introduction
Since 2010 staff at Belle Vue Park along with Richmond and Aberfeldie Primary Schools were engaged ongoing action research on Self Organised Learning Environments. Much planning, trialling, observing, reflection, discussion and analysis took place in classrooms to refine and improve our inquiry approach.
The collaboration of our teachers has been truely impressive. Our students have really embraced this style of learning which allows them greater freedom and responsibility in the learning process.
The collaboration of our teachers has been truely impressive. Our students have really embraced this style of learning which allows them greater freedom and responsibility in the learning process.
research that WE believe affirms s.o.l.e.
Professor John Hattie in his book “Visible Learning for Teachers” - pg 5 refers to “effect size” of teaching strategies often used in the classroom. His research indicates an effect size greater than 0.4 is significant and influential.
The S.O.L.E. strategy incorporates many of these effect size elements. During a S.O.L.E. session the following elements are invariably observable and as Hattie suggests the presence of more than one of these elements produces a synergistic effect.
Feedback -1.13
Classroom discussion - .88
Student -Teacher relationships - .72
Meta-cognitive strategies - .69
Classroom behavioural - .67
Verbalisation and self questioning - .64
Problem solving - .62;
Co-operation v Individualistic learning -.59
Peer tutoring - .55
Student centred teaching - .54;
Co-operative v Competitive learning -.54
In essence, Hattie states that the key objective for effective teaching is
“Know thy impact - I help students to become their own teachers".
The S.O.L.E. strategy incorporates many of these effect size elements. During a S.O.L.E. session the following elements are invariably observable and as Hattie suggests the presence of more than one of these elements produces a synergistic effect.
Feedback -1.13
Classroom discussion - .88
Student -Teacher relationships - .72
Meta-cognitive strategies - .69
Classroom behavioural - .67
Verbalisation and self questioning - .64
Problem solving - .62;
Co-operation v Individualistic learning -.59
Peer tutoring - .55
Student centred teaching - .54;
Co-operative v Competitive learning -.54
In essence, Hattie states that the key objective for effective teaching is
“Know thy impact - I help students to become their own teachers".
Professor Sherry Turkle gave a TED talk in February 2012.
The topic of the talk is “Connected, but alone?” She has been studying how our devices and online personas are redefining human connection and communication and also how technology is shaping our modern relationships.
Points that can be summarized from her talk include:
1. The communication devices not only change what we do, but also change who we are.
2. People are experiencing more difficulty in how they to relate to each other, how to relate to themselves and the capacity for self-reflection.
3. We expect more from technology and less from each other. We are designing technologies that will give us the illusion of companionship without the demands of friendship.
4. We feel lonely and feel like nobody is willing to listen to us. Being alone seems to be an illness that needs to be cured, instead of a natural state.
5. The traditional conversation has changed into mediated connection, and can lead to the isolation of people.
Her research does reveal some interesting trends in how we communicate and relate to each other. With an ever increasing compulsion to use technology what are the communication and interpersonal skills that students are growing up with? Do students relate with each other well in real time or are they less capable because of the availability of technology to communicate? Are we gradually losing the ability for "small talk" and talking to people that we do not know well? Does technology inhibit our inter-personal development in real time?
We have come to a belief that S.O.L.E. seems to replicate the way people naturally learn, that is, in small groups and through discussion, collaboration and sharing. The access to the internet merely deepens the pool of knowledge from which students can draw.
Traditional teaching and learning expects all students to learn/work/focus at the same speed and intensity for a session. We have observed that a student's natural rhythm and inclination is to learn in bursts like interval training. This may not be in rhythm with a teacher. This observation is very relevant to classroom practice and what teachers expect of all students all of the time. Student effort, focus & energy peak and wane throughout a session. We believe that teachers should have an understanding of this concept to more effectively engage students and their expectations of student learning pace.
The topic of the talk is “Connected, but alone?” She has been studying how our devices and online personas are redefining human connection and communication and also how technology is shaping our modern relationships.
Points that can be summarized from her talk include:
1. The communication devices not only change what we do, but also change who we are.
2. People are experiencing more difficulty in how they to relate to each other, how to relate to themselves and the capacity for self-reflection.
3. We expect more from technology and less from each other. We are designing technologies that will give us the illusion of companionship without the demands of friendship.
4. We feel lonely and feel like nobody is willing to listen to us. Being alone seems to be an illness that needs to be cured, instead of a natural state.
5. The traditional conversation has changed into mediated connection, and can lead to the isolation of people.
Her research does reveal some interesting trends in how we communicate and relate to each other. With an ever increasing compulsion to use technology what are the communication and interpersonal skills that students are growing up with? Do students relate with each other well in real time or are they less capable because of the availability of technology to communicate? Are we gradually losing the ability for "small talk" and talking to people that we do not know well? Does technology inhibit our inter-personal development in real time?
We have come to a belief that S.O.L.E. seems to replicate the way people naturally learn, that is, in small groups and through discussion, collaboration and sharing. The access to the internet merely deepens the pool of knowledge from which students can draw.
Traditional teaching and learning expects all students to learn/work/focus at the same speed and intensity for a session. We have observed that a student's natural rhythm and inclination is to learn in bursts like interval training. This may not be in rhythm with a teacher. This observation is very relevant to classroom practice and what teachers expect of all students all of the time. Student effort, focus & energy peak and wane throughout a session. We believe that teachers should have an understanding of this concept to more effectively engage students and their expectations of student learning pace.
high impact teaching strategies
There has been much research over the years to identify teaching strategies that have high impact in the classroom. Different researchers appear to agree on the core strategies which work. When we examine this research the S.O.L.E. process reflects many of these.
Schools in Victoria are currently implementing 10 High impact Teaching Strategies. These are research based and are measured in effect size and months of progress. The ones we believe are strongly evidenced in S.O.L.E. include:
Collaborative Learning
Feedback
Questioning
Meta-cognitive strategies
Differentiated teaching opportunities
Schools in Victoria are currently implementing 10 High impact Teaching Strategies. These are research based and are measured in effect size and months of progress. The ones we believe are strongly evidenced in S.O.L.E. include:
Collaborative Learning
Feedback
Questioning
Meta-cognitive strategies
Differentiated teaching opportunities
