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Curious Minds

Presents

Whats all the fuss about......?

A series of Twilight training and Development Opportunities for

Creative Practitioners, Creative Agents and School Co-ordinators 2010-2011

Whats all the fuss about........ Student Voice and the co-construction of learning?

Wallasey School, Wirral, Merseyside - 3 Nov 2010 - 4.15 5.30

By the end of the session participants will have explored:

The concept of learner voice and its practical implementation in schools

Building opportunities for using creative ways to get learner feedback in schools

Using a CP project to reinforce whole school practice in co-construction of learningand or student voice

What to do with the voices once youve got them

How creative evidencing of learner voice activities can demonstrate impact andcontribute to whole school development

INPUT/Activity Time

Introduction

Input Aims for the session 4.15 4.20

What constitutes Learner Voice and Co-construction of Learning?

Activity 1 A discussion carousel

Input

4.20 4.35

Why does the Learner Voice matter?

Activity 2 Statement sort (pairs) - discussion (wholegroup)

Input

4.35 4.45

4.45 4.50

How can we elicit the Learner Voice and facilitate learnerinvolvement in the learning process?

Activity 3 Identification of how/where the LearnerVoice is evident /can be evidenced Post-It All Over

4.50 5.05

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So What? What do we do now that we have evidence of Learner Voice? How can we use it? How can we measure itsimpact?

Activity 4 What are we looking for?

Input Is it measurable?

5.05 5.20

Plenary 5.20 5.30

Activities

1. A Discussion Carousel This will start with a paired discussion between CreativePractitioners and teachers (as far s numbers allow this) to consider what, for them,constitutes Learner Voice. A structured discussion will then follow, in whichparticipants are issued with statements on the theme of your views and discusstheir statement with a partner. Participants are stood in 2 concentric circles (oneinner circle, facing outwards, inside a second circle of people facing inwards). After ashort period the discussions are halted and one circle rotates with their statementand begins a discussion with a new partner. Again the discussion is halted after ashort time (dependent on how well discussions seem to be going), the statementsare then passed to their partner (to make sure that no-one has the same statementfor a 3 rd consecutive time), and then the circle rotates again.

All participants are talking, there is a hubbub of noise, but no individual is singled out

and focussed on by whole group. This encourages greater confidence and increasedlikelihood of participation and is therefore an inclusive strategy to elicit learnervoice. Statements can be adapted to suit any particular focus whether that reflectsthe content of a particular learning session, or the style of the learning that has beentaking place.

2. Statement Sort Participants are put into groups (as appropriate in this case 3s or4s). They then try to rank the statements according reflecting a consensus (if thiscan be achieved).

This encourages participants to listen to each others points of view, make decisions,

negotiate and compromise, and justify a point of view. These skills need somedegree of confidence as a prerequisite which may well have been developed withthe use of discussion techniques used earlier (but not when used only once!).

3. Post-It All Over This entails participants working in pairs, identifying where andwhen the learner voice can be evidenced, writing suggestions on post-it notes. Aftera few minutes, the post-it notes are then stuck on the wall, according to the categorythey are interpreted as falling into. Participants then walk past the wall of post-itnotes reading each others ideas. Then one member of each pair selects someoneelses post-it note, and returns to their pair to discuss. This should then lead to somequestions-answer and whole group discussion opportunities.

This activity is an excellent example of how learners can have their say. Essentiallythis is anonymous, as once stuck up, the post-it notes are not identified with anyparticular participant. This encourages the likelihood of learners inputting genuineviews, as opposed to those they suspect are the desired points of view. By then

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considering others points of view, this activity exemplifies the opportunities learnersneed to try to begin to empathise with other learners.

4. And Now? Feedback and action are essential features of learner voice and the co-construction of learning. Learners need to feel that the processes here are authentic that they are genuinely listened to and where feasible, action is taken based on thelearner voice. This final activity will enable participants to consider what to do withthe information elicited from the learners, so that they come to see their role as vital.

This activity will be a footprint activity in which participants identify currentpractice, its degree of effective implementation and gaps, which can become foci foraction planning. Creative practitioners will be able to bring their creativity to the foreby focussing on how they can enhance the flow of information from practitioner tolearner and from learner to practitioner.

5. Plenary Participants will get a final opportunity to have their say, exploring whatworked and what didnt work, and why. Plenaries should be used to reinforcelearning and to inform next steps. As such they are a fundamental element of the

whole process of learner voice and the co-construction of learning. This plenary willuse a target sheet and post-it notes to elicit participant evaluations.