Reflect, evaluate and share with others

Having carried out a classroom project, you will share your reflections of what you learnt from it.

Use the key questions below to help evaluate your project. Use your initial planning sheet and the reflections you have captured as a source of data to help you do this.

  • What did the learners do? This is a descriptive activity that explains your action with the learners.
  • What did they learn and how do you know? This is an issue of assessment including observation, discussion, question and answer, testing, etc
  • Was it worthwhile, i.e. did it succeed in meeting your targets? This question relates to your purposes and intended learning outcomes.
  • What did I do? Practitioner research is often done by individuals in their own work. This question requires a description of your own actions.
  • What did I learn? This requires analysis of your data and reflection on your answers.
  • What do I intend to do next? This relates to your next steps for action. This is where you will try to do things to achieve an improvement and to make the work you do with learners more worthwhile in your terms.

Adapted from Open University Curriculum in Action materials (1981)

Activity 9 Reflecting and reporting back

Timing: 1 hour (online) during the final week of the course.

The objectives of this course activity are

  • to share your reflections on the project
  • give feedback to others as they reflect on their projects.

Make a brief presentation to share your findings – maybe as a couple of slides, short video, images etc. Go to the forum, in the thread ‘Reflections’ upload your presentation, and discuss:

  • the extent to which your intended learning outcomes were achieved
  • the evidence you have for this
  • the ways in which you shared your project with others in your setting
  • key reflections emerging from the consideration of the key questions for evaluation (listed above).

The use of technology in learning and teaching will provide you with evidence that may be useful when considering the Professional Standards for Teaching. You will have collected evidence from planning through to your notes and evaluation to discussion in the forum. Such evidence may be useful to you when demonstrating ways in which you have met the standards.

Depending on the stage of your career, certain Training and Development Agency for Schools TDA standards may be more relevant than others. Click the ‘Discussion’ button to reveal a possible set of standards. If appropriate you can reflect on these in your feedback to this activity.

Discussion

TDA standards relevant to you might include the following:

  • C7 Evaluate their performance and be committed to improving their practice through appropriate professional development.
  • C8 Have a creative and constructively critical approach towards innovation; being prepared to adapt their practice where benefits and improvements are identified.
  • C17 Know how to use skills in literacy, numeracy and ICT to support their teaching and wider professional activities.
  • C27 Design opportunities for learners to develop their literacy, numeracy, ICT and thinking and learning skills appropriate within their phase and context.
  • P10 Contribute to the professional development of colleagues through coaching and mentoring, demonstrating effective practice, and providing advice and feedback.
  • E2 Research and evaluate innovative curricular practices and draw on research outcomes and other sources of external evidence to inform their own practice and that of colleagues.
  • E14 Contribute to the professional development of colleagues using a broad range of techniques and skills appropriate to their needs so that they demonstrate enhanced and effective practice.