July 2003
This month we consider some fresh research on computer gaming and learning and offer our thoughts. We review the Alite National Conference and provide two school case studies from the conference as well as a more detailed listing of Alite training and development programmes.
Thanks to all who Made it Happen
"Real examples. Real people. Real difference.
Looking at some of these achievements makes me feel absolutely in awe - humbled."
Kate Dalton, West London Academy
Once again the sumptuous surroundings of the Café Royal, London played host to Alite's national conference on 20th June. The theme of Alite 2003 was Making it Happen, a mantra which ran throughout the variety of inspiring keynotes and presentations.
Alistair Smith began the day by outlining Seven Steps to Happen. In his own inimitable way, Alistair took the audience through the landmarks needed to bring about lasting change in a school or organisation. He regaled those listening with anecdotes that reinforced his message, and provided practical ideas for the delegates to take away and apply to their various contexts.
The first of the case study slots followed Alistair's upbeat beginning. This was to be one of three sections in the day where delegates would be able to choose from a total of fourteen presentations provided by practitioners who are making it happen in their classrooms, schools and Zones across the country. There was something for everyone, from creating a climate for learning to curriculum innovation; from encouraging learner independence to pioneering leadership and schools of the future today. One delegate said about the case studies, "It revitalised the spirit! To know that so many people are working to transform the educational environment for our learners gives comfort and renews your strength when the going gets tough. Motivation at its best!"
Visionary was how many responded to the keynote of Dame Sheila Wallis, who shared her thoughts on areas as diverse as the structure of the school day and ways to retain the talented in the profession. Later in the day Dame Pat Collarbone provided her own vision, this time looking closely at leaders learning and suggesting how the National College for School Leadership could support the change process.
Having faced challenges throughout his life, it was no surprise when Simon Weston rose to the challenge of captivating his audience in the post-lunch slot. The word 'inspiring' could have been termed specially to describe the talk by this Falklands veteran. His presentation, Fostering Talent, Transforming Lives, told of his charity's work with deprived young people, though it was his own journey to that point that left delegates with a lump in the throat. He told his story with humour, but Simon's courage shone through as an inspiration to everyone in the room.
As delegates left, most spoke of a reinforcement of their own values, or of being given the motivation to begin or continue the work in their own arenas. At least one school manager discussed the notion of returning with more colleagues next year. It was an incredible day from which everyone took something away.
The last word should go to one of the delegates, who remarked on the day's "capacity to inspire - from the staff at Chapel Break First School to the amazing Simon Weston" (Gaynor Nash, Leicester City LEA).
Parenting classes
"Education and learning starts early. My mother gave me a grounding in religion when she told me that 'I had better pray that mark will come out of the new carpet.' She also taught me logic - 'because I say so that's why' and introduced genetics - 'you're just like your father.' She taught me the value of mixing irony with humour, 'when that lawnmower cuts off your toes don't come running to me,' although it was my father who dealt in advanced irony - 'keep crying and I'll give you something to cry about.' It was also my father who delivered science, specifically osmosis -'shut your mouth and eat your dinner.' Once in a while we would receive a short seminar on sociology - 'don't be getting ideas above your station' and about statistical accuracy - 'if I've told you once I've told you a million times, don't exaggerate.' There was medical science - 'cross your eyes and they'll stay like that' and finally physical education - 'will you just look at that dirt on the back of your neck?'"
From the Foreword to 'Making it Happen', Alistair Smith, Alite 2003
Game Boys
The visual skills of non-gamers improve dramatically after just ten hours of playing computer games. Research published in Nature Magazine (vol 423) by Professor Daphne Bavelier found that students who played action games such as Grand Theft Auto111, Spiderman and 007 almost daily for six months performed outstandingly in non-gaming visual ability tests. The tests included identifying a target object in a cluttered screen, counting the number of quickly changing objects and recognising identical objects flashed simultaneously. There are possible disadvantages. Bavelier doubts that gaming could improve the sort of sustained and focused attention needed for tasks such as extended reading and some believe that being able to attend to stimuli on the periphery might lead to difficulties in focusing on one thing. The work may in the future be of value to stroke patients and patients who have visual impairments.
The Harbinger of Great Things
Jill Chatt-Collins is in her fourth year of Primary teaching she has a Year 6 class at Harbinger Primary School, London. Amongst other things, she has helped them prepare for their SATs, using techniques that help both calm their nerves and stimulate their self-belief.
