SDPI Summer School DCU Tuesday August 19 th

SDPI Summer School DCU Tuesday August 19 th 2008 ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING: Preparing and Planning for ‘The Learning School Project’ Castletroy College’s Experience Presented by Tom Prendergast

Castletroy College • Co-ed • Opened September 1 st 2000 with 165 students and 16 staff • Now 1060 students and 80 + staff • Located in Castletroy, Co. Limerick on the doorstep of UL • The school’s trustees are the Diocese of Limerick and County Limerick VEC.

The Learning School Project • A collaborative two-year project involving 15 schools chosen out of over 60 applicant schools in the south west • Supported by Cork, Limerick, Tralee, West Cork Education Centres in partnership with the LDS, SESS, SDPI and SLSS • Dr. David Tuohy as Academic Adviser • Funded by the Teacher Education Section of the DES • From October 2006 initial meeting to April 2008 project showcase

The Learning School Project The aim of the project was to empower schools to engage in the ongoing development of a culture where learning is practiced and celebrated by everyone. Projects undertaken included: • Assessment For Learning • Improving Learning Experience of First Years • Supporting the Gifted Students • Peer Tutoring • IT and Languages • Language supports in Irish Speaking Schools

Assessment for Learning According to the NCCA website, ‘Assessment for Learning’ (AFL) provides feedback to learners on how to improve their learning & is characterised by: • • • sharing learning goals with students helping students to recognise the standards they are aiming for involving students in assessing their own learning providing feedback, which helps students to recognise what they must do to close any gaps in their knowledge or understanding communicating confidence that every student can improve adjusting teaching to take account of the results of assessment (Adapted from www. ncca. ie)

Assessment for Learning AFL Sample Menu: Target Setting – Learning outcomes at start of class on board Written Feedback – Comment only feedback Peer Assessment – Mutual feedback by students Homework – Provide exemplars Questioning – No hands up

Review • • • In February 2007 Castletroy College had a whole school inservice in the area of AFL from the SDPI. A mini-project, in the area of AFL, was carried out within the school’s English Department during March 2007, which was met with a lot of interest and enthusiasm. Building on this curiosity and keenness, AFL was chosen as Castletroy College’s project for The Learning School.

Design The project involved: • 4 First Year English classes and 2 Transition Year English classes, 150 students approx • First year English and TY English are mixed ability classes • The team included 6 teachers of English, as well as 2 project coordinators. The project co-ordinators were one of the school’s Deputy Principals and the other co-ordinator was a Yearhead, as well as being the English Subject Co-ordinator. • In order to ascertain whether or not these goals were successful it was envisaged that qualitative research with the students and the teachers would be undertaken at the end of the project.

Implementation • The timeframe for the actual use of the AFL techniques was from September 2007 to December 2007. • The full team met formally for the first time in May 2007. Also present was Anne Tuohy from the SDPI who outlined the AFL techniques and the meeting allowed any queries to be addressed. • The parents of the incoming First Years were informed at the First Year Parents Information Night that the project was taking place and what it involved. • At the end of May 2007 the project co-ordinators compiled ‘AFL Teacher Packs’ which included the menu of AFL techniques, various sample lesson plans and a reflective ‘Eureka’ diary.

Implementation • • • The team met again in late August 2007, during which the ‘AFL Teacher Packs’ were given to the six teachers. The team met formally once a month between September 2007 and December 2007, as well as informally. The teachers’ English classes were taught using the AFL techniques during this timeframe. In January 2008 a qualitative piece of research was carried out.

Resources • The teacher packs provided a mainstay of resources to the teachers. • The NCCA website (www. ncca. ie) • The various meetings with other participants and members of the steering committee of ‘The Learning School Project’ also provided a tremendous resource, including a solution to the perennially contentious ‘comment only marking’ in AFL. • The formal planning structures within Castletroy College [Every Tuesday staff meeting at 3. 10 -3. 50] also allowed time for structured formal team meetings which provided an additional resource also. • The PE department within the school had also received some training around the area of AFL and shared their experiences with the team informally.

