9. Learning together
Commentary
The main purpose of Out of School Hours Learning (OSHL) is to provide opportunities for young people to enjoy an additional learning experience and raise their achievements and expectations. In the process a further significant opportunity is created for tutors to learn alongside young people - observing them at work, listening carefully to what they find works and doesn't work for them, and seeing first-hand evidence of different learning styles.
The more opportunities there are for reflection and dialogue, the more tutors and young people can learn about learning, testing the links between independent study and the mainstream curriculum and helping teachers, as well as young people, to understand these links better.
As these insights flow into the mainstream of school practice, they help the school to be more self-evaluating and self-improving. The more this learning is shared across the boundaries of individual study centres and individual schools, the greater the capacity for centres and schools to become collaborative learning organisations.
Questions to ask
- How do tutors set aside time to review young people’s learning and their own tutoring and mentoring styles?
- How do tutors talk to students about their learning? How are students involved in setting targets?
- What opportunities are there for tutors, mentors and young people to learn about learning together?
- What training opportunities are there for tutors, young people and other stakeholders in the how and why of learning?
- What has been learned about learning? What is the evidence? How has this impacted on mainstream practice?
- How do young people share, teach or demonstrate to tutors/other young people what they have learned?
Evidence to show
Examples of documentary evidence
- young people’s self-assessment, diaries, logs, reviews
- schemes of work which identify learning together strands
- tutors’ logs, diaries, self-assessment
- photographs of joint learning
- outcomes of joint student/tutor reviews
- minutes of meetings
- development of OSHL policies over time
- summaries of young people/staff joint training sessions, visits, learning exchanges and evaluations of their effectiveness
- books on study techniques, thinking skills, accelerated learning, learning styles, etc.
Testing the evidence
Examples of requests a visitor might make
- As learners, what help have you had from tutors in making your own learning easier and better? As tutors what have you learned?
- Tell me about how you learn best and how you share your knowledge of learning styles.
- How are individual learning targets set and shared? Who is involved in their review?
- Describe to me some of the things you have tried to learn and teach in new and different ways.
- Tell me about a training session you have participated in and what you got out of it.
- What have you learned about learning?
- Describe some ways in which learning in OSHL has influenced the school or community.
Emerging practice
In emerging centres there is an awareness of how young people are tackling their work and a desire among tutors to make independent and co-operative learning more effective. Tutors observe what young people are doing, and take time to discuss this with them. They seek ways to make young people’s learning more effective and are committed to developing their own tutoring, teaching and mentoring skills.
Key indicator
A willingness to learn with and from young people.
Case study
Established practice
In established centres the concern is not simply with what young people are learning but how they are learning. By observing young people at work and talking to them about how they are learning, tutors and young people gain insights into individual differences in approach and learning styles. These are discussed and shared among tutors and with young people, giving an impetus to further reading and training in new and developing techniques.
Key indicator
Sharing and developing skills in the how and why of learning.
Case study
Learning together - Established
Advanced practice
In advanced centres tutors see themselves as learners and create a climate in which young people feel free to share their learning and to ‘teach’ their teachers. Young people and tutors are keen to improve their own learning effectiveness and they set aside time to examine the literature, discuss ideas, attend training sessions, visit other schools and centres and experiment with new techniques. Strategies for improvement and success are under constant review.
Key indicator
Young people’s awareness and confidence to teach their teachers.