An unusual name, I know, but isn't Harbinger really quite an appropriate designation for a school? Shouldn't all schools announce themselves as forerunners ahead of the army of children, preparing the way and then proclaiming their arrival as they emerge successfully from another Stage of their learning journey? Our Year 6 children have just emerged from the latest Key Stage of their educational expedition. And it's not been all about test results, though these have been good. It's been about allowing them to achieve to the best of their individual abilities with the distraction of Test Tension minimised. And, by using certain strategies, we hope that we have equipped them for the next Stage of their school journey.
Harbinger school has 335 pupils, 90 of whom are in the Early Years unit. 34% of the children are on the Special Needs register, 3.6% are statemented, 57% have free school meals and we have 62% who speak English as an additional language. The last two figures are above the national average. Yet last year our KS2 results were also above the national and area's averages; English, Maths and Science had, respectively, 79%, 74% and 87% of children achieving level four and above at KS2. But what was really remarkable was the run up to the SATs. The school was a significantly calmer learning environment than previous years and this seems to be due to our use of certain strategies in the build up.
In 2002 Tower Hamlets EAZ paid for two teachers from every school in the Zone to attend a six-day ALPS course. I was one of those from Harbinger. After the first two sessions I was fired up; I could see the potential of some of the strategies for our own children. Using ideas from the course and the related books I put together a 'SATs Pack' for every teacher who would oversee a KS2 test. As our Year 6 are tested in a number of smaller rooms, rather than altogether in one hall, this meant that several teachers needed to be introduced to the material for the first time. Some were initially sceptical, but willing to give it a go. We were going to create the right conditions for optimal performance by using Brain Breaks, guided visualisation, the calming effect of music and motivational posters.
My main motivation was to give all the children the chance to do their best by providing a calm, controlled environment. Tension had been observed in some of the pupils prior to the SATs and stress would sometimes show itself in playground conflicts or through a subtle deterioration in individuals' classroom behaviour. This year we were able to begin introducing these techniques earlier, for example, by using a lot more visualisation in the weeks leading up to the tests to embed thoroughly those feelings of calmness. But last year I wanted to use what I had learnt for my class at the time - and the timing of the course meant that I had to act quickly.
Protocols were agreed and, just before each SAT, every invigilator, in their own particular test room, directed pupils to the actual desk where they would be sitting and told them that they could sit there now with their head on it or lie on the floor. Calming classical music was played in the background. Guided visualisation was about to begin. Every teacher gently read from a prepared script over the calming music. The object was to invoke a sense of calmness and for the children to link that with their surroundings and what would be happening there. All were encouraged to:
- Think of something that they had done well - it could have been something from home, school or when they were out playing with their friends
Remember that feeling - think about how it felt at the time. Could they remember it and bring it back?
- Push the 'magic button' to instil that good feeling - this could be pressing two fingers together, pushing fingers into the palm of their hand or even touching their nose. Pressing this magic button should help them to recreate that feeling later at the 'touch of a button'
- Visualise themselves now coming into the room, sitting down, writing their name on the paper, opening it up, doing well as they worked their way through the tasks, looking around them at their friends also working confidently. This was all associated with the good feelings they had and the calmness they felt in the familiar surroundings of their test room.
And many said afterwards that they had felt more positive about the tests after using these techniques.
The surroundings themselves were also important. Around the room were motivational posters, highlighting how well they could do if they remained confident of their abilities, and posters that gave them advice, such as remembering to use their magic buttons, their 'brain buttons' (to get more oxygen to their brains to help with their thinking) and the importance of Brain Breaks. These terms were all explained so the children knew exactly why they were doing them and examples provided in the case of the Brain Breaks.
The children had been as prepared for the SATs experience as they could be. In the morning, we catered to their physiological needs by providing food and drink to make sure their bodies and brains had fuel. When they walked into their familiar SATs room with its posters on the walls and music playing, they found water bottles on their desks to ensure they maintained the optimum conditions for thinking. Every test was then preceded with the guided visualisation. To help further, we introduced brief Brain Breaks throughout the tests as well. Many said later that they found these useful and that their use helped them to stay calm. Naturally, one or two others said they felt silly, but at no time did these brief interludes signal that it was time to talk or to become disruptive. Everybody returned immediately to task.
