FINAL STEM BURSARY REPORT 2010/11
Lisa McIlvenna
Broughshane Primary School
1. Professional development activity undertaken, including how the need was identified.
The focus of my CPD activity was ‘The effectiveness of learner response systems (LRS) and their impact on teaching and learning’. Learner response systems, used in conjunction with an interactive board, are ideal for supporting Assessment for Learning and can be a powerful tool in promoting effective teaching and learning in the classroom. Not only would this be in keeping with the focus of the School Development Plan i.e. AFL, but also it would be an extension of good practice in ICT that would further enhance the teaching and learning experiences in my classroom. This would encourage a more interactive classroom, allowing me to further develop my own professional practice as well as keeping the school in line with new and innovative technologies.
2. The outcomes in terms of improved practice by the teacher.
The CPD activity has enabled me to broaden and enhance my knowledge and skills in relation to ICT and Assessment for Learning, as well as encouraging me to become a more reflective teacher across all areas of the curriculum.
In order to incorporate the new ‘ActivExpression’ LRS system effectively into my classroom, I had to first upgrade my software to ‘ActivInspire’. I completed the online courses provided by Promethean Planet which enabled me to use the software confidently and effectively in my classroom. Not only did this provide me with access to more capabilities and functionalities on my IWB but also it helped me utilise the ‘ActivExpression’ LRS more effectively as it is fully integrated with this system.
The integration of the LRS system into my classroom has promoted a more effective teaching and learning environment, not only for the children but also for me as a reflective practitioner. I have been able to incorporate the LRS in many of my lessons across the curriculum and I have found that not only does it provide me with instant assessment opportunities but also it encourages me to reflect on my teaching strategies and adapt my teaching for the needs of every individual in my classroom. The LRS made my teaching much more interactive and enjoyable and it has provided me with invaluable opportunities for both assessment of ‘learning’ and assessment for ‘teaching’.
3. The outcomes or benefits of the activity in terms of improvements in pupils’ learning experiences.
The LRS provides many benefits for teachers and children alike. It provides better classroom communication and makes deeper thinking and questioning possible. Each device provides individual children with a voice and the full-text capability enables students to respond in full sentences as well as in numbers, symbols, true/false, Likert scales and more. Not only are the children engaged but also they are highly motivated and play a more active role in their learning.
The LRS provides instant feedback for the teacher but it also encourages the children to become part of the evaluation process. I have found that the children are more able to discuss and assess not only their own answers but also those of their peers in a more meaningful and constructive manner. They can see at a glance how much they have improved just by calling up previous ActivExpression sessions and comparing their results. Even the most reluctant of learners enjoyed using ActivExpression which made learning more fun and encouraged them to become more involved. ActivExpression has instilled a renewed sense of enthusiasm and as a result had an overwhelmingly positive impact on the children’s behavior and attitude to learning.
4. How the success of the professional development activity has been / will be evaluated.
The success of the CPD activity is clearly evident within my classroom. The engaging lessons and motivated children are a clear indicator of how technology can develop and enhance both teaching and learning throughout the curriculum.
I have been able to continually evaluate the activity through classroom observation and discussion with the children. The LRS itself was used to record how the children felt about using ActivExpression and how they would like to see it being used in other areas of the curriculum. In the long term, the success of the activity will be seen in the positive attitude of the children to their learning.
5. How the experience, skills and knowledge gained have been / will be shared with other teachers
Ongoing communication with the SMT took place throughout the activity and resulted in a final computer presentation to the rest of the staff on the successes of the LRS in the classroom. The skills and knowledge I have acquired with using both ‘ActivInspire’ and ‘ActivExpression’ will be disseminated to all members of staff through regular staff meetings and individual consultations. I will also be meeting with both year 4 and 7 teachers to discuss the use of the LRS for end of key stage assessment.
6. Reflection by the teacher on the value and effectiveness of the activity
The research I have undertaken has been invaluable for both pupils and teacher alike. The LRS has enabled me to facilitate more effective teaching and learning and create a more interactive learning environment where the children are highly motivated and have a more active role in assessing their learning. As a reflective practitioner I have found that:
· My lessons are more engaging and fun
· I am a more reflective teacher willing to adapt my teaching to meet the needs of individuals
· I have more time to interact with the children as their responses are immediate and there is not the same necessity for marking
· I have a better understanding of the needs of all the children in my class
· I use better questioning techniques which in turn encourages better thinking skills
I have also found that the children are:
· More actively engaged in their own learning
· Better behaved and more positive about their learning
· Able to evaluate their work more effectively and provide constructive criticism
· More able to discuss and interpret data from a range of tables and charts
7. Future plans / suggestions for further development
As part of my role as ICT co-coordinator I would like to continue my work with the LRS and encourage staff throughout the school to make use of it. I aim to have all staff using the upgraded software ‘ActivInspire’ before the end of the year so that they can use the LRS if they wish to do so.
I have successfully used the self-paced tool of the LRS to make our end of key stage one assessments interactive. If this proves to be successful, I would like to work in conjunction with the year 7 teachers to consider using the system for end of key stage two assessments.
The implementation of the LRS will be an ongoing process over the next few years. I hope to continue to use it within my own classroom and further develop my growing collection of resources to support its use. As more members of staff use the system we will be able to collaborate and share ideas as well as build a bank of resources which can be used throughout the school. By doing so, we will continue to inspire and develop best practice using new and innovative technologies.