Strengthening the Role of Non-Academic Competencies

Children learn so much more from school than academics, so a school in California has decided to harness this reality and deliberately expand their curriculum. Randi Kearney, Katelyn Patterson and Tressa Wyner explain how they are developing self-efficacy skills with their students.

What would it look like if school taught us as much about conflict resolution as it does multiplication? How would our lives be different if we were taught to care for the earth while we learned to read? Located in the middle of California’s picturesque Santa Monica Mountains, MUSE School is striving to do these things. We are a progressive pre-K through 12th grade school with an emphasis on learning about the earth and other people while learning academics. The school is built on five pillars: sustainability, self-efficacy, academics, communication and passion-based learning.

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      string(5765) "Social and emotional skills, non-cognitive outcomes, soft skills—whatever you want to call them, they matter. Competencies such as motivation, self-efficacy, meta-cognition and conscientiousness have all been shown to underpin higher academic performance in pupils and lead to more successful outcomes later in their lives.1Unsurprisingly, opportunities to develop these skills are not evenly distributed across society. Studies have found that young people from less-privileged backgrounds are less likely than their more affluent peers to access opportunities to develop the social and emotional competencies that lead to better life outcomes.2Attention towards these outcomes is increasing across the education sector, as are interventions aimed at rectifying the disparity in social and emotional skills. However, knowledge of what works in this area is extremely limited. Why are non-cognitive skills important?Cognitive ability and measures of academic attainment endure as the mainstream focus in the education sector. However, interest in non-cognitive skills has increased recently given that several have been found to predict long-term life outcomes with impressive accuracy. In their study comparing the influence of different factors on critical life outcomes, Roberts et al. found that ‘Big Five’ traits—openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism— were similar or stronger predictors of mortality than IQ or socioeconomic status.3 Other studies have found that conscientiousness in particular predicts academic attainment, health and employment outcomes as strongly as measures of cognitive ability.4A further explanation for increased attention towards non-cognitive outcomes lies in the increasingly saturated graduate employment market. When surveyed by the Sutton Trust, 94 per cent of employers expressed that life skills were at least as important as academic results for the success of young people.5 Standard qualifications based on cognitive ability and academic attainment are rarely sufficient for securing a role; candidates are typically selected based on assessments of their non-cognitive strengths. This piles on the pressure for pupils to not only succeed academically, but to also fit the specific character profile employers are looking for. Unfortunately, this is far more straightforward for some than others.Unfair distributionThe more affluent in society tend to enjoy more opportunities to develop the non-cognitive skills that are favoured by employers and predict positive life outcomes than those from less advantaged backgrounds.6 This might be because social and emotional abilities typically develop within the home and family sphere. Rising income over the past 30 years has led to the proliferation of activities and resources that aim to develop non-cognitive skills, given that a newly-created set of wealthier parents are able to afford them.7 A further explanation might be the hereditary nature of the transmission of what Bourdieu referred to as ‘habitus’—the habits, skills and dispositions that a person possesses as a result of their life experiences, which inform their ability to navigate and understand the world around them.8  Someone from a less-advantaged background may be more likely to miss out on developing the skills required to navigate such settings. It is clear how social inequality can be reproduced through the extent to which these social and emotional equalities are transmitted through the family, strengthening the link between a pupil’s background and their life chances.So if non-cognitive skills are extremely important in predicting life outcomes, and their distribution is currently skewed towards the better-off in society, why isn’t more being done to level the playing field?Addressing the evaluation deficit The simple answer is that what works isn’t straightforward. Impact measurement and evaluation practice across the education sector is limited, and where it does exist, it tends to be inconsistent.9 Encouraging schools to spend more of their limited time and resources on developing non-cognitive outcomes isn’t enough, and might even be counterproductive. Our own small-scale research suggests that only three percent of school leaders were confident in their ability to evaluate the impact of the work they were doing.10 Understanding how best to collect data and evaluate impact is essential for contributing to the evidence base for what works and ensuring time and resource investment is worthwhile.Indeed, the prevailing perception in the education sector is that too much time is spent collecting data and thinking about measurement. In fact, Ofsted themselves have recognised that there has historically been an over-preoccupation with data and outcomes.11However, we strongly believe that where used effectively, evaluation and assessment data can reap enormous benefits without being burdensome. When stored in a way that is consistent and easy to access and analyse, we can use it for multiple purposes: understanding individual-level outcomes and providing support to the pupils that need it most; evaluating specific initiatives or interventions; comparing relative performance and so on. The insights provided by carefully collected data can empower practitioners to make decisions on whether to continue or expand a programme or intervention—or, indeed, stop it altogether.Using robust measurement toolsIn school settings, measurement and evaluation of non-cognitive outcomes is typically confined to"
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Inclusion

