Cross-curricular learning

Hello education bloggers! Today I will be discussing how cross-curricular learning could potentially impact on primary education. Cross-curricular teaching can help bring creativity and autonomy to the classroom whilst relating learning to real life contexts. Donaldson (2015) and Kaldi (2010) has recognised that there is a need to embrace cross-curricula teaching and that the curriculum is outdated and has become overloaded and complicated, therefore teaching in projects using Donaldson's six 'Areas of Learning and Experience' will be more effective. The developments in technology significantly contribute to why the curriculum is outdated since children are more likely to connect with technology and using a cross-curricular approach will encourage teachers to implement and explore the new digital competency framework into their current teaching practice (Donaldson, 2015). Using a cross-curricular approach might provide children with positive learning experiences and neuroscientists have argued that for learning to be successful teachers must ensure that the children are challenged and that they have multi-layered experiences which stimulate the senses (Barnes, 2011). However, does the current system provide teachers with the opportunity to be autonomous and provide rich and meaningful experiences?

Teaching cross-curricular will make learning more relevant, providing contexts for using and applying subject specific skills and concepts, improve coherence in learning between subjects and it builds and reinforces key concepts (Dean, 2001; Barnes 2007; Kerry, 2015). Children will be able to relate information to real life contexts and make sense of the world around them. Using a cross-curricular approach also decreases the amount of teachers that are fixated on the content rather than how to actually facilitate the learning and encourage higher levels of thought and develop a critical focus (Kerry, 2015). It also can naturally pigeonhole teachers into subject specialisms whereas teachers need to be able to adapt, motivated to research and learn around a variety of topics and maximise on the unexpected reactions of children encountering real problems and using the skills and knowledge of several subjects to solve them (Pollard, 2010). However, there are many factors that inhibit cross-curricular teaching becoming a normality in education and one of the most influential factors is assessment. How can we as teachers be expected to teach using a cross-curricular approach when most exams are still based on traditional subject learning? Many exams still rely heavily on pupils retaining knowledge whereas a cross-curricular approach is all about children using their knowledge to develop skills and make links between concepts, real life scenarios and a diverse range of knowledge. Therefore, we need to increase cross-curricular assessment as a way of measuring learning that has occurred. Although we need to ensure that studies remain faithful to the individual disciplines that underpin them and that the disciplines are used in an insightful and balanced way (Kerry, 2015).

Within our ‘Areas of learning and Experience seminars’ we planned a cross-curricular project tailored to year 1 which involved many opportunities for children to develop skills and for self-directed learning to take place which Lawton (1997, cited in Crawford, 1998) included within his proposed 4 principles of change away from content led curriculum. Below shows a picture of our planned lessons for our project. 

However, during the first session we would carry out a ‘wow’ event that involves bringing a real-life princess into the classroom to get the children engaged and excited about the topic. We also made a recording using a green screen app. and Mofo. Below shows a link to the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUtQKEb8w2Y&feature=youtu.be

This might also encourage empathy from the children which will draw in their emotions which Immordino- young and damasic (2007, cited in Waite, 2011) states that it will reinforce memory and make learning accessible to important social uses. Lesson 4 will encourage the children to work as teams and socialise with other students for ideas about what materials will be good to stick on their crowns. This links with Vygotsky (1978, cited in Leone, 2011) because he believes that social interactions can help children learn new concepts or skills which the social learning theory (Bandura, 1997, cited in Hanna and Crittenden and Crittenden, 2013) also indicates since children are influenced by the environment and their peer’s behaviour. This has a significant impact in education today since teachers understand the importance of allowing children to have opportunities for rich experiences that encourages child-led learning through socialisation. However, in order for these sessions to be successful as teachers we must ensure learners are clear about what the learning expectations are, so they have time for skills and knowledge development and they also need time to digest what they have learnt at the end of each session (Perkins 2009).

References

Barnes, J. (2011) Cross-curricular learning 3-14. 2nd edn. Los Angeles; London: SAGE.

Barnes, J., and Shirley, I. (2007) Strangely familiar: cross curricular and creative thinking in teacher education, Improving schools, 10(2), p.28.

Dean, J. (2001). Organising Learning in the Primary Classroom. 3rd edn. London: Routledge.

Donaldson, G. (2015) Successful Futures: Independent Review of Curriculum and Assessment Arrangements in Wales. London: Crown. 

Hanna, R. & Crittenden, V. & Crittenden, W. (2013) Social Learning Theory: A Multicultural Study of Influences on Ethical Behaviour, Marketing Education, 35(1), pp. 18-25.

Kaldi, S. (2010) Project-based learning in primary schools: effects on pupils' learning and attitudes, Education 3-13, 39(1), pp.35-47.

Keith Crawford (1998) The construction of the National Curriculum: an ideological and political analysis, Research Papers in Education, 13(3), pp.261-276.

Kerry, T. (2015). Cross-curricular teaching in the primary school : Planning and facilitating imaginative lessons. 2nd edn. London; New York: Routledge. 

Leonne, G. (2011) Observing social signals in scaffolding interactions: how to detect when helping intention risks falling short, Cognitive processing, 13(2), pp.477-485.

