Planning for challengePlanning for challenge

Key issues addressed by the studyKey issues addressed by the study• This study explored:This study explored:

– the extent to which pupils are challenged in their work the extent to which pupils are challenged in their work – the most effective strategies for promoting challengethe most effective strategies for promoting challenge– teachers’ perceptions about challenging pupilsteachers’ perceptions about challenging pupils

The key elements of the studyThe key elements of the study• This study included:This study included:

– a survey which found out about pupils’ perceptions a survey which found out about pupils’ perceptions about challengeabout challenge

– a literature review which looked at the evidence for a literature review which looked at the evidence for constructing challenge in the curriculumconstructing challenge in the curriculum

– focus groups where teachers discussed their focus groups where teachers discussed their experiences of constructing challengeexperiences of constructing challenge

The survey: pupils’ experience of The survey: pupils’ experience of challenge challenge

• A significant proportion of pupils felt that they were under-A significant proportion of pupils felt that they were under-challenged in their school work.challenged in their school work.

• In 2008, 31% of secondary pupils said that lessons were not too In 2008, 31% of secondary pupils said that lessons were not too difficult for them. By 2010, this had risen to 58%difficult for them. By 2010, this had risen to 58%

• There was some correlation between pupils finding lessons hard There was some correlation between pupils finding lessons hard and their (self-reported) attainment level. So those who found their and their (self-reported) attainment level. So those who found their lessons hard seemed to be attaining at a higher level.lessons hard seemed to be attaining at a higher level.

The literature review: promoting The literature review: promoting challengechallenge

• A number of strategies A number of strategies were found to be effective were found to be effective for promoting challenge. for promoting challenge. These were teachersThese were teachers– encouraging pupils to take encouraging pupils to take

responsibility for their responsibility for their learninglearning

– building on pupils’ starting building on pupils’ starting pointspoints

– using strategies such as using strategies such as collaborative problem collaborative problem solvingsolving

The literature review: taking The literature review: taking responsibilityresponsibility

• Encouraging pupils to take Encouraging pupils to take responsibility for their responsibility for their learning was found to be learning was found to be effective for promoting effective for promoting challenge. This involved challenge. This involved teachersteachers– taking a more facilitative taking a more facilitative

rolerole– planning tasks that revealed planning tasks that revealed

the points at which it was the points at which it was possible to step back and let possible to step back and let pupils work independentlypupils work independently

The literature review: The literature review: pupils’ starting pointspupils’ starting points

• An effective way of promoting challenge was An effective way of promoting challenge was building on pupils’ starting points. This involved:building on pupils’ starting points. This involved:– finding out what pupils knew and could do already by finding out what pupils knew and could do already by

using diagnostic tasks using diagnostic tasks – designing tasks and resources that built on thisdesigning tasks and resources that built on this

• For example, teachers used a test to find out For example, teachers used a test to find out about pupils’ understanding of a concept in about pupils’ understanding of a concept in algebra. They then provoked ‘cognitive conflict’ algebra. They then provoked ‘cognitive conflict’ by asking the pupils to do the same task using by asking the pupils to do the same task using a different method. The teachers helped the a different method. The teachers helped the pupils resolve the ‘conflict’ by organising group pupils resolve the ‘conflict’ by organising group discussion of the new concepts and methods. discussion of the new concepts and methods.

The literature review:The literature review:collaboration and inquiry collaboration and inquiry

• Using collaborative problem solving was found to Using collaborative problem solving was found to be effective for promoting challenge. This be effective for promoting challenge. This involved:involved:– changing pupils perceptions of learning from being changing pupils perceptions of learning from being

about receiving knowledge to investigating issuesabout receiving knowledge to investigating issues– developing pupils’ group work and thinking skillsdeveloping pupils’ group work and thinking skills

• For example, teachers encouraged pupils to For example, teachers encouraged pupils to generate their own questions and enquiries in generate their own questions and enquiries in science lessons. They discussed their ideas science lessons. They discussed their ideas with their peers and used a computerised with their peers and used a computerised database to help them with their investigations.database to help them with their investigations.

The focus groups: teachers’ The focus groups: teachers’ experiences of planning for challengeexperiences of planning for challenge

• The teachers identified a The teachers identified a number of issues in number of issues in planning for challenge. planning for challenge. These includedThese included– the difficulties in identifying the difficulties in identifying

pupils’ starting pointspupils’ starting points– concerns about over-concerns about over-

challenging pupilschallenging pupils– knowing when to step- backknowing when to step- back

The focus groups: identifying pupils’ The focus groups: identifying pupils’ starting pointsstarting points

• The teachers thought that The teachers thought that identifying pupils’ starting identifying pupils’ starting points could be difficult points could be difficult because of a lack of time because of a lack of time to:to:– listen to pupils’ explanations listen to pupils’ explanations

in depthin depth– observe pupils carrying out observe pupils carrying out

activitiesactivities

The focus groups: strategies for The focus groups: strategies for identifying starting pointsidentifying starting points

• The teachers suggested a The teachers suggested a number of strategies which number of strategies which could support the identification could support the identification of pupils’ starting points. These of pupils’ starting points. These includedincluded

– refraining from doing most of the refraining from doing most of the talkingtalking

– asking probing questionsasking probing questions– planning structured written tasks planning structured written tasks

that ask pupils to record what that ask pupils to record what they already knowthey already know

– developing pupils’ skills so that developing pupils’ skills so that they can work independently they can work independently whilst the teacher carries out whilst the teacher carries out observationobservation

The focus groups: over- challenging The focus groups: over- challenging studentsstudents

