Exploring the impact of student teachers' online collaborative peer reflection

This paper reports on a technology-facilitated micro-teach project, developed as a contingency response to unpredictable situations in schools as a result of Covid-19 restrictions to face-to-face teaching. The project aimed to support student teachers in developing their feedback, reflection and collaborative skills by providing opportunities to view short teaching episodes before offering peer-formative assessment. Micro-teaching, an activity in which student teachers plan, teach and reflect on small lessons, or parts of lessons, is often used in teacher education as a mechanism to support planning and reflection, yet it typically occurs face-to-face. Reflection is widely recognised as a key skill that student teachers need to develop as part of their teacher education. Participating student teachers were surveyed before and after the project. The survey responses and identified benefits and challenges on supporting the development of pedagogic skills, including peer reflection, in an online distance learning environment are explored. The findings suggest that student teachers improved their reflection and confidence in peer assessment. The most important learning to emerge from the micro-teach activity was the collaborative cross-phase nature of the project, particularly the reflecting with, and learning from, others

Research with schools on the early implementation of Curriculum for Wales: Wave 1 report

This report presents research conducted with schools on the early implementation of Curriculum for Wales. The research aims to undertake two waves of qualitative research during academic year 2022/23 to understand how the curriculum and assessment reforms are working for practitioners and learners in schools and settings, and the barriers and facilitators to successful implementation. The research informs the support that the Welsh Government and its partners are putting in place to maximise success. This report contains the findings of the first wave of qualitative research with 64 senior leaders in schools and Pupil Referral Units carried out on behalf of the Welsh Government between November 2022 to January 2023. A report detailing findings of a second wave of interviews with senior leaders, as well as fieldwork with learners, will be published later in 2023

Research on the early implementation of Curriculum for Wales: Wave 2 report

This report presents findings of the second wave (Wave 2) of qualitative research with 62 senior leaders in schools and Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) carried out by Arad Research and the Open University in Wales. The aim of this research was to undertake two waves of qualitative research during academic year 2022/23 to understand how the curriculum and assessment reforms were working for practitioners and learners in schools and settings, and the barriers and facilitators to successful implementation. This report follows on from the Wave 1 report, which presented findings of the first round of interviews with senior leaders. In addition to presenting findings from follow-up interviews with senior leaders, it also presents evidence from fieldwork with groups of learners in primary and secondary schools, outlining their experiences of curriculum delivery during the academic year 2022/23

One of the Million: Developing Welsh Language Skills Amongst ITE Students

It’s now over a year since we launched our fully bilingual PGCE in Wales. The challenges and rewards of offering a pan-Wales programme that offers future teachers the opportunity to study and work through the medium of Welsh, English or both have been numerous. The government requirement for all Initial Teacher Education Students across Wales to engage with Welsh language development and to map themselves on a linguistic skills framework, similar to the Common European Framework for Reference, is an essential component of our ITE provision. This is also a key component of the government’s Welsh 2050 strategy to develop a million Welsh-speakers by 2050 and its more recent action plan for 2021- 2016 where there is a clear focus on the lifelong learning of Welsh from Early Years, strengthening Welsh medium education, addressing the deficit of teachers who are able to teach through the medium of Welsh and Welsh as a subject, and improving the linguistic skills of the education workforce to meet the needs of their regions. Therefore, there are increased expectations on ITE students to improve and teach Welsh language skills but there is limited research into students’ readiness to meet these requirements e.g., their knowledge, understanding, perceptions and attitudes. An interesting challenge is how to encourage all student teachers, regardless of their skills, to have a positive attitude towards improving their Welsh skills and that they foster a love for the language in their pupils. How can we ensure that students approach this aspect of their training with a positive attitude and as a way of deepening their connection with the language and land, to be able to offer their pupils a richer experience of education

