Exploring the development of secondary school students’ independent learning skills.

Prue SalterPhD Candidate FASS

My Background:I run an educational consultancy business for secondary students where I run seminars to help students develop effective study skills. I also write resources and worksheets for teachers to use and run and online study skills handbook website that schools subscribe to.

Why a PhD?My business is based on experience, instinct and anecdotal research. I would like to research this topic from a rigorous academic perspective and develop a sound theoretical approach for an online solution to develop independent learning skills for secondary students. This research will lead to identifying the gap between the skills perceived to be important and the skills that are being developed and look at the development of a supporting online space.

Aim of Poster Session:To receive feedback on my first thoughts about data collection/methodology.

Contacts:Ph 0416 293 087Email info@enhanced-learning.netResearch wiki http://pruesalter.wikispaces.com

time management : note-making : organisational skills : home study environment : managing workload : dealing with distractions: summarising : overcoming procrastination

PART 1: How do secondary students develop independent learning skills and what role does the secondary school system play in this development?

- family?- friends?- teachers?- programs?- innate knowledge?

tim

e m

anag

emen

t : o

rgan

isat

ion

alsk

ills

: no

te-m

akiin

g:

man

agin

g w

ork

load

: d

ealin

g w

ith

dis

trac

tio

ns:

su

mm

aris

ing

____

____

___

__

__

___

___

___

___

__

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

__

__

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

__

___

___

__

rese

arch

ski

lls :

tes

t-ta

kin

g sk

ills

: act

ive

stu

dyi

ng

: exa

m b

lock

s : g

oal

set

tin

g : g

rou

pw

ork

skill

s :

wri

tin

g sk

ills:

tes

t re

view

VALUE: What independent learning skills do the stakeholders (students, teachers, school authority bodies, parents, employers, professionals in the field) perceive to be of value?

HOW DEVELOPED: What are the different stakeholders perceptions of how these skills are developed?

How did YOU develop independent learning skills?

tim

e m

anag

emen

t : o

rgan

isat

ion

alsk

ills

: no

te-m

akiin

g:

man

agin

g w

ork

load

: d

ealin

g w

ith

dis

trac

tio

ns:

su

mm

aris

ing

____

____

___

__

__

___

___

___

___

__

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

__

__

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

__

___

___

__

rese

arch

ski

lls :

tes

t-ta

kin

g sk

ills

: act

ive

stu

dyi

ng

: exa

m b

lock

s : g

oal

set

tin

g : g

rou

pw

ork

skill

s :

wri

tin

g sk

ills:

tes

t re

view

SCHOOL ROLE: What is the role of the secondary school environment in the development of these skills?

APPROACHES: What are the range of approaches across schools?

GAP: Is there an identifiable gap in the independent learning skills that are now perceived to be important and needed and what is actually addressed by schools?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Initial Thoughts on Data Collection Approach/Methodology for Part 1

Select 20 schools to explore (expect this data collection to place over a full year). School selection of schools in Sydney as per the following based on a representative sample: 10 government (8 co-ed, 1 each single sex : 2 each in syd district and northern syd district, 3 each in west and south-west districts), 5 catholic (3 co-ed, 1 each single sex : 3 syd diocese, 1 parramatta, 1 broken bay), 5 independent (3 co-ed, 1 each single sex ).

Arrange with the school to undertake an analysis of what their school does to help students develop independent learning skills. Output will be 2 documents. First a report that the school can use to promote their school ie showing all the things their school does to support their students development of independent learning skills and the second a summary of the student data as to how their students believe they develop these skills.

To collect the data in each school:

1. PLAN FOR A DAY IN THE SCHOOL: Through initial phone/email discussions with contact person in each school, determine who in the school are the most likely people to know what the school does to help develop students’ independent learning skills.

2. INTERVIEW INDIVIDUAL STAFF: Spend a day in each school having set up 15 minute interviews throughout the day with people in the school . Starting at a top down approach will interview firstly different levels of executives in the school, through to support staff and teachers to gather information on what this school does. Every school has a different structure and different people responsible for developing these skills. May need to clarify with follow-up phone calls or emails depending on how the interviews through the day go. Notes will be taken on each interview.

3. WEB FORM STAFF: As not everyone can be interviewed, also have a web form where an email is sent to all teachers asking that if they also do things to help students develop independent learning skills please go to this web address and let us know about it.

4. INTERVIEW STUDENT GROUP: Also set up a 40 minute lunch meeting to take place during that day of a group of 12 students across the year levels and of differing academic abilities. Teachers will have asked for volunteers in advance and also selected students from those volunteers to get a range of students. Will provide a ‘pizza lunch’ as an incentive to volunteer. Students will discuss what skills they think are important, how they think students develop these skills and if they personally have developed independent learning skills.