• The teachers thought that The teachers thought that over-challenge could result over-challenge could result in the pupils:in the pupils:– losing confidence and self-losing confidence and self-

esteemesteem– becoming disinterestedbecoming disinterested– behaving disruptivelybehaving disruptively– developing misconceptionsdeveloping misconceptions

The focus groups: strategies for The focus groups: strategies for overcoming the risk of over-challengeovercoming the risk of over-challenge

• The teachers suggested a The teachers suggested a number of strategies which number of strategies which could help reduce the risks could help reduce the risks of over-challenge. These of over-challenge. These includedincluded

– developing an ethos where it is developing an ethos where it is ‘okay’ to be stuck or ‘fail’ at a ‘okay’ to be stuck or ‘fail’ at a task initiallytask initially

– building up a relationship of building up a relationship of trust by being upfront about trust by being upfront about the nature of the challengethe nature of the challenge

– stepping the challenge so that stepping the challenge so that it gets progressively more it gets progressively more difficultdifficult

The focus groups: stepping-backThe focus groups: stepping-back

• The teachers thought that The teachers thought that knowing when to step-back knowing when to step-back could be difficult becausecould be difficult because– it was hard to let goit was hard to let go– there was a lack of time to there was a lack of time to

help pupils develop the help pupils develop the independent learning skills independent learning skills that they neededthat they needed

– the students might develop the students might develop misconceptionsmisconceptions

The focus groups: strategies for The focus groups: strategies for stepping-backstepping-back

• The teachers suggested a The teachers suggested a number of strategies for number of strategies for stepping-back. These stepping-back. These includedincluded

– helping pupils develop helping pupils develop independent learning skillsindependent learning skills

– explaining to pupils that they explaining to pupils that they were expected to work things were expected to work things out for themselvesout for themselves

– structuring tasks so that the structuring tasks so that the learning was scaffolded and learning was scaffolded and students were not completely students were not completely left to their own devices in the left to their own devices in the early stagesearly stages

What was the size of the study?What was the size of the study?• The surveys involved over 2000 pupils from over 60 schools in 2008 and 2009, and over 8,000 The surveys involved over 2000 pupils from over 60 schools in 2008 and 2009, and over 8,000

pupils from over 100 schools in 2010pupils from over 100 schools in 2010• The literature review involved consideration of 7000 studies from which 45 studies were identified in-The literature review involved consideration of 7000 studies from which 45 studies were identified in-

depth data extraction.depth data extraction.• 52 teachers from across England took part in the focus groups. The groups included teachers with a 52 teachers from across England took part in the focus groups. The groups included teachers with a

primary and secondary background who had responsibilities for maths, English or science. primary and secondary background who had responsibilities for maths, English or science.

How was the information gathered?How was the information gathered?

• Three online surveys of pupils were carried out Three online surveys of pupils were carried out over consecutive yearsover consecutive years

• A review of research into how teachers A review of research into how teachers construct challenge was carried out. This construct challenge was carried out. This systematically identified 45 studies. The findings systematically identified 45 studies. The findings from these studies were synthesised into a from these studies were synthesised into a literature review. literature review.

• 6 focus groups were held with teachers to 6 focus groups were held with teachers to explore the findings from the review explore the findings from the review

How can teachers use the evidence in How can teachers use the evidence in this study?this study?• Encouraging pupils to take responsibility for their Encouraging pupils to take responsibility for their

learning was found to be effective for promoting learning was found to be effective for promoting challenge. The teachers suggested that it was important challenge. The teachers suggested that it was important to help pupils develop independent learning skills.to help pupils develop independent learning skills.

• You might like to discuss with a colleague how you have You might like to discuss with a colleague how you have you made these skills explicit to pupils. Which skills do you made these skills explicit to pupils. Which skills do you think your pupils particularly need to develop? you think your pupils particularly need to develop? Which skills do your pupils think they need to develop? Which skills do your pupils think they need to develop?

• How do you structure tasks so that the pupils are How do you structure tasks so that the pupils are encouraged to take an increasing level of responsibility encouraged to take an increasing level of responsibility for their learning?for their learning?

How can school leaders use the How can school leaders use the evidence in this study?evidence in this study?• A significant proportion of pupils felt that they were A significant proportion of pupils felt that they were

underchallenged.underchallenged.• To what extent do the students in your school feel To what extent do the students in your school feel

challenged? You might want to work with your challenged? You might want to work with your leadership group to design a questionnaire or leadership group to design a questionnaire or classroom activity which will help you gather this classroom activity which will help you gather this information.information.

• Teachers found it difficult to step-back and let Teachers found it difficult to step-back and let students take responsibility for their learning.students take responsibility for their learning.

• Could you provide opportunities for staff to discuss Could you provide opportunities for staff to discuss strategies for stepping back? How could you support strategies for stepping back? How could you support staff in using these strategies? staff in using these strategies?

Follow-up readingFollow-up reading• CUREE (2010) QCDA Building the evidence base-CUREE (2010) QCDA Building the evidence base-

Constructing challenge in the curriculum: teachers’ views Constructing challenge in the curriculum: teachers’ views of the difficulties and risks involved and ways of of the difficulties and risks involved and ways of overcoming them. (unpublished report)overcoming them. (unpublished report)

• CUREE (2010) QCDA Building the evidence base student CUREE (2010) QCDA Building the evidence base student data- final report. (unpublished report)data- final report. (unpublished report)

• CUREE (2009) CUREE (2009) QCDA Building the evidence base – QCDA Building the evidence base – challenge review report.challenge review report. Coventry: CUREE Coventry: CUREE