Using collaborative peer reflection to develop student teachers’ practice

This paper reports on a project that supported the development of feedback, critical reflection and collaborative skills for student teachers using video technology. As a consequence of the Covid-19 restrictions for face-to-face teaching a micro-teach activity was developed for student teachers. Micro-teaching is an activity in which student teachers plan, teach and reflect on small lessons, or parts of lessons. This is frequently used in teacher education as an approach to support planning and reflection, yet it typically occurs face-to-face. Reflection is widely recognised as a key skill that student teachers need to develop as part of their teacher education. Video-supported peer reflection was considered appropriate for the student teachers as it offered them opportunities to review and reflect upon their own, as well as others’ teaching practice; enabling them to revisit recorded lesson segments as frequently as required. Student teachers were surveyed before and after the micro-teach activity. These survey responses are explored here and include the benefits and challenges of supporting the development of pedagogic skills and peer reflection in an online distance learning environment. Improvements in student teachers’ reflection and levels of confidence in peer assessment are also discussed. The most important learning to emerge from the micro-teach activity was the positive impact of the collaborative cross-phase nature of the project, predominantly the reflecting with, and learning from, others. Français Cet article rend compte d’un projet qui a soutenu le développement des compétences de réactions, de la réflexion critique et de la collaboration pour les enseignants professeurs stagiaires utilisant la technologie vidéo. En conséquence des restrictions de Covid-19 pour l’enseignement en face à face, une activité de micro-enseignement a été développée pour les professeurs stagiaires. Le micro-enseignement est une activité dans laquelle les élèves-enseignants planifient, enseignent et réfléchissent à des cours courts ou des épisodes courts d’enseignement. Ceci est fréquemment utilisé dans la formation des enseignants professeurs pour aider la planification et la réflexion, mais généralement il se présente en personne. La réflexion est largement reconnue comme une compétence clé que les professeurs-stagiaires doivent se développer dans le cadre de leur formation pédagogique. La réflexion entre pairs assistée par vidéo a été jugée appropriée pour les professeurs stagiaires car elle leur a offert l’occasion d’examiner et de réfléchir sur leurs propres pratiques pédagogiques ainsi que sur celles des autres ; leur permettant d’examiner les segments de cours enregistrés aussi souvent que nécessaire. Les professeurs-stagiaires ont été interrogés avant et après l’activité de micro-enseignement. Leurs réponses à l’enquête sont explorées là et ainsi que les avantages et les défis de soutenir le développement des compétences pédagogiques et la réflexion par les pairs dans un environnement d’apprentissage à distance en ligne. Les améliorations de la réflexion des professeurs stagiaires ainsi que leurs niveaux de confiance en l’évaluation par les pairs sont également traités. La connaissance la plus importante qui a émergé de l’activité de micro-enseignement a été l’impact positif de la nature collaborative du projet, principalement la réflexion avec les autres professeurs stagiaires et la connaissance d’eux

Qualitative Research with Practitioners on Preparations for Curriculum and Assessment Reforms 2022: final report

The findings of qualitative research with 48 senior leaders and practitioners in schools and Pupil Referral Units in Wales examine preparations for the roll out of the Curriculum for Wales

Practitioner survey on preparations for Curriculum and Assessment Reforms 2022: final report

The findings of school survey responses collected in June and July 2021 that examined the preparations for the roll-out of the Curriculum for Wales. Detail is offered to inform policy and support schools

Scoping study for the evaluation of the curriculum and assessment reforms in Wales: final report

This report presents findings of a scoping study relating to the evaluation of the curriculum and assessment reforms in Wales. The Curriculum for Wales is the cornerstone of the Welsh Government’s efforts to reform education in Wales and build an education system that raises educational standards and enjoys public confidence. Under the reforms each school is developing its own curriculum, supported by national guidance. The aim of the scoping study is to articulate the theory, assumptions, evidence and readiness underpinning the curriculum and assessment reforms and to use this information to develop recommendations for a robust monitoring and evaluation programme