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MAESTRO: Learning outcomes using ICT-based resources for Key Stage 3 mathematics. Don Passey Jacqui Ackroyd Senior Research Fellow Head of Maths Department of Educational Research Ralph Allen School Lancaster University Bath. What is MAESTRO?.
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MAESTRO: Learning outcomes using ICT-based resources for Key Stage 3 mathematics Don Passey Jacqui Ackroyd Senior Research Fellow Head of Maths Department of Educational Research Ralph Allen School Lancaster University Bath
What is MAESTRO? • In 2003 Research Machines plc (RM) established the Maestro project, a three year long project, to look at the long term uses and outcomes of MathsAlive in a number of schools across England. The project aimed to: • Evaluate whether MathsAlive could raise attainment in mathematics within Key Stage 3 • Evaluate the potential of MathsAlive to raise levels of mathematical understanding • Evaluate different models of support and their effect on mathematics teaching • Identify key implementation characteristics enabling MathsAlive to raise attainment in mathematics
Schools involved in MAESTRO • 27 schools took part in the programme. • Pupils experienced MathsAlive from Year 7 to Year 9. • Mathematics teachers were provided with varying levels of support: • 10 schools in London and the South East, with low levels of additional support • 8 schools in the North West, with medium levels of additional support • 9 schools in the area between Bristol and Birmingham, with high levels of additional support
ICT-based resources used • Teachers used MathsAlive, which covers the whole Key Stage 3 curriculum and includes: • Video openers • Mental starters • Easiteach screens • Main activities • Worksheets • Games • Assessment exercises • Resources were designed to be used on interactive whiteboards, with some use in computer suites or computer clusters. • Some schools set up access for pupils outside the school. • The entire resource base was handled by Kaleidos VTLE
Why did Ralph Allen School adopt MathsAlive? • To increase enjoyment and motivation of students • To enhance teaching and learning in maths using ICT • To raise attainment at Key Stage 3 • To share resources easily amongst staff
Why did Ralph Allen School get involved in Maestro? • Increased support from RM • New users of MathsAlive and Kaleidos • Range of ICT skills and levels of motivation of staff • Dedicated support for the school • Sharing good practice and resources • Between schools user groups, conferences, web-board • Tailor-madeadditional resources provided by RM • Determined to make the best use of MathsAlive • To ensure enhanced learning and enjoyment of maths
What makes a difference? Questionnaire responses from pupils (426 in total): • 63% of students said that their enjoyment of mathematics had increased since the beginning of Year 7. • 65% agreed that their enjoyment of mathematics had increased since the previous year. • 81% of students believed that they could learn new things in mathematics more easily than at the start of Year 7. • 87% of students enjoyed using the interactive whiteboard in mathematics lessons. • 71% of students thought that it was easier to remember things when they used the interactive whiteboard. • 58% enjoyed playing mathematical games. • 69% believed that playing mathematical games helped them to remember things.
What makes a difference? Key elements identified by learners: • Enhancing visual clarity • Clarifying a process • Developing conceptual understanding • Encouraging participative learning • Increasing pace and variety
Enhancing visual clarity • The fact that a square is shown accurately, rather than as a sketch, is potentially significant. • Most people remember a square as a clear four-sided object with equal sides, subtended at 90 degrees at each corner. • This form of memorised image allows the ‘rules of being a square’ to be related through the memorised image. • If a square is depicted as a sketch, then the rules of being a square need to be remembered separately and applied to this object. • Remembering the object as a clear square means that the rules can be ‘seen’ more readily. • The extent of impact of visual clarity is not quantified by this study, but many pupils refer to these aspects as being important in terms of their learning.
Pupil comments: Visual • Can see how it works. • Helps with shape and space, where you need to see things happening. • Diagrams help. • With shapes it helps a lot, it’s accurate to draw and see . • Helps to visualise, you can hold a ‘real’ image in the mind. • Trigonometry is more visual, and you can relate to it more. • It’s big and you can see it, and it gives explanations. • Size helps. • Having a point of reference visually for everyone is important.
Pupil comments: Clarity and expectation • A pupil commented on an angle of 90.9° as a ‘poor’ right angle. • Would he have commented in the same way if it had been done by hand?
