Completely frustrated by the constant distraction of sales targets, the difficulty in raising development funding commercially for educational projects and the resistance of both UK government and schools to take risks beyond the strictures of the National Curriculum, I left TAG Learning in April 2003 and decided to return to a research based consultancy role. I mentioned to Richard Kimbell at the Technolgy Education Research Unit that I had left TAG and he invited me to help out with an exciting project he had just taken on for the QCA to create a new form of GCSE exam that valued and rewarded good ideas and team-work rather than following rules and working on your own.
As I joined the team had already established that all sorts of exciting team work and innovative approaches were possible in design and technology when you removed the misguided straight-jacket of the existing exam restrictions. The problem was collecting sufficient evidence of pupils working on task to make effective and reliable assessments when you weren't there to observe the activity taking place. We needed a way to "hoover-up" snap-shots of pupils progress and thoughts at key points in the task.
The principal outcome of the project was a paper-based, portfolio assessment system that sat somewhere between a formal examination and a form of coursework. It was designed to operate in 6 hours, typically 2 mornings, and presented learners with a design task they had to take through from first ideas to a prototype solution. The paper portfolio was built around a stroyline of digital photos of each pupil's work. These photos were taken as the pupils modelled their ideas, on the hour, every hour, printed off and pasted into the work book. Pupils also sketched, jotted down notes and answered question in their workbook which progressively built to provide a clear picture of key aspects of design performance.
The outcomes of learners’ work during this project were most encouraging. It was possible to demonstrate that different levels of innovation were identifiable in the work and that the best work was highly innovative. Pupils worked on their own ideas but in groups of 3 where their team mates acted as critical friends offering ideas and constructive criticism at key points in the activity. Critically, the consensus of teachers and learners was that the portfolio system acted as a dynamic force to drive the activity forward with pace and purpose.
The final report of this project is available for download here
As I joined the team had already established that all sorts of exciting team work and innovative approaches were possible in design and technology when you removed the misguided straight-jacket of the existing exam restrictions. The problem was collecting sufficient evidence of pupils working on task to make effective and reliable assessments when you weren't there to observe the activity taking place. We needed a way to "hoover-up" snap-shots of pupils progress and thoughts at key points in the task.
The principal outcome of the project was a paper-based, portfolio assessment system that sat somewhere between a formal examination and a form of coursework. It was designed to operate in 6 hours, typically 2 mornings, and presented learners with a design task they had to take through from first ideas to a prototype solution. The paper portfolio was built around a stroyline of digital photos of each pupil's work. These photos were taken as the pupils modelled their ideas, on the hour, every hour, printed off and pasted into the work book. Pupils also sketched, jotted down notes and answered question in their workbook which progressively built to provide a clear picture of key aspects of design performance.
The outcomes of learners’ work during this project were most encouraging. It was possible to demonstrate that different levels of innovation were identifiable in the work and that the best work was highly innovative. Pupils worked on their own ideas but in groups of 3 where their team mates acted as critical friends offering ideas and constructive criticism at key points in the activity. Critically, the consensus of teachers and learners was that the portfolio system acted as a dynamic force to drive the activity forward with pace and purpose.
The final report of this project is available for download here
workbook
after 1 hour
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after 3 hours
after 6 hours
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