diary to encourage metacognition and build links to learning strategies. Include the answer to the philosophical question within this reflection.Build brainpowerA final point for serious consideration is the inclusion of a project for all age groups that focuses on the brain and how it learns. There are many examples in my books of how we can develop social and emotional intelligence and a growth mindset culture through project work. There are also lesson plans on how to understand and grow your brain and emotional intelligence. I would suggest a compulsory project for all age groups should be ‘My Amazing Brain and how it works.’ Pupils could learn about the PET (primitive, emotional and thinking) parts of the brain, the huge potential of their brain to change and how to handle getting stuck, frustrated with team members or how to deal with moments of panic before a performance. They can then take the knowledge and skills they acquire in this project into the next and greater challenges.The most fun any teacher team can have is creating projects that excite and thrill their classes. Now is the time to use training days to give your staff the opportunity to have some fun doing this. For school leaders, this is a great opportunity to evolve the curriculum. We don’t have to change everything all at once just because Ofsted says so.But maybe we can create more of those unforgettable learning experiences that last a lifetime?Jackie Beere, OBE is a former head teacher, trainer, author and mindset coach.  jackie.beere@gmail.com"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(10) {
        [0]=>
        string(10) "assessment"
        [1]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [2]=>
        string(4) "deep"
        [3]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [4]=>
        string(6) "growth"
        [5]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [6]=>
        string(9) "knowledge"
        [7]=>
        string(10) "curriculum"
        [8]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [9]=>
        string(10) "strategies"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(3) {
      [0]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(23) "Growth Mindset"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(false)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(1) {
          [0]=>
          string(6) "growth"
        }
      }
      [1]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(10) "Leadership"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [2]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(40) "Project-Based Learning"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(false)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(5) {
          [0]=>
          string(8) "learning"
          [1]=>
          string(8) "learning"
          [2]=>
          string(8) "learning"
          [3]=>
          string(5) "based"
          [4]=>
          string(8) "learning"
        }
      }
    }
    ["tags"]=>
    array(3) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(17) "Building Projects"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [1]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(33) "Growth Mindsets"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(true)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(2) {
          [0]=>
          string(6) "growth"
          [1]=>
          string(8) "mindsets"
        }
      }
      [2]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(40) "Project based learning"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(false)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(5) {
          [0]=>
          string(8) "learning"
          [1]=>
          string(8) "learning"
          [2]=>
          string(8) "learning"
          [3]=>
          string(5) "based"
          [4]=>
          string(8) "learning"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Growth Mindset

