Building the Curriculum 3

A Framework for Learning and Teaching

What is different this time....?

• International evidence –what produces transformational and sustained change?

• Engagement/autonomy/ownership/grass-roots

• Three pillars- curriculum, pedagogy, assessment

• Education recognised as key driver

What is different?

• Recognition of the profession’s importance• New relationship Scottish Gov/LAs• Definition of curriculum• Not assessment driven• Alan McLean’s –AGENCY, AFFILIATION,

AUTONOMY

Cabinet Secretary• “importance of reforms coming from schools and

teachers”• “dispersed leadership”• “confident individuals as leaders”• “Leaders giving greater National leadership”• “HTs taking the lead and using the opportunities”• “collegiate environments”• “staff need the freedom to...”

HMIe –Graham Donaldson• More space for imaginative teaching • wider achievement• Avoid academic/ vocational divide• Basic skills for ALL (lit, num, HWB, skills for learning life

and work• Improve leadership at all levels• Not ‘back to the future’!• Not..’someone will stop me’

opportunities /issues

PEDAGOGYSuccessful learners adapt, transfer, make connections, are

flexible, good communicators, have good IT and interpersonal skills

Greater emphasis on the process of learning as opposed to content –teaching must support the systematic development of these skills

Personal achievement as well as collaborative success

There is no one simple pedagogy that fits every lesson, suits every student, class, schoolmphasis on the p

Learning and teaching

“The quality of learning and teaching in every classroom...will be critical to achieving our aspirations for all young people”

• How do we ensure that approaches to L&T place enough emphasis on active, enterprising learning and develop higher order cognitive skills?

Interdisciplinary learning

• Not topic webs• Short projects/longer courses/theme

events• Potential for involving partners• Cross sectoral work• Opportunities for mixed stage learning

transitions

• More than a pastoral transition• Capturing the ‘whole child’• Teachers having sound knowledge and

understanding of each others’ “worlds”-the learning environments which learners have worked in

Wider achievement

• Creating opportunities within the classroom for development of wider range of skills

• Other opportunities e.g. extra –curricular /community

• Importance of young person’s ownership –develop Personal Learning Planning

• Importance of PROCESS

leadership

• What in our present structures militates against the ‘autonomous professional’?

• How can we give more autonomy to our staff and empower them to be more creative and have the confidence to take considered risks?

• More autonomy and less ‘compliance’ –what are the implications for quality assurance?

Assessment

• Assessment for learning• Assessment as learning• Assessment of learning• Learner developing reflective /self

evaluation skills –ownership/responsibility• Assess what we value –wider range of

skills

What’s ahead ?

• Building the curriculum 4 –assessment• Development of skills• Work stream on structures –esp S1-S3• Recognising achievement • Case studies and exemplification