Learning to Learn Project Findings

Learners

Consultation with learners has been an import part of the project, by the end of the project all schools were consulting pupils as an important part of their case studies.

• Pupils involved in the project were overwhelmingly positive about L2L. They were more motivated to learn and more aware of learning as a process.

• Development of a vocabulary for talk about learning was apparent in L2L classes and there was progression in this language development linked with time in the project and with pupil age.

• Pupils provided evidence of knowledge and understanding of their own learning. They not only understand the learning process but can also be skillful in the way that they approach learning across different contexts.

• Quantitative data on pupil attitudes showed pupils to have positive dispositions to learning and that this was more likely where a school-wide approach to L2L was adopted.

• In all of the schools the teachers believed that L2L had a positive impact on learning; the majority of schools (65%) had research evidence of the impact of L2L on assessed and tested attainment at group and class level, though this was not necessarily evident in school level results.

Teachers and Teaching

The positive impact of the project on the professional development of the teachers involved was clearly demonstrated.

• Teachers valued the professional autonomy that the enquiry based approach to action research which the project afforded in terms of the investigation of L2L approaches as well as their own practice.

• Teachers have been consistently positive about involvement in the L2L project and have expressed increased motivation for their work.

• Adopting L2L approaches has allowed teachers the capacity to manage change effectively, approaching new approaches and policy developments from a critical and professional standpoint.

Schools

There has been great variety in the impact of the project on schools. This has depended on the scale of the project and the profile of the lead researchers.

• The culture and structures of some schools have a better fit with the implementation of Learning to Learn.

• The success of L2L in schools has depended on the enthusiasm and commitment of key individuals, although these people are not necessarily in typical school leadership roles.

• In some schools L2L has provided a set of practices which have encouraged certain types of leadership and CPD and development processes for all staff.

Wider Community

In many schools the project has extended beyond the school to include the wider community and the increased involvement of parents understanding learning in schools.

• Four schools focused their research explicitly on innovations for consulting and involving parents’ interaction and involvement related to learning.

• L2L approaches have improved relationships and communication about learning between school and home.

Impact of ICT

ICT has supported the professional work of the teachers and the development of L2L in classrooms.

• ICT was integral to the research approach

• It was the focus of a number of school based investigations where it was found to contribute to effective teaching and learning.

• ICT can support pupils’ reflections on learning as they develop their understanding and develop their learning capabilities.

What is meant by the term Learning to Learn?

Throughout the project there has been consultation about what is meant by the term “Learning to Learn”.

• L2L is not simply a set of activities or techniques which can be implemented in schools, rather it is range of interlocking methods and approaches that can be successful in supporting the development of effective learning habits and dispositions.

• An approach based on collaborative professional enquiry into L2L through the use of practical classroom strategies is clearly supportive of such development.