Observing teaching, learning & assessment under the new

CIF

Julie Hughes Sept 2012

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Starter Activity - Why Observe?

Sir Michael Wilshaw‘I firmly believe that an outstanding provider must have outstanding teaching, learning and assessment and be a model of excellence with very strong leadership. The best teachers, trainers and assessors should be properly supported, developed and rewarded and I want to see inspectors evaluating the rigour of decisions made by providers regarding performance management.’

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Session Plan· Introductions & personal learning goals· Impact of new CIF on TLA· Finding the evidence· Grading· Feeding back

Outcomes, by the end of this session you should be able to:· Identify the key differences in the new 2012 CIF· Identify the characteristics of outstanding TLA· Determine whether/how learning is taking place· Make consistent judgements· Identify the key element of constructive feedback

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Overall effectiveness

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Outcomes for learners

Common Inspection Framework for further education and skills 2012

Grade 1•Outstanding

Grade 2•Good

Grade 3•Requires improvement

Grade 4•Inadequate

2012 - What’s new….· 48 hours notice· Emphasis on teaching, learning and

assessment· No limiting grades (????)· Satisfactory is no longer acceptable· Increased observation of teaching,

learning, skills development and assessment – in the classroom and ‘between lessons’

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2012 - What’s new….· Teaching, learning & assessment now

includes:Care, guidance & supportEmphasis on progress and progressionPromotion of independent learning skillsFocus on skill development including

functional skillsPromotion of E&D

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· September 2012 version now available· P. 45 - 53 Quality of teaching, learning & assessment

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Activity 2: Observation challenges/fears· What aspect of conducting an observation

worries you most?· Name one thing that would help deal with

this concern.· Top tips from colleagues?

Watch and comment

What skills did you

observe?Was this

easy?

Activity 3: Observing learning & skills?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJtWdvtn6F8&feature=player_detailpage

So where do we start?

· What is the difference between opinion and evidence?

· How/where can you find evidence against the new CIF criteria?

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Activity 4 - Finding the evidence

Working individually read through the Ofsted criteria.

·Familiarise yourself with terminology·Identify 2 examples of evidence that might support each criterion·What would outstanding TLA look like for each one?·Move round the room adding examples to each flip chart

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Hinge question

· Engagement and attitude of learners is:A. No longer relevant under the new CIFB. Key evidence that learning is taking placeC. Only important in vocational learningD. A crucial E&D indicator

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Break – 15 minutes

The challenge for observers is to observe learning, not teaching..· Are the learners learning?

· How do you know?· Is the teacher checking learning?

· How do you know?· Are learners making timely progress?

· How do you know?

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Observing learningActivity 5: Look for the learning taking place in this clip of level 3 learners studying the Diploma in Society, Health and Development.

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Paired activity 6 – observation reports· Is the report focused on learning?· Is the wording consistent with the grade, if not indicate

where and how it could be better worded?· Does the report convey to the teacher what they need to

do to improve, i.e. get a better grade or sustain their grade 1.

· Is the report judgement-rich? If not how would you improve it?

· How will you moderate your reports?

Feedback and whole group discussion18

· Observation records that:o Focus on teachers & teaching more than learners and

learningo Describe rather than evaluateo Tell us little about the standards learners achieve or

what they are actually learning / not learningo Include evidence that doesn’t match the judgemento Identify norms as strengths

Potential pitfalls include...

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Strengths v Norms· Good teacher knowledge / subject

expertise.· Good attendance / punctuality.· Effective scheme of work and lesson plan.· Learners develop good skills.· Very good range of activities.

· Observers:

o Watching the teacher rather than learnerso Focusing on processes rather than the impact on

learnerso Having pre-conceived ideas about what works and

what doesn’to Basing judgements on how much they (the observers)

enjoy the session

Common pitfalls include...

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EFFECTIVE OBSERVATION FORMS· Tell the story of the lesson· Talk about learning· Give specific examples of good

practice/AFI (quotations/times/behaviour)· Forms which are ‘thin’ on evidence:

Make moderation difficult/impossibleMake feedback less effectiveGive the teacher a bad deal – efforts not

valued/little to build on

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Effective feedback – Activity 7

· Working individually identify:

Issues

Key criteriathat you need to consider before giving

feedback.

Feedback· All observations should be followed up with teacher

feedback as soon as possible after the observation.· Try to write up your observation in the lesson, you can

plan the feedback afterwards.· Ensure feedback is given where you will not be disturbed· Make sure a time boundary is set· Be careful with the words you use to convey the message· Support every judgement with evidence· Praise sandwich/Medal & Mission/GROW· Shared aim: support your colleague to improve teaching· You are judging the lesson and the learning – not the

teacher.24

• ‘Fluffy’, feedback that lacks clarity• Action plans which fail to identify desired

improvements to learners’ experiences – e.g. oAction: attend Q&A trainingoProgress: completed training

• A focus on fixing poor teaching, rather than on achieving excellent learning

• Little or no follow up to measure the impact of strategies to improve learning

Common pitfalls following observation

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Activity 8: giving feedback

· Write your judgement on the SHD session you watched

· Take turns in giving feedback to your partner (role playing the teacher)

· Peer review this process

Effective questioning of learnersActivity 9· Working in pairs devise two really effective

questions to ask learners that will determine whether they are learning.

· Now share these with the rest of the table a revise your questions onto the flip chart

· Present these to the whole group

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Observation outside the classroom· Where else does learning take place?· How can the quality of this learning be

evaluated?

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Discussion questions· Art or science? · How important is subject specialism?· How important is the lesson plan/SoW? · What’s different in observing practical

sessions?

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Observing practical sessions· Importance of health & safety· Importance of equipment· Industry standards· Links between theory and practice· Participation/inclusion of all learners· Role of ILT e.g. to improve sight lines· Monitoring of progress & skill development

and finally…

For the teacher…· How will you plan?· What will you teach?· What will they learn?· How will they learn?· How will you know?

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And even more finally...

· WWW· EBI· Progress towards learning goal?

(Self/peer?)