Next Generation Report (Tanya Byron)

Exec Summary:-

Parental or carer engagement is key to a child’s educational success. But parents are struggling to get involved with their child’s learning, with many finding it difficult to get information on what is happening after their children arrive at school.
82% of parents admit they don’t know as much about their child’s day at school as they would like.

A major factor is that after-school communication is breaking down between parent and child, with parents often being met with the dismissive response ‘oh, nothing much’ to the simple question ‘What did you get up to at school today?’

• Just 16% of children proactively share any information with their parents about their school day
• 37% of children say they find it quite or very difficult to speak to their parents about their education.
• 43% of parents find it either difficult or very difficult to extract information from their child about their day at school.

These communication difficulties between parent and child have major implications. This includes hampering a child’s achievement, creating stress in the parent-child relationship and creating tension between parent and school as the packed school itinerary gets ‘lost in translation’.

• 31% of parents admit to feeling ‘excluded’ when their child won’t tell them what they’ve done at school that day.
• 24% of children said they felt like their parents “were hassling” them for information about what they got up to at school
• And approaching half of children (44%) said they don’t like sharing things with their parents; they like to keep their school day private.

As the government agency leading the national drive to ensure the effective and innovative use of technology throughout learning, Becta has asked me to explore this issue further and offer simple, practical solutions to help parents improve communications with both children and schools using technology in addition to more traditional methods.

• As 82% of parents want schools to keep them better informed of their progress at school, it is important to show people the successful ways many schools are embracing this already. Time-saving technology for online reporting, lesson-planning and homework (accessed by school websites and other online resources) make parents feel much more a part of their child’s learning.

With better communication parents are better equipped to work with schools to help their children achieve higher levels of attainment as they understand the school day and feel comfortable discussing education with both teachers and their children alike. Technology plays a part not only in the communications between parent-child-school but in the learning process itself both in and out of the classroom.

• Becta is committed to helping teachers make the best use of their time.
• 80% say that technology has a positive impact on engagement in learning, and 60% say it helps them to support learners’ diverse needs.
• Most importantly, nearly 75% of seven to 14 year olds believe they understand ideas better as a result of using technology in school.

Read the full report here:
http://www.nextgenerationlearning.org.uk/ohnothingmuch/Executive-Summary/

Games based learning

Games are very popular with students of all ages and much research has been done within this field. Links to follow...

Functional Skills update

Update from the QCA

Functional skills and GCSEs

On Thursday 2nd April, the new criteria for English subjects, mathematics and ICT GCSEs were published. Following advice from Ofqual – the independent qualifications regulator – to the DCSF, these new criteria do not feature a structural change to the qualifications, and therefore will not require that learners pass level 2 functional skills assessments before they can achieve grades A* - C.

However, functional skills continue to be an important part of the 14-19 reforms, particularly as they link the secondary curriculum to 14-19 qualifications.

The content changes to the GCSE criteria mean that the new GCSEs will extensively test functionality – and it is therefore expected that young people achieving higher grades will in practice have demonstrated functional skills at level 2.

In addition, functional skills are already being delivered as part of the key stage 3 curriculum and will be embedded in the programmes of study for key stage 4 in 2010 when the revised GCSEs in English subjects, mathematics and ICT are introduced. Functional skills also remain an important part of every Diploma qualification and will also feature within the foundation learning tier and apprenticeships.

DCSF has committed to continuing working with Ofqual on ways to further improve the assessment of functional skills in the GCSE so that there is a reliable, more integrated, approach to assessing what every child can do.

New functional skills case study booklet published

QCA have published a new functional skills case study booklet. This new guide, entitled 'Delivering functional skills - lessons learnt from the pilot' provides an overview of functional skills and contains 10 case studies which illustrate how different education institutions are delivering functional skills within the pilot.

Delivering functional skills - lessons learnt from the pilot

Functional skills and unique learner numbers

It is a requirement for FS pilot centres to use the unique learner number (ULN) for functional skills registrations/entries with awarding organisations from February 2009. A support pack has been sent out to pilot centres in the week commencing 12 January 2009 explaining how to register with the MIAP learner registration service in order to be able to draw down the ULNs.