Are Your Interventions Working?: Measuring Motivation and Other Non-Cognitive Skills

28 Feb 2020

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      string(3084) "– in the case of education, students’ sociological and non-academic development is just as important as scholastic performance, so it seems unlikely that technologies will ever fully replace the lessons that are learned through human interaction. For teachers to develop and maintain this sense of perspective, support and confidence has to come from the administrative level down.Indeed, for educational administrators the key competency they will require is likely to be leadership rather than technical expertise. No ICT system, regardless of scale or capability, can reasonably hope to succeed without clear objectives and a holistic view of all the factors involved in achieving success. While knowledge of ICT in its more technical sense will always be valuable for decision-making purposes, the main skill required is an understanding of the broader implications of these systems, including the curricular, administrative, financial and social dimensions of using technology in education.However, ICT cannot succeed on intentions alone; ensuring that the institution has the technical support competencies to get, and keep, systems up and running is a crucial back-office requirement. Just as downtime costs time and money in business situations, disruptions in technology can have similarly debilitating effects on the continuity of students’ learning. From hardware and software, to network administration and security, technical support is vital for not only the installation and daily operation phases but also the longer-term maintenance needed. Specific technical support requirements will vary according to institutions’ individual solutions and the supply of this support, be it internally resourced or outsourced externally, will be similarly varied but the need for it is undeniable.Another critical area that is often overlooked – or perhaps not even counted as part of a technical ICT deployment – is the development of relevant content. From interactive classroom materials to web-only courses, the functionality and design of these tools will play a large role in how students receive them and, more importantly, what they will learn from them; so the specialist skills needed to source and develop appropriate content should not be underestimated. Whether teachers and administrators choose to develop their own resources or work with external developers, the quality of the tools they use, and how the students respond to them, will be the real test of how successful the use of technology within the institution has been.Above all, the overarching factor to bear in mind will be the relationship between technology and education and which one drives the other. Technology is undoubtedly an undeniable force in shaping the future of education but it cannot dominate the educational agenda simply for its own sake. Possibly the hardest challenge will be using technology in education to mirror the sociological and economic direction of the country as a whole, without simply turning into a ‘me-too’ situation."
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Digital Learning

Teaching & Technology: where to begin?

