L2L in schools and FE Project
The Project Residential: A personal perspective
Jackie Beere, member of the Advisory Board for L2L project
Following the last Advisory Board for the L2L project, some of the Board continued through email our usual great debate. The debate revolves around how we can communicate the outcome of L2L research and ensure this project makes the maximum impact on schools and learning for young people. I decided to join the project INSET residential in February to become more informed about what was happening in the project on the ground. The following is a brief review of one of the best learning experiences I can remember:
I arrived during the first course of dinner. I was surprised to find huge number of people- teachers, researchers, dentists, FE tutors, TAs, advisors - eating a wonderful meal and participating in a L2L quiz night: Great atmosphere, social mingling and red wine with a sprinkling of intellectual competitive spirit.
The next day was a series of presentations sharing the broad scope of learning to learn research across medical schools, FE colleges, secondary and primary schools: There was a huge range of activity, all linked to finding out more about what makes learning work: Fascinating, powerful active research outcomes were shared in a small group that challenged and supported outcomes in equal measure.
Brains rattling, we were then ushered back into the main hall to have the mist cleared by Viv Baumfield, who summarised, with perfect clarity, some of the issues uncovered and outcomes for the project. Around the hall were the posters that summarised each centre’s work and evidence for perusal during coffee and lunch. In between this, and lively debates around the table, Kate and Elaine set us a series of information-gathering challenges for us to complete. By the end of the day we were all exhausted but also inspired by the examples of L2L in practice and the potential it has to inspire learning for teachers and students. On the Advisory Board, we had looked at a summary of the evidence, on paper and on screen. Seeing practitioners sharing their projects, learning from what has worked – and hasn’t – was fascinating. The debate about how we use this to make the maximum impact on policy and practice will – no doubt – rage on. However, I am in no doubt that enquiry based learning about learning is the best CPD any educationalist can experience.
