using voting pads and our learning platform to aid assessment

Richard Coates Church of England Middle School

Use voting pads and our learning platform to aid formative assessment.

Evidence and Practice Competitive Grant

Cross-curricular use in ICT, French and Religious Education.

Our Aims

About our school

• Richard Coates Church of England Middle School is a mixed, rural school with 460 pupils from age 9 to 13 across 4 Year groups. We take pupils from 6 feeder schools with a large range of backgrounds. Our school motto is “Let your Light Shine” as we feel all pupils should have the opportunity to achieve and celebrate those achievements in any curricular or extra curricular means.


Our Aims:The aim of the project was to introduce and use our Learning Platform across the curriculum subjects of French, ICT and R.E. We have implemented a variety of ICT assessment types and evaluated their effectiveness. These assessments have included the use of voting pads and online assessments from our Learning Platform, NorTLE (Northumberland Teaching and Learning Environment.


Our Objectives

• To ensure the Learning Platform (NorTLE) is used across three subjects within our school.

• To use voting pads to aid formative assessment.

• To understand pupils attitude to learning and technology.

• To trial the online assessment questionnaire on our Learning Platform.

• To start to implement APP materials in ICT.


How did we meet our Objectives?


“To ensure the Learning Platform (NorTLE) is used across three

subjects within our school.”

• NorTLE is now used by every Year 8 pupil in all ICT lessons. It is also used for lesson planning in French and RE.

• As well as peer assessment and setting homework tasks.

“To use voting pads to aid formative assessment.”

• Voting pads have been used in French and ICT to aid assessment.

• In ICT they allowed assessment of learning styles and formative assessment.

“To use voting pads to aid formative assessment.”

“To understand pupils attitude to learning and technology.”

• NorTLE’s learning platform Question Engine and the voting pads were used to question pupils on these topics. The outcomes could then be evaluated.

I prefer lessons

where

1. We can discuss things.

2. There is something to look at

(like a picture, chart, diagram or

video) or something to draw.

3. Where we can do something

practical – or at least move

around

1) W

e ca

n dis

cuss

th...

2) T

here

is s

omet

hing ..

3) W

here

we

can d

o ...

0%

43%

57%

Type Number

Auditory 2

Visual 6

Kinesthetic 7

Examples of Results

“To trial the online assessment questionnaire on our Learning

Platform.”

• This was set up and used by pupils however, it took longer to set up than the voting pads and we had some initial problems compiling the results.

“To start to implement APP materials in ICT.”

• As these were only introduced to Middle School staff in late February this has not been implemented but a start has been made to assess work in the future. Pupils targets for the current piece of work however are related to the APP levels.

What were our evaluation processes?

• Teacher evaluation of the effectiveness of the hardware and software and pupils use of it.

• Pupils’ evaluation of the effectiveness of the hardware and software.

• Data evaluation of the assessment results and evaluations given by pupils.

• Progress recording of pupils through the project.


What were the outcomes of our evaluation processes?


Teacher evaluation of the effectiveness of the hardware and software and pupils use of

it.


ICT

NorTLE has now become the key resource in Year 8 teaching and learning in ICT. It has been used to hand in homework, aid discussion, plan lessons, save resources for lessons and hold assessment data. Even though we have spent hours learning about NorTLE I am sure there is still much more to learn. We are very lucky that Northumberland County Council have been updating the platform as we have progressed through the grant and we are very much looking forward to the new assessment software that we hope will be available to us soon. The use of the voting pads was also a huge success with the low ability pupils and has given a range of data regarding their progress.


it.


Religious Education

The homework and discussion forum on NorTLE was particularly successful and exceeded expectations. Pupils were asked to comment on a place where we could see hatred in the world today. As well as making their own observations, pupils also commented on the thoughts and opinions of others in a helpful and respectful manner. This gave them an insight not only into the thoughts of others but also caused them to reflect on their own answers in light of other pupil comments. The main issue I had with this task were pupils being unable to access the learning platform at home. However, most overcame this by using school facilities in their own time.


it.


French

The voting pads and associated Turning Point Software immediately struck me as having a natural affinity with the work we have been doing on the new materials; major links being the technology aspect but also that the software readily lends itself to assessment of reading and listening skills and the modules of work are based on the use of thinking for learning skills to analyse the written word and develop language learning skills. The Learning Platform (NorTLE) provides further opportunities for the development and delivery of assessment materials linked to the National Curriculum Attainment Target 4,” writing”, through use of the discussion forum.

Pupils’ evaluation of the effectiveness of the hardware and software.


Data evaluation of the assessment results and

evaluations given by pupils.


