Secondary Assignments - Learning and Teaching II

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"What are the key factors in raising achievement in a school?"
Assignment 2 is a c3,000 word small research case study exploring how achievement can be raised in a school, this should be seen though one of the 'lens' indicated below. Your research methodology should be qualitative and ethnographic and the aim of the case study is to capture some 'rich' data about some chosen pupils at your school.
Task 1

Read the questions carefully

  • make a mind map of the kinds of things that you think are important in order to raise achievement
    • and around that start to map the strategies you need e.g. reading, who to talk to, what to look for
  • talk to colleagues and fellow trainees and to the children
  • think about your own experiences - what has worked, what has not?
  • think about practical things and theoretical things,
    • can you start to classify or group these into different areas?

Q: Do you understand the basic ideas behind the assignment?
Task 2

The assignment should have 5 sections:

  • A short abstract and statement of your research question [200 words]
  • A summary of the relevant literature* pertinent to the area of study [approx. 1200 words]
  • The case study of 1-2 pupils relevant to the chosen area [approx. 700 words]
  • An analysis of how this might impact on your future practice [approx. 400 words]
  • A conclusion [approx. 200 words]

*At M level it is expected that you use peer-reviewed journals and books as well as other materials

Rough out some key ideas for each section and the questions / things you need to do for each section including finding reading, identifying pupils, talking to people etc...
Note: A proposal for this essay can be submitted, to your professional tutor by at least four weeks before the due date, to give time for the tutor to feed back. This is not compulsory but may help you structure your essay and ensure you are "on track" for the assignment.

Q: Do you understand the structure of the assignment?
Task 3

Thinking about your research question [200 words]. This needs to be framed

  • within the general parameter of the assignment on raising achievement
  • within one of the specialist areas that you can focus on (note: you must not repeat an area from assignment one)
  • so that it is a question you can begin to answer so some things like:

What is the important of attention to the Special Educational Needs of children in order to raise attainment in the school or

How does good pastoral care impact on the raising of achievement in a school

In you essay explain how you have chosen this question and why you think it is important.

Q: Do you have a research question?
Task 4

Now you need to decide on the area you want to focus on, there are 6 choices, have a look the support section on the website - which will lead to further support.

1. Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
2. English as a second (additional) language
3. Pupil Premium

Choose an area in which you are interested, or in which your schools has some expertise. Make sure that there are some pupils that you can interview and think about the availability of the literature.

Q: Have you decided on your focus?
Task 5

Now you need to start to gather some reading and some literature [approx. 1200 words] on the appropriate areas:

  • Use the shorter booklist on this site and the more extensive booklist
  • You should then explore the appropriate section of the website for resources and start to look wider
  • You should not just parrot the ideas from the literature but
    • indicate where they support your experiences
    • indicate where they challenge your experiences
    • indicate where your experiences challenge them (being aware of your experience's limited scope)
    • Critique their scope, reliability, validity and methodology
  • As well as the literature you should colour this with illustrations from your own teaching being aware of the limitations of such experiences and being careful not to over-generalise.

This section is a discussion of the literature - you should bring the the pupils experiences in the next section.

Q: Have you completed your literature review?
Task 6

Now you need to undertake your case studies [approx. 700 words]:

  • Read the section on ethnographic research
    • Make sure you are recording your observations on the students using diaries, logs or technological methods,
    • Draft some questions and then think about these and the possible answers, if possible try them out on someone.
    • Your questions need to address the issues you have raised from your reading e.g. the kinds of ways in which boys like to learn, or the support given to pupils with SEN,
  • You should, in negotiation with the school, find the pupils that you want to interview,
    • Make sure you have a time and a place to interview the students,
    • Explain why you are interviewing them and share the ethics form,
    • Make sure you have a recorder (and ideally a spare) and that the batteries are charged,
    • Make sure they understand they can refuse to answer any question and that the interview will be anonymous and private (you will not share it with anyone).
  • Carry out the interview
  • It is not necessary for this piece of work to transcribe the interviews but you do need to listen to it carefully so you can discuss and analyse the issues that come from them

This section is is exploration of the particular issues arising from the interviews with these pupils and how they reflect on the wider issues you have explored in your literature review.

Q: Have you completed your interviews and written up this section?
Task 7

Now you need to undertake the impact section [approx. 400 words]:

  • From the literature and the pupils interviews you now need to discuss the impact on your practice and how you will plan to develop your practice in this area - in order to raise the achievement of pupils
  • This should be reference to both the literature and also to the interviews and your own experiences

This section is is exploration of the impact your research has had on your own practice and an indication of how you will want to develop this practice.

Q: Have you completed your impact section?
Task 8

You now need to think about your conclusion [approx. 200 words]. This will:

  • summerise the key points you have made
  • indicate where your thinking has led over the essay
Q: Have you written your conclusion
Task 9

Now you need to check over your assignment to make sure:

  • you have referenced correctly
  • you have used suitable academic writing style
  • you have anonymised the school and any people
  • have not made any (or very, very few) grammar, spelling and punctuation errors
  • that your essay reads well and coherently with a solid structure and argument
    • it is always best to get someone else to check it as well if you can
Q: Is your assignment as good as you can make it?
Task 10

Now you need to submit your assignment:

  • Ensure you have the correct cover sheet
  • Ensure all your appendices etc... are part of one file OR that you have zipped several files into one
  • Check you have used the correct referencing and formatting (Essays should be typed using a standard font: Times, Arial or Verdana are suggested. Point size 12 at either 1.5 or double line spacing.)
  • Submit your assignment via eBridge
Q: Have you successfully submitted your assignment, and kept a backup copy?
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Some general guidance
1. The essay should be c5,000 words working at M level. You do have 10% grace but work to keep to the word limit, so when you sketch out your framework plan aim for 4,500 words. All quotes count towards the word total but Appendices do not.
2.

There are 4 main areas in which M level will be assessed
 
a. Academic credibility: When working at M level you need to accessing, assimilation and developing materials from books, peer-reviewed journals, and research papers,
b. Using evidence: You should be using data and evidence from research and practice to develop and support your arguments,
c. Own experience: You should be reflecting on how this academic material has impacted on your own experiences and own practice in schools,
d. SPaG and flow: You should be writing with a coherent, fluid style developing and progressing an argument using predicates, evidence, argument and conclusions.
3. Look at the assessment criteria to explore these in more details for the Hull M level marking.
4. Use a range of texts including peer-reviewed journals and other e-sources. Also you should be using books, journal articles and support materials from your schools including policy statements, children's work, teaching materials, discussions with experts etc..
5. Whilst this is a "core" piece of work and you are thinking of your chosen focus in the more generic sense you may, of course, exemplify this with evidence from your subject area and from your practice schools as this is the area of expertise that you have, but be careful not to generalise from this limited dataset.
6. References to the school, staff and pupils should be anonymised so they cannot be identified by the marker or anyone else who should read the work
Plagiarism

Plagiarism is using the work of others without acknowledging your source of information; that is, passing off someone else’s work as your own (either intentionally or unintentionally). When you submit any piece of work for assessment you are required to attach a cover sheet which contains a declaration, which you must sign. Your work will not be accepted unless the declaration has been signed. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have understood the guidance you have been given about referencing – and therefore how not to commit plagiarism.

To ensure you have not committed plagiarism make sure you have referenced your work carefully and accurately.

If you have any doubts you must seek advice from your supervisor or tutor.
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