22 Oct 2009

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Andrew Chubb, Principal of Archbishop Sentamu Academy,
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      string(416) "the classroom, and in a wide variety of informal and non-formallearning contexts (see above).Externally accredited routesElements such as ICT, Enterprise/Financial Capability, Community and ModernLanguages/ International Studies could all be met through existing formalqualification outcomes. These could include:An ASDAN accredited programme or qualificationRSA Opening Minds qualificationsIT/Computing ..."
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      string(5229) "the classroom, and in a wide variety of informal and non-formallearning contexts (see above).Externally accredited routesElements such as ICT, Enterprise/Financial Capability, Community and ModernLanguages/ International Studies could all be met through existing formalqualification outcomes. These could include:An ASDAN accredited programme or qualificationRSA Opening Minds qualificationsIT/Computing QualificationsModern Languages GCSE or ASSET Ladder QualificationsIndeed, if pupils have taken full qualifications in these as part of their normal options process,they can “count” in both the core and honours part of ModBac.External accreditation can also be given by licenced Modern Baccalaureate providers, such as:The COYO “Design, Engineer, Construct” programmeDuke of EdinburghYoung EnterpriseSports LeadersWorld Challenge, etc.Externally supported programmes or activities will have their own requirements for guidedlearning hours.Internally accredited routesThere are many ways in which any of these elements could be accredited internally, much of itmapped into existing good practiceAn initial ModBac online audit and induction process will agree how each element will beevidenced, and how a summary of this will appear on pupils’ individual transcripts. The grid■■■■■■■■■29Vol 4.1School Leadership Todaywww.teachingtimes.comLeadingLearningTheModernBaccalaureatebelow gives only some examples of the options available to schools. RegionalAdvisors will be available to help schools meet the needs and aspirations of theirstudents from the widest possible array of providers and partner organisations.As a guide, internally certified programmes of study should have a notional 20-30learning hours (direct teaching time plus learner experience/independent studytime). However, schools are at liberty to tailor this requirement to suit the needsof individual students in each cohort.From Baseline to BaccalaureateWhilst we have developed and trialled the Modern Baccalaureate Award at entry,foundation and Intermediate levels, we strongly believe that the principles ofchallenging and recognising academic, life and work-related skills apply as much toprimary age children as the do to secondary school children.Indeed it very much applies to young adults and adult learners too, and in the nearfuture the Advanced and Higher Modern Baccalaureate will be rolled out.Below is a quick guide to the Modbac levels:MyBAC and MiniBAC We are looking to establish a national networkof practitioners and school leaders who share our belief that a wholeeducation experience “begins at the very beginning”.MIDBAC (in development) for ages 10-14, acknowledging progress inknowledge and skills through a rich variety of learning experiences insideand outside the classroom, building the competencies that are critical forsuccess at 14+ and beyond: again, with a focus on progress.We have developed a framework that embraces the challengesof upper years Primary, transition and Key Stage 3. Incentivising andrewarding progress is the key aim, again within a broad and balancedexperiential curriculum.The remaining ModBacs are not age dependent, and are opento all learners, young and old. Each level builds on the previous, withgraded stretch and challenge targets within each level, empowering aprogressive pursuit of knowledge, encouraging a diversity of learningexperience, whilst growing and strengthening at each level skills forlearning, skills for employment and skills for life.MODBAC ENTRY LEVEL for learners with special needs of all agesworking below foundation level, supporting, enabling and nurturing thegrowth of knowledge, skills and understanding, building competencyand independenceMODBAC FOUNDATION LEVEL for learners achieving and attaining atQCF Level 1 (GCSE grades G-D)MODBAC INTERMEDIATE LEVEL for learners achieving and attaining atQCF Level 2 (GCSE grades C-A*)ADBAC The final element of the Modern Baccalaureate processis designed to support and capture the very best Level 3 learningoutcomes, at schools, VI Form Centres and Colleges. Learners can importtheir prior evidence into the AdBAC transcript, enabling a truly roundedview of achievement and attainment to form the basis of a 21st CenturyProfile of Achievement.For more detailed advice go to www.modernbaccalaureate.comThe Skills PassportThe Skills Passport will beflexible and adaptable to localcontexts, accrediting skillsdevelopment systems andprocesses that may alreadybe highly developed in someschools and academies, andencompassing a wide rangeof existing qualifications andawards.The pupil transcript will reportthe basic and wider skillsstudents have acquired. Thereare diverse and well developedmethods for framing personalskill and competencydevelopment, such as:• ALAN tests (literacy andnumeracy)• Other functional or key skills/ wider key skills tests andqualifications• ASDAN skills-centredqualifications (AoPE, CoPE,CVQ, Employability, etc.)as well as other AwardingOrganisations and programmes:• RSA “Opening Minds” awards• PLTS passport• Building Learning Power• QCF competence based skillsqualifications from Prince’sTrust, Edexcel and NCFE"
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Leadership

