enabling student voice Dr Valerie Hall Professional Development - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Using peer observations as a platform for developing expert students and enabling student voice

Dr Valerie Hall Professional Development Manager Valerie.Hall@staffs.ac.uk @318Val

Introduction

• My background
• Why this research topic?
• Focus for today

The background: why this topic?

• Student Voice Initiatives
• An opportunity to contribute to knowledge in the

poorly-documented area of post-compulsory education: some case studies did exist, mainly in the compulsory-aged sector, but these were largely anecdotal with sparse formal research

• A desire to join the component parts together:

students with teaching staff; and students with teaching staff and the organisation

Policy drivers and key texts

• Policy: DfES (2003) 21st Century Skills: Realising our potential;

DfES (2003) Every Child Matters; DfES (2004) Five Year Strategy for Children and Learners: Putting people at the heart of public services; DfES (2005) 14 – 19 Education and Skills; Leitch Review (2006); DfES (2006a) FE White Paper Further Education: Raising skills, improving life chances; DfES (2006b) Personalising Further Education: Developing a vision

• Initiatives: LSC (2007) Developing a Learner Involvement Strategy;

QIA (2007; 2008) Exploring the concept of the expert learner

• Case studies: Powney and Hall (1998); Fielding (2004; 2007) and

Rudduck and Fielding (2006); Cockburn (2005); Gunter and Thomson (2006; 2007); McGregor (2006); Collinson (2007); Forrest et al (2007); Shuttle (2007); Walker and Logan (2008)

My research questions

1. Why do we ask our learners to tell us what they think? For whose benefit and to what purpose?

• 2. How do learners’ self-perceptions influence their

involvement with learner voice initiatives (perceived trajectories, sense of self and identity)?

• 3. What are the issues around language, locus of

power, tensions and conflict?

• 4. What are the implications for practice?

The format

• HE in FE curriculum areas were approached with an action

research outline for a small-scale study

• A potential area volunteered: initial teacher training (2-year

DTTLS course)

• Eight members of staff on the team volunteered to be involved,

and two of their respective second year groups were approached with a research outline

• Two volunteer student participants came forward (to observe

first year groups): one from each group

• An interpretivist approach used semi-structured interviews

(phenomenological perspective)

• Data were coded to relevant theoretical frameworks and

concepts to establish themes

How was this done?

• Through peer observations, teaching staff had the opportunity

to engage in a learning conversation with students

• Use of a pro-forma to provide a framework for the observations

and post-observation dialogue

• This conversation was then used as a developmental vehicle to

improve the teaching and learning experience for both staff and students

• It then had the potential to inform practice and organisational

developments

The data analysis

• Nvivo (Computer Aided Qualitative Data

Analysis Software – CAQDAS)

• Identification of themes – how these link to

theoretical frameworks/concepts and the research questions

• How deep and how broad?

Two main theoretical frameworks

• Communities of practice (Lave and Wenger, 1991; Wenger,

1998; 2000)

• Ecological learning systems (Bronfenbrenner, 1979; Boylan,

2005; Hodgson and Spours, 2009)

Two models: similarities and differences

• Defined ‘communities’;
• Boundaries and specific roles

(bridging, brokering);

• Legitimate peripheral

participation;

• Research focus traditionally on

workplace – master/apprentice model.

• Relationships are more fluid,

though still inter-connected;

• Each level will interact with the
• ther three – multi-directional;
• Partnership learning – shared

frameworks for creative action - collaboration;

• Limited research in this area.

Communities of Practice Ecological Learning Systems

Were they enough?

• Commonalities: Issues around norms, behaviours, language, trust –

how these are used; locus of power

• Levels: micro (learner), meso (professional practice), exo (institutional,

local, regional) and macro (national)

• ‘Communities’: may become defined as much by whom and what they

include/exclude

• Context: compulsory or post-compulsory education – different

identities may ‘fit’ contexts better, have different outcomes.

• NO - a new ‘continuum of practice’ was devised to reflect the
• scillation between and across the two frameworks

New: a Continuum of Practice

From ………. Continuum To………. Communities of practice Ecological learning systems Relationships Sustained mutual relationships – harmonious or conflicting Transitory, more fluid – a functioning unit, collaborative; changing temporal orientations and relationships to other structures Working together Joint enterprise – shared ways of engaging in doing things together Interdependent relationships; impact on other areas of work and life Information exchange The rapid flow of information and propagation of innovation Bi-directional influences (transactional);actor and environment affected by engagement Getting started/progress Absence of introductory preambles, as if conversations and interactions were merely the continuation of an on-going process Routes and outcomes develop within contexts that are changing and subject to re-evaluation and reflection Very quick set up of a problem to be discussed New forms of collaboration, self-organising and adaptive Substantial overlap in participants’ descriptions of who belongs Environment evolves and changes naturally as a result of actions Knowledge Knowing what others know, what they can do and how they can contribute to an enterprise; enactment of particular roles (master-apprentice) Strongest influences impact in two directions: mutual interaction, including peer-to-peer; active decision-making Identity Mutually defining identities; value placed upon knowledge and position within the community; identity ratified and given value by others Capacity/influence to shape wider sense of local identities; identity created through transactions with others The ability to assess the appropriateness of actions and products Individual actors engage with context Certain styles recognised as displaying membership; ‘collective’ agency; context engages with ‘actors’ Sense of ‘self’ not as a component within community of practice: agency Language Specific tools, representations and other artefacts Informal, not structured Local lore, shared stories, inside jokes, knowing laughter; conforming; dependency Independent, non-conformist Jargon and shortcuts to communication as well as the ease of producing new ones Language represents the individual, the system level, does not need to move across Reification A shared discourse reflecting a certain perspective on the world Variable and changing orientations; individual perspectives Power Hierarchical, value placed upon knowledge and position Devolution of power