I have regularly used Brain Breaks in my classroom and now many of the other teachers have incorporated them into their lessons as well. My children have grown used to them and have developed their own for different situations. Music is still a feature too, again for a variety of purposes.
We found that the SATs Pack helped the teachers to prepare the pupils to meet the challenge of the tests in a more composed manner than they might otherwise have done. They coped better than in previous years and there was a significant improvement in behaviour during the week of the tests. It was a calmer and more confident SATs week. Everybody knows that to measure the results of such strategies is difficult. But as their teacher, I can see the difference it has made and is making to them. The Head, who was also involved in administering the tests, saw the difference too. She mentioned the SATs Pack at the Headteachers' EAZ meeting and now we are providing many others with the ideas, suggestions and techniques that we found worked for us. It feels good to have trialled methods for others in similar positions. But most of all we feel that Harbinger has helped prepare the path for our charges - we know that we have created a calmer environment for the children to perform to the best of their abilities with fewer of those internal distractions.
Are mobile phones addictive?
Ever string two empty tins together and try and talk with your little friend from next door? If you did you are probably (a) a bloke and, (b) suffered from low esteem. Children are rejecting hobbies and other activities and becoming dependent on mobile phones. This is according to Childalert, an advice service for parents. According to a spokesperson, 'getting a phone call or a text message implies an importance - 'someone wants me' - and it boosts the receiver's self esteem and self worth'. They estimate that text messaging by children increased by 1,400 per cent in 2000 and that the UK spend on texting was more than a £1 billion annually. Peer pressure and the ease of availability had more to do with children owning mobiles than safety. Each month there are 1.67 billion text messages sent in the UK: pull the string twice when you are receiving me.
Can computer games enhance earning and learning?
Does playing a computer game help you learn? If so what and how? How about earn? If so, how much and how?
As you read this a UK gaming team is competing for prizes worth more than $1m over the next six months. The 4Kings team is taking part in six separate gaming events in Europe and US all of which reward winners and runners-up with cash prizes. The prize money for the Cyber X Games is $600,000 and multiplayer gaming is slowly evolving into a professional sport. 4Kings has about 25 members, with squads arranged around the games they play. Team members compete professionally in Return to Castle Wolfenstein, Quake III, Warcraft III, Unreal Tournament and CounterStrike. Like any other team the players train together for several hours per day, have coaches and refine strategies and tactics for the different maps that the games are played on.
According to Donald Clark, CEO of the UK Epic Group gamers also benefit from three types of learning: general skills, contemporary skills and subject knowledge and skills. Lets take the first two and examine what it might mean.
General skills developed by playing computer games
- Literacy - accessing instructions and large amounts of text
- Numeracy - scoring, acquisition of objects and attributes with numerical value, approximation and estimation are all integral to games
- Communication - there's a surprising amount of games related discussion (inaccessible to anyone over voting age) and exchange of ideas stimulated by such games
- IT - web searching for additional features, sites and cheats and peer learning erodes fear of hardware and software
- Hand-eye co-ordination - a 30% increase in test of visual ability amongst regular gamers according to University of Rochester research published this year
- Strategy - strategically define, deliver and be responsible for a business, city, environment or family! Try delivering that in a double period!
Contemporary skills developed by playing computer games
- visual literacy - which has pre-eminence: the book or the screen?
- open ended problem solving - you are given a challenge and off you go
- handling multiple variables - the better you become the more you have to handle
- embedded decision making - you are the decision-maker in the field: how do you deploy your team?
- emergent learning - the simulation of a theme park or a city or a family builds on increasingly complex challenges with cause and effect shaping each twist and turn
- real life scenarios - you are the fire chief and the multi-storey is aflame
- virtual environments - explore the Palace of Versailles room by room
- multiple perspectives - switch roles and see the problem in a different light
- search - if you're not happy with what's on offer look elsewhere
- 'no teacher' learning - it's just you and the help button!
- safe rehearsal and self test - if you alone know the results then maybe you'll give it your best shot
Subject knowledge and skills developed by playing computer games include all the worthy subject stuff that we teachers do!