French

The scope for the use of these technologies with regard to assessment and evaluation, including self and peer assessment and evaluation of both teachers and pupils is wide. One way in which it is intended to use data gathered on pupil attitudes to different methodologies in French is to do further research into the sorts of language activities the boys prefer and then specifically plan a group lessons around the types of activities boys indicate preferences for in a bid to raise enjoyment levels and improve motivation of this target group, as the percentage of boys within a mixed group who indicated that they really didn’t enjoy the subject was very high even though the percentage of students within the target group who said that their enjoyment levels were reasonable or good was over 60%.

Data evaluation of the assessment results and evaluations given by pupils.


ICTThe use of the voting pads was a huge success with the low ability pupils and has given a range of data regarding their progress. The data showed that all pupils have made some progress on 9 of the key areas of the topic. The question engine data also shows pupils have enjoyed the topic and which area they enjoyed the most. One of the most useful pieces of data from the voting pads showed the types of learning style of the pupils involved. Most pupils were either kinaesthetic or visual learners which lends itself to the style of teaching and learning in ICT lessons. We hope to use this voting pad resource with all pupils in Year 8 to gain a broader understanding of their learning style.

The use of this data allowed us to share targets with pupils based on the APP (Assessment Pupil Progress) grids in Key Stage 3. This was shared with pupils through their Work folders on the Learning Platform. This also allows for parents and other staff members teaching cross curricular ICT to see their targets and was a very beneficial way of sharing this information

Data evaluation of the assessment results and evaluations given by pupils.


Progress recording of pupils through the project.


Pupil’s progress was recorded on NorTLE’s assessment section through the grant. Pupil’s targets were also recorded here. Pupil’s final results will also be shared here at the end of the Spring Term.

Barriers we have overcome

• Technical Issues

File types – Initial problems with our webcams software was repaired by our technician but took some time.

Home access – Some pupils could not load NorTLE at home, the addition of an extra menu has helped this for some pupils but not all.


• Equipment Issues

Videoing – It was quickly realised that the equipment we had in school would not produce quality videoing needed for this project. This was therefore added to our proposal.

Lesson time – One hour a week per target group did not allow enough time for curriculum work and introduction of equipment.


Impact and Sustainability


Internally the project has already had an influence on other departments.

• We have given training to the whole staff and this, combined with the training received through the project, will enable them to be used more widely throughout the different departments and Year groups.

Pupil’s Views


Pupils have had greater focus in lessons and been well motivated to use the new software and resources. This is shown through pupil evaluations and the confidence that is seen in their attitude and behaviour.

•“I feel like I can use NorTLE now, not just in lessons but at home too.” (Anon pupil, year 8)

•“The voting pads were fun and I enjoyed using them” (Anon pupil, year 8)

Teacher’s views


All members of the staff involved in the project feel that it has been extremely beneficial to their teaching and the learning styles of the pupils.

“I am so glad that we have been given the opportunity and time to implement our learning platform with our Year 8 pupils. Having had this time and extra training has ensured that any technical issues have been overcome quickly and allowed use in all Year 8 ICT lessons, whatever ability”

Teacher’s views


“The training and use of the Voting Pads has been the most beneficial part of this project in French. It has allowed easy assessment of the County’s new schemes of work and I have already suggested its use with our partnership schools and look forward to sharing our work and ideas with them.”

“ I have really enjoyed using NorTLE and am particularly keen to use and expand the discussion forum section in RE, as well as other subjects I teach through the year.”

Transferability and portability

• This project is sustainable but with more time and money. As our vision states we hope to share our findings and resources with our staff and feeder schools. This can be completed in the current academic Year depending on funds and availability of staff.

• All resources can be shared throughout the school and with colleagues throughout the County of Northumberland through use of the NorTLE online central library. As this is a county-based learning platform access is inevitably limited to colleagues within the county.



Key Learning Points

• Time is so important. Without the grant the planning and creating of resources would not have been so vast.

• Meeting and evaluating each others work allowed us to all evaluate the outcomes and teaching styles.

• Pupils enthusiasm and kind regard for technology was overwhelming and informative.

Advice to others

• Allow time as a team to create resources and evaluate.

• Ensure time for pupils to use the equipment before using is as part of a lesson.

• Meet regularly as a team to support each other and lend ideas.


The future use of NorTLE and Voting Pads in our school

From the pupils thoughts on the video you can see that NorTLE and the voting pads are a resource that the pupils and teachers enjoy using. We hope that this and more training will inspire the rest of our staff and pyramid staff to also use these pieces of software.


using voting pads and our learning platform to aid assessment

Documents