Dumbarton Academy: Making connections in learning

Experience of the young people

1. The learning environment

Young people:

• were consulted, encouraged to express their views, and to shape their own learning experiences through constructive dialogue with each other and their teachers
• were allowed to interact in relevant contexts that reflect life outside school
• shared in setting targets for their own learning and were encouraged to participate in dialogue to enhance their learning.

2. Learning and teaching approaches

Young people:

• were involved in stimulating activities taking account of the needs, talents and interests of individuals
• were encouraged to make connections between different areas of learning and to reflect on what they learned
• felt more motivated through the choice of topics and learning activities, including the use of ICT.

3. Organisation of learning

Young people had more opportunities to:

• work with and learn from one another, as well as their teachers
• participate in problem-based learning where they could try to solve a problem or research an issue individually and as part of a group
• get to know each other and their teachers as a result of having contact with fewer teachers and working mainly from their base area instead of moving from department to department.