Video Reflection to Improve Numeracy Learning: Dundee Council Study, Study notes of Psychology

Download Video Reflection to Improve Numeracy Learning: Dundee Council Study and more Study notes Psychology in PDF only on Docsity! Dundee City Council Dundee EPS: Title Making learning conversations count: Using video reflection to enhance Teaching Assistants’ impact on attainment in numeracy. What did we ask? (Research Questions) 1. Does the use of video as a coaching tool increase the quality of learning conversations between target children and Teaching Assistants (TAs)? 2. Does an increase in the quality of learning conversations have an impact on numeracy attainment for the targeted children? What is the evidence base? Learning mathematics is important for everyday life. It equips us with the skills needed to interpret and analyse information, solve problems, assess risk and make informed decisions (Scottish Government, 2009). Local data suggests that Dundee follows a current trend in Scotland for low attainment in numeracy. The ambition of the Numeracy Strategy within Dundee is to deliver a consistent and effective partnership approach to raising attainment and achievement in numeracy. One desired outcome from Dundee City Council’s bid for Scottish Attainment Challenge (SAC) funding was to improve numeracy outcomes. Self-regulation is a key skill for mathematical learning, enabling a person to become aware of their progress and the strategies they need to achieve their goals (De Corte, Verschaffel, & Op’t Eynde, 2000). Unfortunately pupils can struggle to develop self-regulation skills. Furthermore, progress in mathematics can also be hampered by mathematics-related anxiety (Chinn, 2012). Effective interventions to support the development of self-regulated learning (SRL) through learning conversations include teaching: • teaching how and why to use learning strategies • teaching how to plan a learning task • explaining the relevance and importance of a task (De Boer, Donker- Bergstram, Kostons, Korpershoek & van der Werf, 2013). Such interventions have shown consistently high levels of impact on academic progress (Hattie, 2009; Higgins, Katsipataki, Kokotsaki, Coleman, Major & Coe, 2013). Targeted interventions have found that these skills can be taught in mathematics; for example providing appropriate scaffolding of strategic behaviour, including explicit support such as scripts if necessary, enabling learners to select from a range of mathematical strategies (Darr & Fisher, 2004; Pape, Bell & Yetkin, 2003). 1 Dundee City Council TAs have an important role in providing scaffolding for learning tasks (Bosanquet, Radford, and Webster, 2016), and improving the quality of learning conversations between TAs and pupils has been found to support the development of independent learning (Radford, Bosanquet, Webster & Blatchford, 2015). The current research builds on this, focusing on two of the recommendations set out by the Education Endowment Foundation (Sharples, Webster & Blatchford, 2015) on how to make the best use of TAs in schools: • Recommendation 3 - Use TAs to help pupils develop independent learning skills and manage their own learning and, • Recommendation 5 - Use TAs to deliver high quality one-to-one and small group support using structured interventions. Hence our SAC bid included funding for Teaching Assistants (TA) and a role for the Educational Psychology Service to use video-enhanced reflective practice (VERP) to enhance the effectiveness of learning conversations between TAs and pupils identified as requiring additional support for numeracy. The hypothesis was that this would develop children’s SRL in relation to numeracy and increase attainment in numeracy for the target children over time. VERP was used by EPs as it has been evidenced as a method to support critical reflection and learning among professionals (Ferguson, 2015) and is an effective model for continued lifelong professional learning (CLPL) (Cordingley & Bell, 2012), linking directly to the National Improvement Framework ‘Teacher Professionalism’ driver (Scottish Government, 2016). Furthermore, training carried out over time which combines collaboration and experimentation has been found to be more likely to change practice (Cordingley, Bell, Thomason & Firth, 2005) and improve pupil outcomes (Cordingley & Bell, 2012). 