pening
inds
M
...Where learning matters
RESEARCH
21st Century tools for a 21st Century Education?
Did you know...
-
•In the UK 98% of 12 year olds want to do well at school and yet only 38% look forward to going to school!
-
• 9 out of 10 teenagers in the UK have a home computer, games console and a mobile phone. They do not know what it is like to live in a world without these devices.
-
•It is estimated that the top 10 in-demand jobs of 2010 did not exist in 2004. We are currently preparing students for jobs that do not exist!
The 21st Century is a fast moving place. With the evolution of our society and the rapid growth of new technologies, the young learners of today face new challenges on a global platform. As teachers, our aim is to prepare students so they can be successful in the modern-day world and workplace, however with a curriculum and lesson delivery model that dates back to the 19th Century, can we really be expected to do this effectively?
The fact that you have arrived at this page suggests that you recognise the need for transformation! Not just to the curriculum but also to the delivery mechanisms that are used in schools to equip students with the tools they will need to be successful in the modern-day workplace.
From the menu on the right hand side, you will find information on alternative strategies and approaches to the curriculum and learning. Each section provides a basic introduction and also gives practical examples of how this can be used. There are resources to download so please take some time to explore!
Please contact me for further information or visit the consultancy section of this site to arrange staff training.
What is Opening Minds?
Opening Minds evolved from research by the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), investigating the way that young people are educated in Britain today.
"...an information-driven curriculum is unlikely to be able to equip young people adequately for adult life in the new century. The National Curriculum is this kind of curriculum. It struggles to cope with the competing demands of subjects and the struggle gets harder as the volume of information increases. Meanwhile it neglects the development of the competences and skills that young people will need to survive and succeed in their future world..." (RSA 2005)
In short, Opening Minds is a competence-based curriculum, focusing on learning, managing information, relating to people, managing situations and citizenship. Students are taught by one teacher for the majority of their curriculum, combining a variety of subjects in a project-based context.
A Competence Curriculum?
The RSA identified in 1999, that there was a real mismatch between what the National Curriculum tries to do and what education for the new century should be trying to do. The argument runs, that an information-driven curriculum is unlikely to be able to equip young people adequately for adult life in the new century. The RSA has suggested that in place of the National Curriculum, competences should be used to provide young people will the skills and abilities needed to survive and succeed in their future world. They consist of: competence for learning, for managing information, for relating to people, for managing situations and for citizenship.
Download the full competences document from the resources section << click here >>
Competences are at the heart of an Opening Minds curriculum and creates a very different approach to the organisation of teaching and learning. Many schools combine the content from several subjects and teach in a combined lesson format to develop the competences. The competencies are delivered through project-based topics, such as Smart Brain, Breaking News, Global Affairs, Time and Fair Trade. Therefore, the content becomes the means to the end, rather than the end itself. A strong emphasis on the students of taking responsibility for managing and measuring their own competence development (C.L.I.P.S), incorporating Assessment for Learning strategies (Formative Assessment) and personalised learning.
The Key Benefits?
There have been many positive outcomes and impacts reported by schools throughout the country. From personal experience, Opening Minds was carefully introduced via a pilot stage and the impacts evaluated.
During the pilot stages several methods were used to assess and make judgments of the impact of implementing OM. This included analysis of data from the optional Year 7 KS3 SATS for English and also student/parent/teacher feedback. The following list shows the benefits that were observed:
1. Increased motivation levels and enjoyment of learning for students. When the pilot Year 7 students where asked about how they rated their learning OM was consistently high in enjoyment and motivational. Students who were not part of the pilot groups showed a varying range of favorite subjects and on the whole, where less motivated to learning outside of individual subject lessons.
2. Improved transition from Primary to Secondary. Both student and parent feedback showed that they felt that pilot students settled into secondary school quicker and where generally happier within their teaching class (mixed-ability form groups) Students felt that they were more supported and were less likely to get incident slips due to poor behaviour or discipline issues. A ‘twin study’ revealed that the student who was part of the OM pilot was significantly enjoying the move from primary to secondary school more than her twin. The parents was convinced that this was due to the OM approach.
3. Improved progress in literacy skills. All students in Year 7 were asked to take the optional KS3 English SAT test. Based on contextual value-added both pilot groups out-performed all other form groups who where not part of the pilot. Whilst this data is hard to quantify as being conclusive, it was hard to ignore as pilot students received 1 hour less discrete English teaching time than non-pilot students.
4. Increased standards of teaching and learning. On Average OM lessons observed where more highly-rated when judged by OfSTED criteria. Teachers felt increased motivation levels and remarked on having a far greater understanding of student’s abilities and learning needs than in discrete subject teaching. Assessment for learning strategies and opportunities to differentiate lesson content appeared to be more explicit and more natural to integrate within lessons. Students also consistently rated lesson more enjoyable and engaging.
RESEARCH
:: Home :: Research :: Resources :: Consultancy :: Links :: Message Board :: Contact ::
