Main+Themes

// Below are the eight major themes that came out of the survey that you all completed. With each theme I have provided some research findings from the survey and there is a starter question for each that I would like you to consider before we come together to discuss them. I look forward to your discussion around these.Thanks again. Kim // __ 1. Student Engagement  __ ** Research findings:  ** All teachers could define student engagement successfully (question one). When identifying factors that influence student engagement (question three) there was a direct correlation between the years of teaching experience and the numbers of factors identified. Only the very experienced (more than seven years) teachers identified the non-school factors e.g. home experience, personal comfort –food etc. The less experienced teachers all identified the following components: class culture, resources available, student confidence to learn. **  Question: Why do you think all of the less experienced teachers selected these three components? **  **  Notes/Ideas   **    __ 2. Disengagement Strategies  __ ** Research findings:  ** All of the disengagement strategies fitted into four key areas. They are: energizer activities e.g. start jumps, high fives etc, new activities or direction, student reflection/discussion, teacher reflection. The less experienced teachers tended to indicated activities and direction and the more experienced teachers tended to indicate student reflection/discussion and teacher reflection. **  Questions: Why do you think this is so? Is experience a key factor here, why/why not? **  **  Notes/Ideas   **    __ 3. Inquiry  __ ** Research findings:  ** There was a correlation between teachers experienced in teaching inquiry and the number of components identified. Experienced teachers averaged nine out of twelve of the components. Teachers with less experience averaged five out of twelve of the components. All of the less experienced teachers identified the following components: authentic context, personal questions, appropriate activities and learning styles. **  Question: Why do you think that these four components of inquiry have been identified by everyone? (Can you explain your ideas for including each one)  **  **  Notes/Ideas   **    __ 4. Are students more engaged in Inquiry than in other programmes? __  **  Research findings:  ** There was a direct correlation with class level (apart from with the non-teaching principals). The teachers who were teaching in Y3 and above almost all indicated Yes. The teachers in junior classes (Y0 to Y3) indicated No. The main reasons given by teachers for yes were: choice, practical/hands on, authentic contexts, width of learning styles catered for. The main reasons given by teachers who said no were: focus on reading/writing, lack of experience (in Inquiry), the age/stage of their students. **  Question: Why is it that Inquiry is more engaging in the senior end (Y3 and above) of the primary school? What have been your experiences? **  <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">**  Notes/Ideas   ** <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> __ 5. Inquiry aspects that engage students most  __ ** Research findings:  ** There was a direct correlation between the aspects that engage students most and the aspects that students liked best. The aspects that were most often identified were: use of equipment/practical/hands on, Tuning In/Finding Out/Sorting Out – process, speakers/trips. **  Questions: Many of these aspects involved action/movement etc – why do you think this is? How should we change our Inquiry programmes as a result of these findings? Do you think Tuning In/Finding Out/Sorting Out processes were identified because that is what teachers teach/know best or because these aspects are the most interesting? ** <span style="border-bottom: windowtext 1.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1.5pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1.5pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1.5pt solid; display: block; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 4pt; padding-right: 4pt; padding-top: 1pt;"> <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">**  Notes/Ideas   ** <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> __ 6. Importance of student engagement (specifically in Inquiry programmes)  __ ** Research Findings:  ** All teachers except one indicated that this was ‘very important’ and one teacher indicated that it was ‘important’. All teachers were undertaking personal professional development in Inquiry and all identified the focus through reflection or formative assessment. The key areas of focus were: Inquiry process, integration with other subjects, components of inquiry that support student engagement and reflection practices. There was a direct correlation between identified importance and professional development being undertaken. **  Question: Why do you personally see student engagement as very important? What do you think the reason is for the correlation between importance and levels of professional development? ** <span style="border-bottom: windowtext 1.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1.5pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1.5pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1.5pt solid; display: block; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 4pt; padding-right: 4pt; padding-top: 1pt;"> <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">**  Notes/Ideas   ** <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> __ 7. Classroom Examples/ Further Comments (optional)  __ ** Research findings:  ** All the comments were positive and insightful. The comments were all made by more experienced teachers (more than three years experience). Classroom examples show excellent understanding of the impact Inquiry programmes have with their students. Some of these examples came from less experienced teachers (less than two years) but the majority came from more experienced teachers. **  Question: Why do you think all of the comments and examples are positive? What can we learn from this? ** <span style="border-bottom: windowtext 1.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1.5pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1.5pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1.5pt solid; display: block; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 4pt; padding-right: 4pt; padding-top: 1pt;"> <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">**  Notes/Ideas   ** <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> __ 8. How can we improve our practice and professional development as a response to this survey? __  **  Research findings:  ** Experience of teachers has featured in these survey results with greater identification of components being the key evidence for this. All teachers can describe student engagement and have indicated its importance in programmes. The indications are that Inquiry programmes increase student engagement more in senior classrooms (Y3 to Y6) and less in junior classrooms even though all teachers indicated its importance. **  Question: How do you think we can best improve our practice and professional development as a response to this survey? ** <span style="border-bottom: windowtext 1.5pt solid; border-left: windowtext 1.5pt solid; border-right: windowtext 1.5pt solid; border-top: windowtext 1.5pt solid; display: block; mso-element: para-border-div; padding-bottom: 1pt; padding-left: 4pt; padding-right: 4pt; padding-top: 1pt;"> <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">**  Notes/Ideas   ** <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;"> <span style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-border-alt: solid windowtext 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.0pt 4.0pt 1.0pt 4.0pt; padding-bottom: 0in; padding-left: 0in; padding-right: 0in; padding-top: 0in;">
 * Focus Group Questions  **