ON THE SENIOR INDEPENDENT LEARNING PROGRAM

Q What is the Independent Learning Programme?

A School leavers now will require a different set of skills from those desired when most of their
teachers left school. They will need to be information retrievers and analyzers rather than the
recipient of a head full of unrelated facts. They will need to be adaptable, creative and capable
of managing their time effectively, and will need to have enhanced communication skills across
a range of media. Most importantly, students need to think.

The programme is designed to move teaching away from didactic approaches whereby
students acquire knowledge without necessarily knowing how it fits in with their local
environment or how it can be transposed across a number of settings. Students are required to
organize their time to complete a series of interrelated tasks in each subject. It merges
elements of technology with analytical reasoning and a choice of means to demonstrate their
learning.

Teachers under the program are not the sole purveyor of knowledge. They guide and advise,
assisting students by helping them when there are ‘blockages’ in their studies. They are
engaged in responsive microteaching for groups and individuals to deepen understanding.

Q Will teachers be teaching normally?

A This would be rare outside the opening lesson each week. We want students to be independent
learners. Teachers will be there as ‘Knowledgeable Others,’ helping those who need assistance
at any point and there to discuss and extend the learning of the more able. Teachers will also
be marking and showing students how to improve their work.

Q What if students don’t have a device?

A This applies to very few students since they are already using devices for research. From time to
time there will be some who, for some reason do not. They can download and print the
contents of the workcard. This is their responsibility. Any work completed in books, workbooks
etc will continue to be done there but students may, if they wish, word process answers as this
is easier to email. Note: students should bring their device to school each day fully charged.

Q Isn’t this making the teacher obsolete? What will they do?
A Teachers have a very important part in the program. Firstly they have to plan the weekly
programme, linking activities very specifically to the standards or syllabus. They will need to
consider the type of task that will be best for their students and make sure they include those
that provide challenge and interest for all ability levels.
In class they will be conducting micro teaching sessions of around 10 minutes. These need
careful planning to ensure they cover everything in that time so students can continue with
their work. Teachers can also hold individual learning conversations with students on the
content of their work, guiding them in areas of research they might explore.
Q Does this remove traditional textbooks?
A No. Textbooks are, as usual, one source of information. Passages from texts can still be
included and activities from them completed. However, additional material in the form of video
clips, podcasts, newspaper articles, items from magazines and online materials will be added to
 provide depth, alternative views, interest and, most importantly, local application. This is sadly
lacking in almost all textbooks. We do not want students to believe the contents of the
textbook contain all the information they will require and one vital skill they must learn is the
sorting of relevant information.

Q What sorts of activities might students be doing?

A There are many different activities designed to get students fully involved in their learning. This
includes research using appropriate websites, virtual experiments, listening to and making
podcasts, watching demonstrations, making short videos, conducting investigations,
conducting surveys, taking photographs, writing articles and blogs, writing letters, discussions,
role plays, playing and making learning games and a host of other possibilities. The textbook,
as previously noted, has not been forgotten but, it is now just one route to be coming a
confident learner. Later, there will be opportunities to add coding and programming to the
work cards as these are skills the UAE and many other countries want school leavers to have
when they enter college or the workforce.

Q How does the programme cater for different abilities?

A Students are challenged at all levels. Those who need help at ‘blocking’ points receive this
through microteaching, while those who need extra challenge receive this through the Advisory
and Extension activities. Learning styles are catered for through the variety of tasks, some of
which involve research or making presentations or even making items to demonstrate their
learning. Before, students reached a certain point for the year and could go no further to
exceed expectations. Now they can and for the majority of our students, there is the
expectation they will.

Q Is the programme just for class time?

A Definitely not. Students should be encouraged to watch video clips at home and talk to family
about the topic. The work MUST be completed by Thursday at 5pm(or the last day of the school
week where it is shorter) so there is every possibility some finishing will need to be done at
home.

Q Won’t this mean it is done by other people such as parents, siblings or tutors?
A This is made more difficult by the fact students need to present to the teacher or deliver some
tasks via media such as film which they must play an active part in presenting. Another check
will be the learning discussion with the teacher that will establish the degree of understanding.
So parents and ‘helpers’ are welcome to hold the poster or film their child, but the content must
come from the students themselves.

Q How will you assess student work?

A Some minor tasks such as calculations or simple lists will simply require checking. Other tasks,
such as speeches, articles, or summaries(items of a longer written type) or presentations
(PowerPoint, films etc) will be marked using a rubric which the students will be given in
advance. Note: If a student wants to improve their work to get a better mark, they can do this
once and the improved work must be received within the week it is due. The rubric will tell the
student what the standard is for higher marks to be gained.

Formative comments that tell the student how they might improve the quality of their work will
also be given orally or as written comments on work.

Q What about quizzes and more formal types of assessment?

A Where these are due, such as the end of a unit of work, students will be told at least one week
in advance on the workcard. Sometimes quizzes can be taken throughout the topic and links
 will be provided to allow the student to access this. Because they are doing more and applying
their learning, students will remember more.

For some very interesting reading on this, click on the link under this table.

Q Should all the work be emailed to the teacher on a Thursday at 5pm?

A When an item on the Learning Work Card is completed, students should hand it or send it to
their teacher. This means that teachers will mark throughout the week and this could be
possible sitting with the student in the classroom. If all the students in a group have completed
a task, it may be possible to attach the answers to a noticeboard and allow them to self or peer
mark.

Only tasks not completed by about Wednesday lunchtime should be emailed on Thursday by
5pm. Work already marked does not need to be sent again.

Note: We are giving every student the same opportunity to complete work. If additional time is
given to some and not others, this is not fair to those who could have gained more marks if
they also had extra time. In instances of illness or family bereavement, the teacher must be
notified by email in advance. Do not rely on other students or drivers or other people to make
the request because it may not be delivered!

Q What about collaborative tasks?

A There will be times when groups may work on a task such as watching a video clip,
brainstorming an idea, debating or collecting information such as completing a survey which
can then be used by individuals in another task. However, any work which has a mark must be
completed by an individual. Group projects are not part of this programme because it is
impossible to decide where marks should be awarded.

Q What if a student doesn’t complete the work or hands it in late?

A Items such as watching a video or reading an article do not have marks attached. Other items
do. Non-completion of any task means a loss of marks ascribed to that task.

Students who hand work in beyond the deadline will be penalized by a loss of 50% of the
marks. Working to a deadline is an essential skill for the future.

Link to short article on active learning and retention

https://www.queensu.ca/teachingandlearning/modules/active/documents/Dales_Cone_of_Experien
ce_summary.pdf