West Lothian Council: Collaborative Problem Solving

Project objectives

This numeracy project is looking at the improvement of collaborative problem solving across the P7-S1 transition phase initially. It is hoped that this will be continued for all other years at primary and will remain a major focus for all secondary classes as is indicated in Curriculum for Excellence.

Broxburn Academy Mathematics Department and three of the cluster primaries are working together to improve this provision. We are focusing on making the problem solving provision more structured within the schools rather than just an add-on at the end of completed exercises. We are working to unify our 'teaching' approaches and ensure that the primaries and secondary use the same terminology.

Project aims

• The exchange of good practice between all staff in relation to collaborative problem solving.
• Provide some in-service provision for problem solving.
• The development of a cluster school approach to problem solving with appropriate documents for policy and planning.
• To embed collaborative problem solving into lessons.
• To improve the transition phase by involving the P7s in a Maths Challenge day and series of problem solving lessons delivered in their schools by the secondary staff.
• More focus on trying to get the pupils to think for themselves.
• Research into collaborative working skills training and collaborative learning as this is an area of weakness for staff and students.

The Academy hopes that there will be an improvement in the reasoning and enquiry skills/results of the students once this programme is up and running which will in turn improve the Standard Grade results.

Key findings

• All schools have witnessed an improvement in the problem solving provision, especially with respect to the collaborative approaches.
• Students seem more able to tackle the questions but still find it difficult to 'get started' and are still looking for teacher input.
• The Academy hopes that there will be an improvement in the reasoning and enquiry skills/results of the students once this programme is up and running which will in turn improve the Standard Grade and subsequent Higher results.

Future developments

• We are currently looking into collaborative working skills training and collaborative learning as this is an area of weakness for staff.
• We will look at how to incorporate more problem solving into our day-to-day teaching of these courses.
• The cluster primaries and secondary intend to continue to work more closely to improve on this provision and to improve on the transition phase.
• The plan is to dedicate a slot each week to problem solving, with more structured lessons so not on an ad hoc basis.
• More focus on this during class time, trying to get the pupils to think for themselves a little more.
• Maths Challenge Day for P7s.
• Primary visits during exam leave.
• In-service provision for next session.

Contact information

Mrs Avril McLean
avril.mclean@wled.org.uk
01506 852521

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