Clarifying a process • A major role of discussion and questioning is the clarification of mathematical processes. • The discussion of strategies, and approaches to problems, means that pupils have the chance to clarify processes involved in tackling problems. • Pupils not only have the chance to consider how other pupils are tackling process, but also have the chance to verbalise process. • Verbalisation can help to clarify and to reinforce understanding; it is arguable that verbalisation is as important as, if not more important than, undertaking a series of examples in silence, written into exercise books. • Clarification of process is an aspect referred to by many pupils, but again not quantified in this study.
Developing conceptual understanding • Pupils have referred often to the roles of visual imagery, animations and videos in helping them to understand and to develop concepts and conceptual understanding. • Moving imagery is clearly a key means for pupils to ‘see what is meant’, rather than their trying to ‘imagine what is meant’ when it is just described by teachers. • Imagining what is meant can mean that pupils have to imagine the steps in a process, or the flow of a phenomenon. • Use of visual and moving imagery means that pupils can see these aspects, and their understanding can be modelled, rather than assumed.
Encouraging participative learning • Many pupils have referred to different aspects of participative learning, whether it be increased opportunities for group discussion, or individuals from across a class taking part in games. • Participative learning was reported by two groups of pupils interviewed to be important, but in different and significant ways. • Those who have difficulty in participating because of low engagement levels are drawn into activities that include games. • Those who feel uncomfortable when some pupils are not engaged in lesson activities feel comfortable and more emotionally accepting of the situation when participation is wide. • It is not clear from the study how many pupils might fall into these categories, but pupils have referred specifically to the importance of enhanced participation on their learning.
Pupil comments: Participative • Everyone can get involved. • Class discussion is better, you can talk about it more, and see what is happening. • Can all come up and have a go.
Increasing pace and variety • Many pupils have referred to increased pace and increased variety as being important in enhancing their learning. • Pace enables a better flow to be maintained, both for those who are distracted by breaks in flow, and for those whose understanding is interrupted by breaks in flow. • Variety means that different activities can be introduced more seamlessly, without long periods of waiting between one activity ending and the next one starting. • Pupils have reported that they notice these differences, so pupils feel they contribute to learning in important ways.
Groups reported to be benefiting • Those reluctant to put things on paper. • Those who are less confident with mathematics. • Visual and kinaesthetic learners. • Some pupils with specific learning needs or working at lower mathematical levels. • Enthusiastic pupils with behavioural issues. • Higher achieving girls. • Boys who enjoy working in a competitive environment.
Impacts on cognitive processes • Can impact on a range of key cognitive, metacognitive, motivational, and social aspects of learning. • Enhances 7 out of 11 aspects concerned with internalisation. • Enhances 21 out of 41 aspects concerned with internal cognitive processes. • Enhances 3 out of 5 aspects concerned with externalisation.
Examples of what has made a difference in the classroom & department
The Benefits Increased understanding + More enjoyment + Improved motivation Raised attainment
Managing change when embedding ICT resources across the curriculum
Supporting teachers • Use more time planning how pupils can learn rather than just what to teach. • Need support to maximise the benefits and potential of a multi-part lesson. • Experience an initial increase in workload. • Save time by using prepared resources as a starting point. • Reduce their workload in the long term.
Departmental support • The allocation of time for training. Teachers need operational training and support initially, followed by further training in the uses of more specific resources and management facility features • Time to view activities. During the first year of use particularly, there is a need for teachers to review resources, to identify how they will use them within lessons. If time can be devoted to this review, within department time, then it is of wide potential benefit to all teachers • Sharing good practice. Opportunities to share practice are important. Some departments put departmental meeting time aside for these purposes. Other departments discuss practice through monitoring and observation practices
Managing change across the school • Senior management endorsement and support. • Access to hardware. • Effective in-school ICT or technical support. • Use of INSET or training support days. • Giving departments what they need to develop a good team. • Extending lessons learnt beyond initial departments.
The impact on subject attainment • The types of enhancements described by pupils would suggest that learning outcomes as measured by subject attainment could well be enhanced. • Some pupils believed that it helped them with SATs. • A number of teachers feel that use of MathsAlive or other similar resources is having a level of impact at a subject attainment level. • It seems unlikely that the number of schools having improved results would have occurred by chance.