Evaluation Data Collection • A qualitative approach to the collection of data was adopted whereby the 150 students involved in the project were issued an open-ended evaluation questionnaire. • Evolving from the questionnaires 3 40 -minute group-interviews took place between the project co-ordinators and the students. • There were 2 First Year group-interviews and 1 Transition Year group-interview, each group was made up of five students. The project co-ordinators also had a one-hour group-interview with the six teachers involved. • The findings were written up in a final report for The Learning School project, in April 2008, highlighting the successes of AFL and how they can be rolled out across the school, as well as highlighting anything that hindered the project.

Evaluation • The ‘AFL Teacher Pack’ provided a useful reservoir of ideas • The scheduled monthly meetings also provided support and a platform to exchange ideas on what aspects of the AFL menu had gone well. • The ‘Eureka’ diary also proved to be a very good reflective tool. • Undoubtedly the team’s enthusiasm and dedication was a major contributory factor also. • As the project progressed, other subject areas in the school were very interested in what was taking place.

Evaluation • Cross fertilisation of ideas from other schools involved project was invaluable as any time teachers’ meet is a good thing, as there is more exposure to best practice in teaching and learning. • At the beginning of the academic year 2008/2009 a presentation will be made to the whole Castletroy College staff, so as teachers can take what works best for their subject area from the AFL menu. • The six teachers of English involved in the project are currently continuing to use AFL techniques in their teaching and have broadened it out to other year groups and other subjects they are teaching.

Impact Of The Project • The students felt happy, curious & felt they had a voice in their learning. • The 6 teachers of English found that the teaching and learning improved in their classroom. The teachers also stated that they enjoyed the sharing of experiences. The fact that it was largely emanating from within the school allowed for more direct and prompt support of the teachers involved. • The project co-ordinators began to see an organic learning environment emerge, where ideas were exchanged and new methodologies adapted. The staff have become inquisitive, and the various department co-ordinators, as well as the school development planning officer, have already approached the team regarding the use of AFL in their subject areas.

Impact Of The Project • In addition to which the template of The Learning School Project could be used for a number of different projects within the school in the years to come. The project co-ordinators were struck by the developing synergy that emerged through the scheduled meetings with the team, as well as the willingness to try things and the repeated desire that the teacher was no longer centre stage all the time in the classroom. • In managing the project it was essential to have senior management from the school on board as it gave the project a greater profile and a lot of decisions could be made speedily. Also having two project co-ordinators was of vital importance as it provided a supportive framework and a stage to exchange ideas.

Impact Of The Project • The planning systems that already exist in Castletroy College facilitate meetings and planning regarding a broad range of different school issues. By having this in place, it made managing the project more straightforward. The regular meetings with the steering committee and the academic advisor, Dr. David Tuohy were hugely important in the management of this project. The meetings were always well structured and relevant to the stage each school was at in their project. The sessions never became over loaded with information and were positive and encouraging. • In addition to the cluster meetings the school visits by members of the steering committee also proved valuable in that it again added to the profile of the project within the school, issues that related directly to the school’s project could be addressed and information could be forwarded to the project co-ordinators also.

Impact Of The Project • As with many projects there is always a concern around having sufficient time to meet. At Castletroy College there is a scheduled weekly staff meeting on Tuesday evenings, but with such a busy agenda, it just wasn’t possible to meet formally other than once a month. While the once-a-month structured meetings were valuable, a weekly structured meeting would be better. Perhaps this is something for future planning, where the various team members are timetabled to be free at the same time to meet, e. g. Wednesday morning. • The ‘comment only marking’ was the most contentious point as the safety net of a grade seemed to be an essential prerequisite from the students and their parents, but a solution was found in that the comments were given for example on the Monday and then the grade was given on the Friday.

Workshop • Apply this suggested model (aspects or all of it) to a potential area for planning/development in your school on worksheet provided [10 minutes approximately] • Then share your ideas with others in your group (feedback, trouble shoot, exchange ideas…) [20 minutes approximately] • Group ‘volunteer’ reports back to main group what ideas were floated any other relevant points [15 minutes approximately]

Finally Any questions or comments? The best of luck in your endeavours in the coming school year!