Breakdown of activities

This is a two-tiered project. The first tier is concerned with the assessment of the current use of space at the Academy and the exploration of potential innovative use of space at the Academy.  This will be undertaken in collaboration with the lead learners. The second aspect of the project is the assessment of the impact of the lead learners on the school environment and the value of a collaborative approach between University researchers and lead learners as a method of student engagement.

Danny’s time is costed as follows.

1.       Two months at 32 hours per week (total cost £4605.81)

 (a)    The evaluation and development of the uses of Learning  Spaces

• Literature review on teaching spaces/ innovative spaces and teaching practices (4 hours per week)- UG
• Working with lead learners to:

o   Develop research questions concerning teaching and space that can be asked of teachers and pupils

o   Evaluate the existing teaching and learning practices within the different school spaces

o   Develop innovative ways of using the Academy spaces  (3 hours per week)-UG

• Co-ordinating and undertaking data collection and data analysis; planning a research strategy (6 hours per week)
• Plus one-off events:

o   Evaluating the Open Space Learning workshop; capturing the reflections of both pupils and practitioners and helping pupils to implement the knowledge acquired from the workshop (one working day)- UG

o   Preparation for staff training day workshop (2 hours) -UG

(b)   Lead Learners as a model of Engagement

• Literature review on Lead Learners and on pupil engagement in school structures (3 hours per week)- UG
• Interviews/ Focus groups with Lead Learners about how their role within the school- collecting pupils’ reflexive accounts (1 hour per week)- UG
• interviewing pupils about their experience of having worked with researcher from the university (1 hour per week)- UG
• Interview key staff members about the role of lead learners (1 hour per week)- UG
•  Co-ordinating and undertaking data collection and data analysis (4 hours per week)
• Evaluation of the role of Lead Learners and possible recommendations for the development of their role (in collaboration with WIE) (5 hours per week)

(c)    General

• Project co-ordination and management; liaison with Lesley James, IATL, WIE and management of the undergraduate researcher (2 hours per week)
• Plus one-off event

o   Presentation at staff training day (one working day)

2.       One month at 16 hours per week (total cost £1151.45)

• Data analysis (5 hours)- UG
• Report writing - UG

o   Evaluation and development of the uses of learning spaces

o   Evaluation of  university and lead learner collaboration as a form of pupil engagement in school structures (9 hours)

• Project co-ordination and management; liaison with Lesley James, IATL, WIE and management of the undergraduate researcher (2 hours)

The total cost for Danny’s time, at University Spinal Point 25 and including on-costs, is therefore  £5757.26

Research plan- Lead Learner Lessons

6 hours across 2 lessons.

Lesson One

• 30 minute introduction on space theory/practice- Paul Taylor
• Tour of school spaces

o   Traditional class

o   Roof-top space

o   The three outdoor spaces

• Pupils to photograph the learning spaces and other spaces around the school that they are interested in

o   Photographs on the teaching spaces to be used for the general report

o   Photographs of the other spaces are to provide the basis of discussion about the types of places pupils like to learn and the types of ways that they like to learn

• Discussion on why certain spaces interest the pupils and what can be learned from these
• Discussion of where pupils work at home and what we can learn from this
• Discussion of the questions that we should ask other pupils and teachers regarding how they can use the various spaces in ways other than those traditionally prescribed.
• WORK TO SET PUPILS BETWEEN LESSONS- PREPARE FOR HOW THEY WOULD TEACH A LESSON IN THE SPACES- MAYBE ONE TEAM PER SPACE?

Lesson Two

• 15 minute re-cap on what was discussed in the previous week
• Film the spaces, with the pupils acting out classroom interactions- Adam Cartwright 

o   Get one group per space

o   Get each group performing 2/3 types of lessons