A baccalaureate for the future

4 Jul 2012

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      string(476) "... they have learned. Project-based learning, when well implemented,makes all of that possible. PBL facilitates the acquisition and retention of newknowledge, while building cognitive competencies like inquiry, analysis, researchnnnnnnhttp://www.envisionschools.org/http://www.envisionschools.org/11Volume4.4nCreativeTeaching&LearningProject-BasedLearningand creativity, and developingdeeper learning skills likecommunication, collaboration,critical thinking ..."
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      string(5636) "opportunity to‘know, do and reflect’ through projects and performance assessment, and thatoffering kids schools that help them do this is a matter of equity. Not only canPBL work with low income students, it can also help close the achievement gapand change the economic future for students and their families.The truth about PBLWith the myths debunked, let’s now look at what is true about PBL.Q. Are projects engaging?A. Yes.Q. Are projects fun?A. Yes.Q. Do students like to do projects in school?A. Yes.Q. Is this why we use PBL as a key strategy for success?A. NO!We don’t use project-based learning because it’s fun, enjoyable, and engagingfor students, although all of that is true and wonderful. We ‘do’ PBL at Envisionbecause it’s the best way for students to simultaneously:learn and master key content knowledge and skills (know)demonstrate and apply knowledge and skills (do)learn how to learn, and build the capacity to transfer learning to new anddifferent opportunities (reflect).The research is clear that in order for students to both retain and apply knowledge,they have to use it for some meaningful purpose and they have to reflect onwhat they have learned. Project-based learning, when well implemented,makes all of that possible. PBL facilitates the acquisition and retention of newknowledge, while building cognitive competencies like inquiry, analysis, researchnnnnnnhttp://www.envisionschools.org/http://www.envisionschools.org/11Volume4.4nCreativeTeaching&LearningProject-BasedLearningand creativity, and developingdeeper learning skills likecommunication, collaboration,critical thinking and projectmanagement.Stanley Richards, a currentinstructional coach withEnvision Education and aformer Envision scienceteacher, knows how effectivePBL can be. For his 12thgrade students (Year 13), hecollaborated with Envisiongovernment and art teachersto implement the Gulf Oil SpillProject and Exhibition, throughwhich students studied thedevasta t ing DeepwaterHorizon oil spill of 2010. Thisproject provides an excellentexample of what PBL can beand do with students.Like all good projects, thisone incorporated curriculargoals from the three involved disciplines (science, government, and art), focusedon an essential question (Who is to blame for the oil spill?), and engaged studentsin a culminating project – the oil spill town hall meeting. Looking at this projectfrom the perspective of our PBL myths reveals the power and potential ofwell-executed PBL.What did the project ‘cover’?Reflecting on the coverage myth, Stanley suggests that teachers need to shifttheir definition of what learning is, from a process that emphasises content toone that emphasises skills.For science, this means things like developing a hypothesis, gatheringevidence, designing an experiment and making conclusions. Having scientificinquiry skills is more important than memorising or ‘cramming’ as much scientificcontent as possible. For history or government, this means things like analysis,critical thinking, understanding relationships and perspectives, and crafting anargument. Those skills, when practised and utilised effectively, will be far moreuseful to a student in college and beyond than facts and figures.For example, in a traditional government class, the teacher might give a lectureabout the various governmental and non-governmental organisations involvedin responding to the oil spill. She would likely include information about howthe spill impacted the local community, as well as the natural environment.Students would receive information about the complexity of responding to adisaster such as this, with all of the stakeholders and participants involved. Inthis project, however, the students actually became the stakeholders, with eachperson adopting a role and needing to fully understand their position in relationto the clean-up project.On the night of the town hall meeting, the students, in their respective projectroles, debated the entire issue and demonstrated to their audience the depthof their collective knowledge of the subject. This required not only learning allthe related content, but also making sure they understood the rationale behindthe actions of each agency or group involved, and then demonstrating thatunderstanding in a live debate.In a traditional art class, students might have the opportunity to learn about andProject-BasedLearning12Volume4.4nCreativeTeaching&Learningcreate sculptures. When combined with this project, the art lesson connected toand strengthened their learning about the oil spill. Each student made a sculptureout of plastic – significant because of the relationship between oil and plastics– to represent one of the animals negatively affected by the spill disaster. Thesesculptures were on display the night of the exhibition, representing one morelayer of understanding these students gained about the oil spill.Especially in this technological age, when infinite facts are available via internetand smartphone, the more important lessons for teachers to teach and studentsto learn are the ones that build cognitive skills. When a teacher helps herstudents develop these skills, then the amount of content she covers becomesless important. It is not the teacher’s responsibility to present every aspect ofa subject, but rather to teach students how to approach the subject and howto use deeper learning skills to understand information and draw conclusions.This is better preparation for future academic success than attempting to coverthe entire breadth of a content area.Was the"
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Creative Teaching & Learning

Busting the myths of project-based learning

21 May 2014

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