A Guide to Good Project Work

13 May 2019

array(8) {
  ["distinct_key"]=>
  string(10) "post#44160"
  ["title"]=>
  string(33) "Mastery Learning is Where it's At"
  ["categories"]=>
  array(6) {
    [0]=>
    string(10) "Assessment"
    [1]=>
    string(22) "Collaborative Learning"
    [2]=>
    string(32) "Creative Teaching & Learning"
    [3]=>
    string(13) "Deep Learning"
    [4]=>
    string(15) "Differentiation"
    [5]=>
    string(18) "Learning Analytics"
  }
  ["url"]=>
  string(51) "https://www.teachingtimes.com/ctl74masterylearning/"
  ["post_date_timestamp"]=>
  int(1525860081)
  ["objectID"]=>
  string(12) "post-44160-1"
  ["_snippetResult"]=>
  array(2) {
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(271) "Confusion over what Mastery Learning is can has created conflicting ideas and approaches. Heather Clements explains what it is and uses models of memory to clarify how it can be a meaningful and successful way to achieve deep learning."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(2) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(410) "... academic knowledge to a level of excellence.Teachers set a high level of challenge and the classroom environment encourages and generates a positive attitude to learning.Learning is class-paced rather than unit-paced, based on a cycle of teaching, active learning, formative testing, feedback and alternative learning strategies, retesting ..."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
    }
  }
  ["_highlightResult"]=>
  array(6) {
    ["title"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(51) "Mastery Learning is Where it's At"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(5) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [1]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [2]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [3]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [4]=>
        string(7) "mastery"
      }
    }
    ["author"]=>
    array(1) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(16) "Heather Clements"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
    }
    ["excerpt"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(271) "Confusion over what Mastery Learning is can has created conflicting ideas and approaches. Heather Clements explains what it is and uses models of memory to clarify how it can be a meaningful and successful way to achieve deep learning."
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(6) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [1]=>
        string(4) "deep"
        [2]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [3]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [4]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [5]=>
        string(7) "mastery"
      }
    }
    ["content"]=>
    array(4) {
      ["value"]=>
      string(6130) "embed a memory all underpin learning. The notion that rehearsal alone will therefore ensure that knowledge and skills are embedded in the long-term memory is also an over-simplification, as it would support, for example, rote learning and drills, which are shallow learning and do not build the ability to apply learning. Engagement with the learning involves a more meaningful analysis and the use of that learning in different ways leads to better recall. For example, by giving words a meaning, linking them with previous knowledge or applying them in different contexts. It is clear, however, that if we overload the short-term or working memory with items that are not relevant to what is being learned, we are likely to see less learning. If nothing has changed in long-term memory, then nothing has been learned and nothing can be recalled or applied. It is the process of actively using or rehearsing and retrieving information that enables learning to be stored effectively in the long-term memory. Additionally, students’ motivation and the degree to which they understand the relevance of their learning are likely to embed that learning in the memory.Key point 1: We need to pace the learning to match the learners and not impose an arbitrary time scale by which something must be learned.Key point 2: We need to ensure that we refine the content of the curriculum to avoid overloading students’ working memories so core learning is not lost in extraneous information.Key point 3: We need to maximise the retention in their long-term memories of key information through active engagement and practice. Another model of memory stems from Robert and Elizabeth Bjork’s (Bjork & Bjork, 1992) work on learning and forgetting. They define the storage strength and retrieval strength of a memory to explain why we remember some things better than others. Storage strength is how well something is learned. Retrieval strength is how accessible it is. The levels are: low storage strength (not committed to long-term memory), high storage strength (committed to long-term memory), high retrieval strength (highly accessible) and low retrieval strength (difficult to access). Retrieval is essential to the process of learning because using memory shapes memory – it is a memory modifier. So, by requiring students to retrieve information on a regular (and spaced) basis, we actually make that learning more accessible in the future. The process of retrieving will require us to re-examine and apply that learning and thus improves the learning itself. While it would seem desirable to have high retrieval strength and high storage strength, the converse is true because the higher the retrieval strength the smaller the storage strength, and as retrieval strength declines the storage strength increases. So, to increase storage strength we have to allow for a degree of forgetting and work harder to retrieve the information. Of course, there is an optimum time gap – too long and the learning may be very difficult to retrieve.Key point 4: Low stakes testing, including multiple choice tests, quizzes and exemplifying, all require students to retrieve and reprocess learning, leading to deeper learning.Key point 5: After a period of learning, allowing an interval before setting a task or a test which requires the learner to retrieve that learning will increase the storage strength of that learning – this is called spacing.In developing learning, we need to ensure that new learning is stored in the long-term memory through active and deep learning opportunities which require students to process the learning in some way and which make links with prior learning. Bjork and Bjork’s work suggests that harder work improves learning because it slows learning down – the challenge of understanding something difficult requires more conscious effort and once understood is more likely to be retained. Conversely, easy work can boost quick retrieval but is less likely to be stored in the long-term memory. Additionally, the extent to which new learning links to previous learning and other knowledge, such as our understanding of the wider world or its interconnectedness, will increase the storage strength.Asian students working in the library.Key point 6: Creating learning tasks that are difficult and require students to actively contribute to the learning will improve the storage strength. Key point 7: Making links with prior learning and real-life contexts will enable the learning to sit within an existing framework and be more likely to stick.How does Mastery Learning align with these theories of memory?The key elements of Mastery Learning are where:Teachers believe that virtually all and at least 80% of students can learn all important academic knowledge to a level of excellence.Teachers set a high level of challenge and the classroom environment encourages and generates a positive attitude to learning.Learning is class-paced rather than unit-paced, based on a cycle of teaching, active learning, formative testing, feedback and alternative learning strategies, retesting, feedback and correctives, followed by a summative test after a period of time.The first two strands create a context and a positive climate for learning, ensuring that students are confident and receptive – we will look at these in more detail later in this article. How does the Mastery Learning approach support the key strands identified by research as essential to secure deep learning?Key Point 1: Pace – The principle of Mastery Learning is"
      ["matchLevel"]=>
      string(7) "partial"
      ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
      bool(false)
      ["matchedWords"]=>
      array(10) {
        [0]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [1]=>
        string(4) "deep"
        [2]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [3]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [4]=>
        string(9) "knowledge"
        [5]=>
        string(5) "based"
        [6]=>
        string(10) "curriculum"
        [7]=>
        string(8) "learning"
        [8]=>
        string(10) "strategies"
        [9]=>
        string(7) "mastery"
      }
    }
    ["categories"]=>
    array(6) {
      [0]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(19) "Assessment"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(true)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(1) {
          [0]=>
          string(10) "assessment"
        }
      }
      [1]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(31) "Collaborative Learning"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(false)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(4) {
          [0]=>
          string(8) "learning"
          [1]=>
          string(8) "learning"
          [2]=>
          string(8) "learning"
          [3]=>
          string(8) "learning"
        }
      }
      [2]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(41) "Creative Teaching & Learning"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(false)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(4) {
          [0]=>
          string(8) "learning"
          [1]=>
          string(8) "learning"
          [2]=>
          string(8) "learning"
          [3]=>
          string(8) "learning"
        }
      }
      [3]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(31) "Deep Learning"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(true)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(5) {
          [0]=>
          string(8) "learning"
          [1]=>
          string(4) "deep"
          [2]=>
          string(8) "learning"
          [3]=>
          string(8) "learning"
          [4]=>
          string(8) "learning"
        }
      }
      [4]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(15) "Differentiation"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [5]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(27) "Learning Analytics"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(false)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(4) {
          [0]=>
          string(8) "learning"
          [1]=>
          string(8) "learning"
          [2]=>
          string(8) "learning"
          [3]=>
          string(8) "learning"
        }
      }
    }
    ["tags"]=>
    array(6) {
      [0]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(12) "expectations"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [1]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(15) "lesson planning"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [2]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(16) "mastery"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(true)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(1) {
          [0]=>
          string(7) "mastery"
        }
      }
      [3]=>
      array(3) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(6) "Memory"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(4) "none"
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(0) {
        }
      }
      [4]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(30) "qualitative knowledge"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(false)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(1) {
          [0]=>
          string(9) "knowledge"
        }
      }
      [5]=>
      array(4) {
        ["value"]=>
        string(29) "structural knowledge"
        ["matchLevel"]=>
        string(7) "partial"
        ["fullyHighlighted"]=>
        bool(false)
        ["matchedWords"]=>
        array(1) {
          [0]=>
          string(9) "knowledge"
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Assessment

Mastery Learning is Where it's At

9 May 2018

Cookie	Duration	Description
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional	11 months	The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance	11 months	This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy	11 months	The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.

Create an account to read this article

£7.00+ VAT

Register for free

Cookies