Sense of Self

• Self-perceptions and identity: self-concept (Cooley, 1902; Schaffer,

2000; Hughes et al. 2011); self-categorisation (Turner et al. 1994; Greeno et al. 1996; Turner, 1999; Oyserman et al. 2011); self-efficacy (Bandura, 1997a, 1997b)

• Metacognition (Ertmer and Newby, 1996; Entwistle, 2000; Veenman

et al. 2006; Kolb and Kolb, 2010)

Teachers who were in observation ‘pairs’

• Reported the process as being ‘liberating’
• Found the opportunity to discuss the observed session with a

‘learner’ provided them with a completely different perspective

• It helped to clarify their thoughts before they provided

feedback to the member of staff observed (although feedback was not included in the original research design)

• Were aware of the potential for power imbalance with the

student

• Found the pro-forma useful as a framework
• Felt it was important that everyone involved was clear about

the purpose of the observation – and mindful of confidentiality

Teachers who were ‘observed’

• Original research had no requirement for formal

feedback to be given to the ‘observed’ member of staff, however, this was requested

• Staff were keen to get this feedback – it was not the

‘usual’ peer observation feedback

• This resulted in a very ‘rich’ conversation between the

two teachers (observer and observee) and was experienced as more productive than normal ‘peer

• bservation’ feedback
• Staff talked about ‘fresh insights’ and ‘having the mirror

held up’

Students in the observation pairs

• Found the opportunity to discuss the teaching and learning to

be of great value – they felt involved in the learning process

• They felt that their opinions were valued – and of value
• It encouraged greater reflection on their own learning – this

also included some aspects connected to what made them engage/disengage with the teaching, which they recognised in the classroom

• They also felt it was a positive way to improve teaching and

the learning experience for other learners

Questions for the institution: how do we become a learning-led, as well as a teaching-led organisation?

• Partnership approach to teaching and learning
• Teacher and learner have a reflective, and reflecting, discussion as

perceptions are shared and explored (Schaffer, 2000; Oyserman et al. 2011)

• Pro-forma used as an important supportive ‘scaffold’
• Developmental implications are addressed around the awareness, and

expectations, of both staff and learners in relation to this approach (Cockburn, 2005; Donnelly, 2007)

• Responsibility which lies with the ‘partner’ teacher in the relationship:

facilitation of the process; enabling the learner in their participation and exploration of their ideas around learning – their metacognitive development

What has happened since?

Follow-on pilot at Staffordshire University

Working with Jo Carruthers (AGL), School of Social Work, Allied and Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences Paramedics and ODP’s (Operating Department Practitioners) Paired ‘peer observations’ – students and staff

Forthcoming publication:

Hall, V. (2014). Peer Observations as a Vehicle for Engaging with the Student Voice: A Phenomenological Inquiry. In SAGE Research Methods Cases. London, United Kingdom: SAGE Publications, Ltd. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/978144627305013508713

…..over to you

References (1)

• Bandura, A. (1997a) Self-efficacy. The Exercise of Control. W. H. Freeman and Company: New York
• Bandura, A. (1997b) Social Learning Theory. Prentice-Hall: New Jersey
• Boylan, M. (2005) School classrooms: Communities of practice or ecologies of practices? Paper presented at 1st Socio-Cultural Theory in Educational

Research, September 2005 Manchester University, UK. Available from: http://orgs.man.ac.uk/projects/include/experiment/mark_boyland.pdf

• Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979) The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard University Press: Cambridge
• Cockburn, J. (2005) Perspectives and Politics of Classroom Observation. The Research and Development Bulletin Vol. 3, No. 2, pp 45 – 55
• Collinson, D. (2007) Leadership and the Learner Voice in Researching Leadership in the Learning and Skills Sector: By the Sector, On the Sector, For the

Sector Vol. 4, pp 4 – 29

• Cooley, C. H. (1902) Human Nature and Social Order. Charles Scribner: New York
• DfES (2003) 21st Century Skills: Realising our potential CM 5810, Norwich: HMSO Available from:

ww.dfes.gov.uk/skillsstrategy/_pdfs/whitePaper_PDFID4.pdf

• DfES (2003) Every Child Matters CM 5860, Norwich: HMSO Available from:

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations/downloadableDocs/EveryChildMatters.pdf

