Two year project, 2007-2008
Michal Denny, Alfriston College
  

Project aim

The project aims to:

• investigate whether the innovative approaches to scheduling time for teaching and learning at Alfriston College are having a significant impact on student learning
• identify best practice for use of extended periods of learning time
• widen discussion about the nature of “evidence” of student learning.

  
Project plan

The research design includes:

• An initial literature review
• Surveys of students and parents to gain their perceptions about actual practice and its impact on student learning. The content of the surveys will be derived from the findings from the literature review
• Surveys of teacher perceptions about their current practice, based on the teacher self-reflection sheets developed for the ‘Shifting Balances’ research projects recently carried out by NZCER
• A lead research group of teachers develop their skills of observation based research, with the support of the researcher, so that they can lead a cross-school enquiry into actual use of extended teaching time
• An action research cycle in the second year when all interested teaching staff will address the issues and opportunities raised by the survey and observation phase. They will undertake small group or individual action research projects as their professional development focus.
    

Partnerships involved

Rosemary Hipkins, NZCER
  

Expected outcomes

The expected outcomes of the project is to find answers to the following questions

• How are extended periods of learning time (100min lessons, 3 day episodes) being used to support learning?
• How is the extended learning time supporting curriculum integration?
• How is ICT being used to support extended learning times?
• What constitutes meaningful evidence of student learning in the Alfriston context?
  

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