2 Dundee City Council What do we plan to do next? The skills gained in learning conversations could be extended into other areas of the curriculum. Specific to this project, individual EPs are engaging with their schools to identify ways to take this work forward, for example, repeating the ABLe checklists next term to gauge whether there has been a better than expected positive shift in target children’s numeracy attainment. One project school reported increased use of video as a reflective tool amongst staff generally so there seems to be an opening here for promoting this more widely in relation to other areas not just numeracy. References Bosanquet, P., Radford, J. and Webster, R. (2016). The Teaching Assistant’s Guide to Effective Interaction, How to Maximise Your Practice. Routledge Chinn, S. (2012). The trouble with maths: A practical guide to helping learners with numeracy difficulties (4th ed.). Oxon, UK: Routledge. Cordingley, P., & Bell, M. (2012). Understanding what enables high quality professional learning: A report on the research evidence. London UK: CUREE and Pearson. Retrieved from http://www.curee.co.uk/files/publication/[site- timestamp]/CUREE-Report.pdf Darr, C & Fisher, J (2004). Self regulated learning in the mathematics class. Paper presented at NZARE conference, Wellington. Retrieved from http://www.nzcer.org.nz/system/files/13903.pdf De Boer, H., Donker-Bergstra, A. S., Kostons, D. D. N. M., Korpershoek, H., & van der Werf, M. P. (2013). Effective strategies for self-regulated learning: A meta- analysis. Groningen, Netherlands: GION/RUG. Retrieved from http://www.rug.nl/research/portal/files/2342032/EffectiveStrategies.pdf De Corte, E., Verschaffel, L., & Op't Eynde, P. (2000). Self-regulation: A characteristic and a goal of mathematics education. In M. Boekaerts, P. Elsevier & M. Zeidner (Eds.), Handbook of Self-Regulation (pp. 687-726). San Diego, Calif: Academic Press. Ferguson, N. (2015). Improving interactions, improving literacy in early years. In H. Kennedy, M. Landor & L. Todd (Eds). (2015). Video Enhanced Reflective Practice: Professional development through attuned interactions (pp. 255-267). London, UK: Jessica Kingsley Publications. Hattie, J. (2009). Visible Learning: A synthesis of over 800 Meta-Analysis Relating to Achievement. Oxon, UK: Routeledge. 5 Dundee City Council Higgins, S., Katsipataki, M., Kokotsaki, D., Coleman, R., Major, L.E. and Coe, R. (2013) The Sutton Trust-Education Endowment Foundation Teaching and Learning Toolkit. London, UK: Education Endowment Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.suttontrust.com/about-us/education-endowment-foundation/teaching- learning-toolkit/ Pape, S. J., Bell, C. V., & Yetkin, I. E. (2003). Developing mathematical thinking and self-regulated learning: A teaching experiment in a seventh-grade mathematics classroom. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 53(3), 179-202. Retrieved from http://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1026062121857 Radford, J., Bosanquet, P., Webster, R. and Blatchford, P. (2015). Scaffolding learning for independence: clarifying teacher and TA roles for children with SEN. Learning and Instruction, 36: 1–10. Scottish Government. (2009). Curriculum for Excellence, Building the Curriculum 4: Skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work. Edinburgh, UK: Author. Retrieved from http://scqf.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/BtC4_Skills_tcm4-569141.pdf Scottish Government. (2016). National Improvement Framework. Edinburgh, UK: Author. Retrieved from http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0049/00491758.pdf Sharples, J., Webster, R., Blatchford, P. (2015). Making Best Use of Teaching Assistants: Guidance Report. London, UK: The Education Endowment Foundation. Retrieved from https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/public/files/Publications/Campaigns/T A_Guidance_Report_MakingBestUseOfTeachingAssisstants-Printable.pdf Further information and materials Denise Martin Dundee Educational Psychology Service, Dochart Terrace, Dundee. DD2 4HB. - denise.martin@dundeecity.gcsx.gov.uk - 01382 432980 You can find training materials and assessment tools on the following link: https://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/deps - 6 Dundee City Council Appendix: ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO LEARNING (ABLe) Taking a Closer Look at Numeracy Pupil's Name Date of Birth School Class Date Names of those involved in ABLe conversation Key: Highlight statements using "traffic light" system Red - area of concern/difficulty Orange - emerging skill/some difficulty Green - fine Leave blank - not known/not relevant at this time Comments 7