Are there any disadvantages? Yes! Most of us will earn nothing at all from gaming and be faced with some expense. Some of the opportunities to learn also contain inherent problems:
- Male predominance - most games are written by males for other males and feature 'male' interests
- Role models - predominantly action and outcomes focused, games are often peopled by a narrow range of human types
- Stereotyping - the game Hitman2 provoked an online petition signed by 10,000 who complained about the use of the Golden temple in Amritsar in the game
- Solitude - games are played as an individual but in fairness multiplayer games are the norm
- Violence - violent behaviour is often, though not always, the mode of interaction and is not contextualised. Violence can be 'normed'
- cheats culture - it is permissible, and sometimes expected, to cheat
- focus on winning - games designers use the concept of critical failure and incremental feedback but winning is the key
- expense - games budgets can be upwards of £5 million with similar marketing spends and upwards investment shifts up expectations; education cannot realistically compete
- poorly designed games disappoint - many educational games have had limited investment and it is reflected in their poor quality
- scratch and sniff - persistence is a good learning quality, but with some games the opt out is too easy
Bible Libel
Some more Biblical insights from the unconnected, taken from the writing of young children.
- Lot's wife was a pillar of salt by day, but a ball of fire by night
- Christians have only one spouse. This is called monotony
- The epistles were the wives of the apostles
- The greatest miracle in the Bible is when Joshua told his son to stand still and he obeyed him
- The Egyptians were all drowned in the dessert
Winning Hearts and Minds
Kenny Frederick has been Principal at George Green's School for just over seven years. She is actively involved in the DfES Trainee Headship Scheme and completed the Consultant Headteacher Programme in Autumn 2002. She presented this case study at Alite 2003.
Tower Hamlets is still one of the poorest Boroughs in the country, yet next to its estates filled with social housing are the expensive riverfront developments that attract the new (extremely) wealthy business community employed in Docklands. Within this complex context we at George Green's School are determined to equip our pupils with the skills required to take full advantage of these opportunities, in the process winning the hearts and minds of many.
Our vision, our ethos and our policies and practice are all based on our Equal Opportunities Policy, which says that
"equal opportunities is not about treating everybody the same. It is about meeting individual needs."
We offer a range of courses designed for pupils with a wide range of needs. One example is an alternative programme provided for those pupils who would find it difficult to complete 10 GCSE subject courses; another is the More Able & Talented Programme. We have a revamped reward system that has an emphasis on praise for the deserving. We aim to recognise and reward the average child. Our Sixth Form has doubled in size this year and we now offer a wide range of level 1, 2 and 3 courses post-16. This makes ours a really inclusive Sixth Form.
The School in the Community
The Assistant Headteacher (Community) is part of the Leadership Team. She manages to keep the community aspect of the school on all our agendas and at the heart of the school. Working alongside her is our PAL (Preparation for Adult Life) Co-ordinator, who, amongst other duties, is responsible for Active Citizenship, which encourages pupils to become involved in their own communities in a whole host of ways.
Pupil participation at school level is the first step in our citizenship programme. They can become involved by helping to develop, implement and monitor the Anti-bullying code; become involved in the School Council as Class or Year Reps; train to become a Peer Mentor; or become a Young Adult Peer. Young Adult Peers are trained to resolve conflict within school, intervening quickly before (and when) tempers flare. This training begins with a visit to Belfast to see what a divided community actually looks and feels like. Sixty pupils and four staff have visited the city in the last two years.
Our pupils regularly work with Primary school pupils and attend workshops on mentoring. They have helped to ensure that every school on the island has a School Council, meeting twice a year with representatives from all schools in the EAZ to identify issues that concern them and to give them a voice in their community. Many VIPs, including local politicians and MPs, are invited, allowing the young people to put them through their paces. This is known as the Youth Forum and was developed three years ago when we produced our Living and Learning Together Charter. The Forum has been able to effect change in the local community on a range of issues including transport, road safety and policing. This practical application of pupils' talents is one of the reasons why we have called the over-all programme Active Citizenship.
Geographically, we are in a unique position to make the most of the opportunities offered by the growing business development at Canary Wharf. We are supported both financially and through personnel working with pupils. Through the Tower Hamlets education-business partnership we are provided with a variety of business contacts/partners to support our young people. As careers and work-related learning is an important part of our taught curriculum, as well as our ethos, real contact with the business community helps to raise aspirations and motivation of our pupils. Our youngsters regularly visit offices in Canary Wharf, especially through Business Studies and Enterprise initiatives, and many of them aspire to working in the business world. Canary Wharf also gives us funding for a number of Literacy Projects and provides a large number of Literacy and Numeracy partners, who visit on a regular basis to work with our pupils.