5. WEB FORM STUDENTS: Also allow students to share through a web form how they have developed independent learning skills.

tim

e m

anag

emen

t : o

rgan

isat

ion

alsk

ills

: no

te-m

akiin

g:

man

agin

g w

ork

load

: d

ealin

g w

ith

dis

trac

tio

ns:

su

mm

aris

ing

____

____

___

__

__

___

___

___

___

__

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

__

__

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

__

___

___

__

rese

arch

ski

lls :

tes

t-ta

kin

g sk

ills

: act

ive

stu

dyi

ng

: exa

m b

lock

s : g

oal

set

tin

g : g

rou

pw

ork

skill

s :

wri

tin

g sk

ills:

tes

t re

view

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________asking for help: research skills : test-taking skills : active studying : exam blocks : developing motivation : goal setting : groupwork skills : writing skills: post-test review

time management : note-making : organisational skills : home study environment : managing workload : dealing with distractions: summarising : overcoming procrastination

PART 2: What design principles or approaches could guide the development of an online learning environment to facilitate and support the development of these skills?

tim

e m

anag

emen

t : o

rgan

isat

ion

alsk

ills

: no

te-m

akiin

g:

man

agin

g w

ork

load

: d

ealin

g w

ith

dis

trac

tio

ns:

su

mm

aris

ing

____

____

___

__

__

___

___

___

___

__

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

__

__

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

__

___

___

__

rese

arch

ski

lls :

tes

t-ta

kin

g sk

ills

: act

ive

stu

dyi

ng

: exa

m b

lock

s : g

oal

set

tin

g : g

rou

pw

ork

skill

s :

wri

tin

g sk

ills:

tes

t re

view

DIGITAL GENERATION: What are the characteristics of these digital generation learners (can they be stereotyped in this way)?

DESIGN PRINCIPLES: Given these learner characteristics and the particular skill sets identified, what design principles guide the development of the design online spaces for the development of independent learning skills (including a blended approach eg an integrated program where the skills are contextualised around assessiblematerial with teacher input to help guide/support students to reflect on their technological learning experience)?

ONLINE SPACE CHARACTERISTICS: What are the characteristics of an online space that supports independent learning skill development when design is informed by both stakeholders involved in an iterative design process and a theoretical component?

tim

e m

anag

emen

t : o

rgan

isat

ion

alsk

ills

: no

te-m

akiin

g:

man

agin

g w

ork

load

: d

ealin

g w

ith

dis

trac

tio

ns:

su

mm

aris

ing

____

____

___

__

__

___

___

___

___

__

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

__

__

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

__

___

___

__

rese

arch

ski

lls :

tes

t-ta

kin

g sk

ills

: act

ive

stu

dyi

ng

: exa

m b

lock

s : g

oal

set

tin

g : g

rou

pw

ork

skill

s :

wri

tin

g sk

ills:

tes

t re

view

ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY: What role can technologies play in this environment and which of these technologies are most effective in facilitating and effecting change?

ADDRESSING GAPS: How does this new design address the identified gaps in independent learning skills?

DESIGN FRAMEWORK: Can the findings of this research be used to develop a design framework that provides a set of design guidelines for this type of design challenge?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Initial Thoughts on Data Collection Approach/Methodology for Part 2

-The data gathered in part 1 about how students develop independent learning skills and what schools do to facilitate this development will be used as stimulus material in part 2.

-The approach will be a design-based methodology with focus groups.

-From the 20 schools 3 will be selected to move to part 2 stage of data collection.

-Each school will have a team of 6 people consisting of students, a teachers, and possibly even a parent working in parallel on the same design outcome. At the end will bring all 3 focus groups together to brainstorm a final design that incorporates the best ideas developed by all 3 groups.

- This data collection stage is anticipated to take 1 year. Each group will be met with twice over each term (8 f2f meetings in total for the year) with a wiki set up for each group where ideas can be shared and developed between meetings.

MEETINGS WITH FOCUS GROUPS:

1. The first meeting will a briefing of the data collected in part 1 and the theoretical framework for design based on the findings from the literature review on online learning principles.

2. Ideas brainstormed for the first solution.

3. Testing of first solution and discussion on data obtained.

4. Ideas developed for second iteration of solution.

5. Testing of second solution and discussion on data obtained.

6. All 3 groups together to discuss their solutions, what they have learnt, look for commonality and brainstorm ideas for a joint solution.

7. Testing of joint solution and discussion on data obtained.

8. Brainstorm ideas for final changes and evaluation of process.

tim

e m

anag

emen

t : o

rgan

isat

ion

alsk

ills

: no

te-m

akiin

g:

man

agin

g w

ork

load

: d

ealin

g w

ith

dis

trac

tio

ns:

su

mm

aris

ing

____

____

___

__

__

___

___

___

___

__

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

__

__

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

___

__

___

___

__

rese

arch

ski

lls :

tes

t-ta

kin

g sk

ills

: act

ive

stu

dyi

ng

: exa

m b

lock

s : g

oal

set

tin

g : g

rou

pw

ork

skill

s :

wri

tin

g sk

ills:

tes

t re

view

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________asking for help: research skills : test-taking skills : active studying : exam blocks : developing motivation : goal setting : groupwork skills : writing skills: post-test review