Apprentices and functional skills

The latest update on apprentices in the Functional Skills pilot is now available. Follow the link on the left hand side of this page for more information.

Assessing Pupils progress

Assessing pupils progress in ICT. http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/157533

OCR Nationals in ICT

This course is proving to0 be very popular. However there are many issues that are not addresed and many parties and articles have been written in the press recently about the quality of the course, or at least unit 1. What do you think? QCA suggests that

Some of the ICT programme of study at key stage 4 is relevant to pupils with learning difficulties. With modification, it can provide stimulating and challenging learning opportunities. (Does unit 1 cover this)

The focus of teaching ICT at key stage 4 may be on giving pupils opportunities to:

• use ICT tools with increased independence to produce and present work
• use ICT in the wider world to control devices
• review and evaluate their work and that of others.

Given these opportunities in ICT key stage 4:

all pupils with learning difficulties (including those with the most profound disabilities)

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explore different sources of stimuli and information. They are helped to use information to make choices and simple decisions and to control the environment using simple devices.

most pupils with learning difficulties (including those with severe difficulties in learning) who will develop further skills, knowledge and understanding in most aspects of the subject

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carry out an increased range of tasks using a wider variety of sources of information. They use ICT to produce and present work of a high standard. They understand the use of ICT in their everyday lives and they work with increased independence.

a few pupils with learning difficulties who will develop further aspects of knowledge, skills and understanding in the subject

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use ICT to enhance their work in vocational areas.

Some parts of the key stage 4 programme of study may be too demanding for some pupils. These parts may be:

• applying the concepts of ICT-based modelling, and considering the advantages and disadvantages of ICT against other methods
• critically reflecting on the impact of ICT on their own lives
• using their initiative to exploit the potential of new ICT tools.

Such parts may become less demanding as pupils get older, but it may not be appropriate to teach these parts to some pupils during this key stage. It may be more appropriate to teach the more demanding parts of the programme of study for the earlier key stages. Throughout key stage 4, staff can maintain and reinforce the knowledge, skills and understanding introduced during the earlier key stages by applying these in different areas, and introduce new learning.

The units in the DfES/QCA scheme of work for ICT key stages 1 and 2 can be adapted for pupils with learning difficulties. The following activities show how this can be done and provide examples of an approach staff can take with other units. If more depth and breadth is needed, staff can adapt the key stage 3 scheme of work.

Controlling devices

Pupils learn that a number of everyday devices rely on simple control features. This is based on the DfES/QCA scheme of work for ICT key stages 1 and 2, unit 5e 'Controlling devices'.

Pupils carry out short, focused tasks

They may:

• observe a car park barrier opening and closing
• observe a pelican crossing where a button activates a light and then a 'walk' signal
• operate lights using a range of switches
• input simple instructions into a microwave or television
• operate a remote-controlled toy.

Pupils carry out an integrated task

They may:

• operate a series of switches, or choose a series of icons to control the movement of a robot.

This work can link to work in design and technology.

Using the internet

Pupils are introduced to the internet and use it to find information for a topic they are currently studying. This work is based on the DfES/QCA scheme of work for ICT key stages 1 and 2, unit 6d 'Using the internet to search large databases and to interpret information'.

Pupils carry out short, focused tasks

They may:

• observe the internet being used
• print and display information collected from the internet
• use the internet, with help where appropriate, to search for pictures, sounds and information
• research other schools' websites.

Pupils carry out an integrated task

They may:

• create a pupil web page or multimedia presentation (with help where necessary) that gives information about a recent trip, and includes text and photographs.

The work can link to work in English, art and design, and geography.

Surface technology

Geographical Information via Google maps. Science based visualiser work. Group work using sorting activities such as photograph/image moving. There are many aspects to using this relatively new technology but many schools have even better thoughts..what's yours?

Mini Notebooks

I have been looking at Mini notebooks today with a leading supplier. Some really interesting stuff going on there. 3G ones? how about 3G ones with safe internet surfing, sound good? Well these will be available this year. Using them in schools for students without internet access at home is one idea that I have had...any other uses?