We are officially, linked with Morgan Stanley, who are based in Canary Wharf. Besides picking up the bill for our very large Breakfast Club (over 200 pupils per day), the company also provides funding for an Outward Bound trip for our severely disabled students and pays for a number of Arts-based projects, as well as providing access to a variety of experiences designed to broaden pupils' experiences in Art and Music.
Responsible Behaviour is the BEST (and the rest)
Behaviour is a big issue for us. Ours is a challenging school to teach in and we have to ensure that teachers can teach and pupils can learn in a safe and secure environment. All staff are responsible for pupil behaviour and all take their responsibilities seriously.
The Behaviour Policy is regularly reviewed and redrafted to ensure it is accessible to all stakeholders. It is then sent with the First Edition of the year of the Principal's Newsletter to every home of every pupil during the Summer holidays, just before start of term. This outlines clearly what is expected in terms of behaviour. Thereafter, it is sent with a covering letter during every subsequent holiday period. The short version, together with the Code of Conduct and Equal Opportunities Policy/Anti-Bullying Policy (and myriad reminders about our way of treating each other), is displayed in every single classroom and corridor and in all pupil Journals/Planners. This way nobody can say they did not know!
In order to pick up on the incidents that occur over the holidays we start every new term with a short Staff Meeting (to remind staff to be consistent), followed by Year Assemblies led by me and followed by a Tutor Period to remind everybody about the high expectations at George Green's School.
Amongst other strategies to deal with behavioural issues, is the use of seating and grouping plans. All staff are required to use these to ensure that pupils mix and get to know each other. This year we have also introduced an Internal Exclusion Room, which is used instead of fixed term exclusions. This room has made a real difference; pupils do not want to come back a second time! Those who do return appear in front of a Governors Disciplinary Panel for a warning. Our exclusion figures have dropped dramatically as a result of this particular initiative.
One of the best deterrents, however, is our BEST (Behaviour Support Team), made up of five trained Teaching Assistants and led by an experienced and talented Senior Teaching Assistant. Their remit is to support pupils in mainstream lessons, provide anger management sessions, conflict resolution and mediation, and check on supply teacher lessons during the day. They also help teachers to plan specifically for the needs of pupils with behavioural issues. The team are much appreciated by pupils, teachers and parents alike, and have developed an excellent rapport with parents of particular difficult pupils. Currently, they are involved in training a group of pupils to help resolve conflict and to support each other. The work of the BEST is to be extended into Key Stage 4 in September. Although we have a model in use there at the moment, we believe that the BEST will allow us to include more pupils in the mainstream curriculum.
With the help of a committed staff, partnerships with business, policies that are more than bits of paper and a school at the heart of its community, I really think that we are making a difference to the lives of many of our youngsters. In challenging circumstances we are winning over hearts and minds.
Slaves to technology
6 must have pieces of software
- Inspiration (or for younger students "Kidspiration") - this is a piece of software that allows the user to combine keywords and images to create "concept" or thinking maps.
- Camtasia - this piece of software "videos" the computer screen as you work on it and records your voice as you explain what you are doing.
- Powerpoint - excellent presentational software. If used effectively can be highly visual and engaging. A good tool for supporting student presentations allowing them to talk through and explain their work and ideas.
- Hotpotatoes - free software which allows the user to create a range of drag and drop or multiple response tests.
- Sound Forge - this piece of software allows you to easily record and edit soundfiles.
And don't forget "Word for windows" - few people make full use of this piece of software. For example you can attach sound files to bring the text to life or the "Insert" function to add comment boxes which appear automatically when the cursor moves over a particular word. You can also add hyper text links which automatically take the user to relevant websites at the click of a button or simply use the high light function to pick out keywords in different colours.
Thanks to Mark Lovatt and Derek Wise
Schools Directory
Have you had success with modern learning methods, and would you be prepared to share your success by hosting visits from other practitioners? Alite is compiling a directory of AL schools who want to share their experiences. To be listed in the directory, please send your name, your school's name and address, and a 50 - 100 word summary of your work with modern learning methods to: directory@alite.co.uk