Review 4: Positive Change

In the UK, the latest election cycle leaves us with a completely new political landscape, with much being said about the future. So much of the narrative over the past week since July the 4th has been positive and hopeful for change with smiles and real hope for a different future than the one we were trundling toward.

As much as this is our reality, many educators worldwide are discussing the need for change change and the need to look differently at the education process, and particularly how we capture and measure its outcomes. It depends on your perspective and its going to take some heavy lifting and clever messaging to move things from the current mindset.

Many see the contribution of AI as a positive others see the negative, depending on your viewpoint. My view goes a little deeper. I believe the education system has become so focused on learners as repositories of knowledge (old knowledge) and similarly focused on testing their potency as a knowledge receptacle by their retention capacity that they have become no more than receivers of machine learning and as such AI might well be viable to replace human teachers. However, learning and teaching are inherently human activities, and machines will never replace the capacity for emotion, passion, feeling, and connection, although versions of this might well be cleverly constructed in the future. A colleague described the potential of AI in education as augmenting all of the inhuman things we ask teachers to do while releasing the teacher to be the human they are in the learning environment, encouraging enquiry, inquisitiveness, creativity and enterprise. Your view might be different; this is mine.

So, we come to the future hope post-election education in the UK; I sense it is at a point where many around the globe ask questions about what we want from an education system where so many educators are keen to see change. Post COVID-19 (it sounds so long ago now), The Time Education Commission was requested to look at the world of learning and school environments. It proposed expressing proposals for reform in the following ten areas:

1. The purpose of education         

2. Social mobility (to include the attainment gap, early years).        

3. What children learn (the curriculum).        

4. How children learn (teaching and pedagogy).        

5. Assessment.        

6. Education in the community (to include family, lifelong learning, classroom of the future, faith schools and the environment).        

7. Mental health and wellbeing (to include character, brain development, food and fitness).        

8. The role of AI and technology.        

9. Exclusion, alternative provision and special educational needs.        

10. Further education and higher education (including skills, employment needs and apprenticeships).        

It drew up the following report (Link) published in June 2022 with the following 12 visions of better, possible change. Seeing the education system in a new way.

British Baccalaureate, offering broader academic and vocational qualifications at 18, with parity in funding per pupil in both routes and a slimmed-down set of exams at 16 to bring out the best in every child.

An “electives premium” for all schools to be spent on activities including drama, music, dance and sport and a National Citizen Service experience for every pupil, with volunteering and outdoor pursuits expeditions to ensure that the co-curricular activities enjoyed by the most advantaged become available to all.

A new cadre of Career Academies — elite technical and vocational sixth forms with close links to industry — mirroring the academic sixth forms that are being established and a new focus on creativity and entrepreneurialism in education to unleash the economic potential of Britain.

A significant boost to early years funding targeted at the most vulnerable and a unique pupil number from birth, to level the playing field before children get to school. A library in every primary school.

An army of undergraduate tutors earning credit towards their degrees by helping pupils who fall behind to catch up.

A laptop or tablet for every child and a greater use of artificial intelligence in schools, colleges and universities to personalise learning, reduce teacher workload and prepare young people better for future employment.

Wellbeing should be at the heart of education, with a counsellor in every school and an annual wellbeing survey of pupils to encourage schools to actively build resilience rather than just support students once problems have arisen.

Bring out the best in teaching by enhancing its status and appeal with better career development, revalidation every five years and a new category of consultant teachers, promoted within the classroom, as well as a new teaching apprenticeship.

A reformed Ofsted that works collaboratively with schools to secure sustained improvement, rather than operating through fear, and a new “school report card” with a wider range of metrics including wellbeing, school culture, inclusion and attendance to unleash the potential of schools.

Better training for teachers to identify children who have special educational needs, give a greater focus on inclusion and put a duty on schools to remain accountable for the pupils they exclude to draw out the talent in every child.

New university campuses in fifty higher education “cold spots”, including satellite wings in further education colleges, improved pay and conditions in the FE sector and a transferrable credit system between universities and colleges to boost stalled British productivity.

A 15-year strategy for education, drawn up in consultation with business leaders, scientists, local mayors, civic leaders and cultural figures, putting education above short-term party politics and bringing out the best in our schools, colleges and universities

How many of you are looking at these saying in July 2024 that this is old hat and we've moved on from these? Two years ago, but have we really moved on?

In conversations with teachers in the independent sector worldwide, I often ask the question - what is missing from your curriculum, and what would you include if you had the freedom to reshape learning for the next generation? Often, this is responded to with a blank stare. We have lost the perception of what makes valuable education beyond knowledge silos.

What is being done around the globe is interesting; there are signs of change to move away from a rigid knowledge-rich curriculum to a connected curriculum that is focused on communities and the future of learning. In a conversation with a Maasai tribal leader recently, Emmanuel Mankura said that their education process was focused on securing future opportunities, knowing how the territory is changing, and building a legacy in the young people to build respect, community, and wealth beyond riches.

Recently you will have seen me recommending a new book by Matt Pitman "The Connection Curriculum". He is a school leader from Victoria, Australia. I am excited to kick off this "Positive Changes" series by talking to someone who is doing something, doing positive things to improve schooling and are creating thinking and approaches that are tested in the live environment. So come and listen to Matt Pitman talk about the experiences behind his book "The Connection Curriculum."

"I am an experienced educational leader with a passion for facilitating learning environments that foster entrepreneurial mindsets, curiosity and creative and critical thinking." Matt Pitman

My intention over the following months is to speak with practitioners about positive change, and what you can do within the system to make significant changes for the better while we wait for politicians to make up their minds about the details. Change is always possible, positive change is the way forward.

Mark your calendars for Episode 3, airing on 19.07.2024 @ 7.45 am

?? Episode 3: Positive Changes, Connection

In this next episode of Friday Focus we will look at the subject of Positive Changes "The Connection Curriculum". Matt is a practising school leader from Victoria Australia.

Don't miss out on the next episode of Friday Focus - it's an event you won't want to miss!

Register here: https://www.dhirubhai.net/events/positivechanges-connection7216779069533618179/theater/

Warm regards,

Chris Jones

#SMARTcurriculum #education #educationreform #edtech #educationpolicy #schoolleadership #headteacher#edtech #schoolimprovement

If you can join us the recording will remain live on my profile or book a call on my profile link.

If you missed previous instalments of the Friday Focus series, explore here

Reviews

3: Writing Timetables. View here

2: Performance Measures for KS4. View here

1: Adaptive Curriculum. View here

News

1: Analytics Update View here

Podcast Episode

2: Research Informed School Improvement View here

1: Why Analyse Curriculum? View here

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