• DfES (2004) Five Year Strategy for Children and Learners: Putting people at the heart of public services Cm6272 Norwich: HMSO Available from:

www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/5yearstrategy

• DfES (2005) 14 – 19 Education and Skills, CM 6476, Norwich: HMSO Available from: www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/14-19educationandskills/
• DfES (2006a) FE White Paper Further Education: Raising skills, improving life chances Available from: www.dfes.gov.uk/publications/furthereducation
• DfES (2006b) Personalising Further Education: Developing a vision Available from:

ww.dfes.gov.uk/consultations/downloadableDocs/DfES%20Personalisation.pdf

• Entwistle, N. (2000) Promoting deep learning through teaching and assessment: conceptual frameworks and educational contexts. Paper presented at

the TLRP Conference, Leicester, November 2000 Available from: http://www.etl.tla.ed.ac.uk/publications.html

• Ertmer, P. A., and Newby, T. J. (1996) The expert learner: strategic, self-regulated and reflective. Instructional Science. Vol. 24, pp 1 – 24
• Fielding, M. (2004) Transformative approaches to student voice: theoretical underpinnings, recalcitrant realities. British Educational Research Journal,
• Vol. 30, No. 2, pp 295 – 311
• Fielding, M. (2007) Jean Rudduck (1937 – 2007) ‘Carving a new order of experience’: a preliminary appreciation of the work of Jean Rudduck in the field
• f student voice, Education Action Research, Vol. 15, No. 3, pp 323 – 336
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Voice in Researching Leadership in the Learning and Skills Sector: By the Sector, On the Sector, For the Sector Vol. 4 pp 4 – 29

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(eds) McCormick, R., and Paechter, C. Paul Chapman Publishing Ltd: London.

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32, No. 6, pp 839 – 856

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References (2)

• Hodgson, A. and Spours, K. (2009) Institution for Lifelong Learning: Collaborative Local Learning Ecologies: Reflections on the Governance of

Lifelong Learning in England. Sector Paper 6.

• Hughes, A., Galbraith, D., and White, D. (2011) Perceived competence: a common core for self-efficacy and self-concept? Journal of Personality
• Assessment. Vol. 93, No. 3, pp 278 – 289
• Kolb, A., and Kolb, D. (2010) On becoming a learner: the concept of learning identity. An essay appearing in Bamford-Rees et al. (eds) Learning

never ends: Essays on adult learning inspired by the life and work of David O. Justice, Chicago, IL: CAEL Form and News. Available from: http://learningfromexperience.com/media/2010/05/on-becoming-a-learner-the-concept-of-learning-identity.pdf

• Lave, J. and Wenger, E. (1991) Legitimate peripheral participation in communities of practice, pp 111 – 126, in Supporting lifelong learning, Vol. 1,

Perspectives on learning (eds) Harrison, R., Reeve, F., Hanson, A. and Clarke, J. (2002) Routledge Falmer: London

• LSC (2007) Developing a Learner Involvement Strategy: A handbook for the Further Education sector Available from:

http://www.excellencegateway.org.uk/page.aspx?o=207689

• McGregor, J. (2007) Recognising student leadership: schools and networks as sites of opportunity. Improving Schools. Vol. 10, No. 1, pp 86 – 101
• Oyserman, D., Elmore, K., and Smith, G. (2011) Self, Self-concept and Identity in Handbook of Self and Identity (eds) Leary, M., and Tangney, J.

(2011) Guildford Press: New York

• Powney, J., and Hall, S. (1998) Closing the loop. The Impact of Student Feedback on Students’ Subsequent Learning. Scottish Council for

Research in Education. Report No. 90

• Quality Improvement Agency (2007) Pursuing Excellence: the National Improvement Strategy for the Further Education system, Coventry: QIA

Available from: www.qia.org.uk/pursuingexcellence

• Quality Improvement Agency (2008) Exploring the concept of the expert learner. Available from:

http://tlp.excellencegateway.org.uk/tlp/xcurricula/developing-the-expert-learner.html

• Rudduck, J. and Fielding, M. (2006) Student voice and the perils of popularity. Educational Review. Vol. 58, No. 2, pp 219 – 231
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• Wenger, E. (1998) Communities of Practice. Learning, Meaning and Identity. Cambridge University Press: New York
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(eds) Reeve, F., Cartwright, M. and Edwards, R. (2002) Routledge Falmer: London

The next part of the session will provide delegates with opportunities to:

• Evaluate own practice in relation to ‘student voice’
• Consider how to develop strategies which can engage

students in knowledge partnerships

• Recognise implications in relation to students’ self-

perceptions

• Explore implications in relation to language, power

and relationships

• Identify potential opportunities for own practice

and ways forward

Questions for you to consider:

• 1. What does student voice mean to me?
• 2. How could I involve my students? What would

be the purpose, and what would be the benefit – for staff, for students?

• 3. How might students’ self-perceptions influence

their involvement with such student voice initiatives?

• 4. What might be the issues around language,

locus of power, tensions and conflict?

• 5. What are the implications for practice?

So, what are you going to do to involve your students in knowledge partnerships?