JoTTER - volume 10
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- ItemOpen AccessAn investigation into how the development of musical improvisation skills impacts Year 7 girls’ self-efficacy as performers of sub-Saharan African music(Faculty of Education, 2019-01-06) Morgan, HannahThe research examines the correlation between the development of improvisatory skills and pupil self-efficacy with regard to musical performance. The case-study highlights the difference between self-concept and self-efficacy, drawing attention to their importance within and beyond the Music classroom. Six, twelve-year-old students were observed within small-group, African Drumming lessons, and, in this setting, a social constructivist approach was used to explore improvisation. Whilst learning improvisatory skills appeared to strengthen the self-concept of all participants, this did not necessarily result in an increase in students’ self-efficacy. The research demonstrates the complexity of self-efficacy and suggests a need for further study, focusing particularly on the relationship between pupil expectations, ability and self-efficacy.
- ItemOpen AccessChanging dimensions: the impact of making models on Year 10 students’ understanding of Greek temples when studying Classical Civilisation(Faculty of Education, 2019-01-06) Legg, MollieThis study explores the introduction of ‘active learning’, particularly model making, into the classroom of a mixed comprehensive state school. It focusses on the impact of ‘active learning’ on student engagement and skill-building (including independent-thinking, reflection and resilience). It also assesses whether model making can influence student understanding of Classical temples as 3-dimensional buildings. The findings showed that overall student engagement increased and that students developed important thinking skills. These findings applied particularly to students who are disadvantaged in some way. However, it is unclear whether students’ understanding of the 3D nature of Classical temples was enhanced. Further research might assess the impact of ‘active learning’ on student information-retention.
- ItemOpen AccessHow using socio-scientific issues to teach about climate change enhances engagement and knowledge of the nature of science in a year 9 girls class(Faculty of Education, 2019-01-05) Evans, PhilippaThe engagement of girls with science in secondary education has been impacted by compartmentalisation of the curriculum, which reduces opportunities for students to link scientific knowledge to other subjects. Compartmentalisation also reduces student knowledge of the nature of science (NOS). This study aims to investigate whether using socio-scientific issues (SSIs) as an approach to studying scientific concepts, such as climate change, can enhance the engagement of year 9 girls with science, and their understanding of NOS. Evidence was collected from focus groups, questionnaires and practitioner reflections. Results showed that using SSIs enhanced some elements of student engagement, and understanding of NOS. Students reported high levels of engagement during SSIassociated tasks, but further research is necessary to distinguish whether factors such as interactions with others and movement around the classroom drives the increased engagement. Nevertheless, this study concludes that SSIs are a useful approach for teaching scientific concepts and about NOS.
- ItemOpen Access“Their customs can teach us lessons about our own lifestyles”: integrating the teaching of cultural awareness and intercultural understanding to the teaching of language through a task-based approach in a Key Stage 3 French class(Faculty of Education, 2019-01-03) Baron, SimonThis paper reports on an attempt to identify and implement strategies to teach Key Stage 3 students about culture, understood through the concepts of cultural awareness and intercultural understanding. Through an action research project, the hypothesis that a task-based approach could be an effective way to integrate the teaching of culture to the teaching of language was tested. The intervention raised students’ cultural awareness of French speaking cultures, but had a limited impact on students’ intercultural understanding. This framework could be improved by making cultural learning objectives explicit to all students and by creating more opportunities for teachers to assess for learning.
- ItemOpen AccessA critical investigation into whether Year 8 students’ learning about poetry can be made memorable through a drama-based approach(Faculty of Education, 2019-01-03) Aylett, RebeccaThe change to linear GCSEs means large demands are placed upon students’ memories, making it vital that teaching and learning is memorable. The action research reported here explores whether teaching through a drama-based approach can make basic aspects of poetry (i.e. the content) memorable. The investigation was undertaken with Year 8 students from a mixed 11-18 comprehensive school in East Anglia. Findings suggest that whilst students initially could not remember poetry they had previously read or studied, it seems drama could make learning about poetry memorable as students were subsequently able to recall both basic and more advanced ideas about the studied poems.
- ItemOpen AccessListen up: a critical analysis of the effects of Listening-As-Modelling on students’ bottom-up listening skills and self-efficacy(Faculty of Education, 2019-01-03) Barnes, KatrinaThe aim of this study was to discover whether using activities which encourage students to notice linguistic features (rather than simply test their aural comprehension) could serve to improve both students’ bottom-up listening skills and their self-efficacy, and therefore assist them in becoming more competent, confident linguists. To this end, I delivered a series of Listening-As-Modelling (LAM) activities to a mixed-attainment Year 7 French class over a 3-week period. Data were collected through a pre- and post-intervention dictation and questionnaire, as well as my own observation notes. The results indicated that LAM activities do have a generally positive impact on students’ bottom-up processing skills, with lower attaining students making the most significant gains. Students’ self-efficacy with listening also improved, and the study highlighted that LAM activities were particularly successful when they were student-centric in nature and delivered in a ‘safe’, familiar format.