Perkins, D. (2009). Making Learning Whole: How Seven Principles of Teaching can transform Education. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 

Pollard, A. (ed.) (2010). Professionalism and Pedagogy: A contemporary Opportunity: A commentary by TLRP and GTCE. London: TLRP.

Waite, S. (2011) Teaching and Learning outside the classroom: personal values, alternative pedagogies and standards, education 3-13, 39(1). pp.65-82.

Creativity in Primary Education

Hello! today I will be exploring creativity in education. Creativity encompasses the process of ‘making something new, finding new connections, perceiving old things in new ways and experimenting to gain unknown outcomes (Maley, 2003, cited in Maley and Bolitho, 2015). “We are born to be creative” suggests Duffy (2006) however, in education some may argue that allowing children to be creative is a luxury and very time consuming. “Research revealed how educators experienced tensions, since although there was scope for fostering imagination, lateral thinking and playing with ideas, there was also downward pressure from high stakes assessment which threatened to undermine creative pedagogies” (Crafta et al, 2006, p.4). This highlights the pressures teachers face with ensuring that all the content is covered in order for pupils to show that they are learning and have progressed, which indicates a reason why creative pedagogies are currently seen as an approach that is used irregularly. However, Ofsted published evidence of creative teaching and learning in primary schools (Ofsted, 2006a, 2010a), highlighting how creativity and creative partnership raise aspirations and standards (Crafta et al, 2006, p.4). This conversely indicates that creativity within primary education does raise standards within education, however how do we measure the level of creativity achieved? This could be difficult because children can be creativity various ways that may not be obvious at first, for example, you could be talented and creative in single or multiple domains or within a design based subject or a non design based subject (Jung and Chang, 2017). 

Although, creativity within the classroom can be achieved by pupils if teachers take a creative pedagogical approach that allow children freedom which will encourage authentic learning to take place. One strategy a teacher may adopt that promotes creative pedagogy, which involves imagination, is engaging children with stories that focus on fantasy and binary opposition since fantasy stories seem to be universally enjoyed by children (Egan and Madej, 2010; Dezuanni and Jetnikoff, 2011, cited in Crafta et al, 2012). This is likely to spark their imaginations to allow them to be creative and authentic by creating their individual ending to the story. This strategy also involved the children taking ownership over their own learning, it motivated children to engage and it allows opportunities for the children to involve real life contexts, which Crafta et al (2012) states are different ways to adopt a creative pedagogy. The importance of authenticity and pupil involvement was highlighted in the Roberts review (2006, cited in Waite and Rea, 2006) which indicates that it supports creative activities which eventually could enable the child to feel valued within the school environment and feel their input is important. However this may be increased when carrying out whole class creative activities since the pupils’ voice and interests will tailor the lesson and encourage a spontaneous teaching approach. Barnardo (2006, cited in Waite and Rea, 2006) recognised that schools that replicate the educational focus of the school day will do little to provide catalysts for creativity. This reinforces that importance of providing a learning context that is tailoured to individuals’ interests which will facilitate learning and ensure that education is personalised and not standardised (Waite and Rea, 2006; Robinson, 2007). 

Spitzer (2006, p.67, cited in Waite, 2011) reminds us that the brain is always learning and that it is not just in designated context such as the classroom that this occurs. This highlights why, as teachers, we should promote learning outside the classroom which is vital within current society due to children increasingly spending more time indoors which could be a result of the developments in technology (McCormick, 2017). However, Wilson (2002, cited in Waite and Rea, 2006) argues that there is an innate attraction to nature which explains why outdoor learning offers a holistic approach. This indicates that outdoor learning should naturally bring enjoyment to children however distractions and dominant variables at home may be why the Government have set out initiatives, for example, Every Child Matters (DfES, 2003, cited in Waite and Rea, 2006) and the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage (QCA, 2000, cited in Waite and Rea, 2006) that encourage creative approaches to teaching and learning and highlight the importance of outdoor learning (NACCE, 1999; Roberts, 2006, cited in cited in Waite and Rea, 2006). Kolb’S (1984) experiential learning theory, according to literature, suggests that the most widely adopted pedagogic aprroaches that includes many practical models for outdoor learning stems from this theory (Beard & Wilson, 2002; Dennison & Kirk, 1990; Exeter, 2001, cited in Waite and Rea, 2006). Therefore, experiences have a huge impact on children’s development and one of the main purposes for outdoor learning, found in Waite et al (2006, cited in Waite and Rea, 2006) case study, is the enhanced learning through first hand experience where pupil involvement became a huge factor that contributed to building a continuing sense of ownership and creative adaptation and had shown effective benefits. “we can not go outside today it looks like it is going to rain” is the type of phrase that is commonly heard around schools which is a vital factor in why outdoor learning does not occur often enough in many schools, although with the appropriate clothing, rain should not be a factor that inhibits the opportunities for movement, space and freedom that uses all senses that provide rich context for learning (Gass, 1995; Kimball & Bacon, 1993; Kellert, 2002, cited in Waite and Rea, 2006). However, the concern that reducing creativity to a directly taught basic skill like literacy or numeracy (Roberts, 2006) may remove its essential quality has resonance with the fear that by institutionalising outdoor learning its value will be diminished (Broderick and Pearce, 2001). However, the natural world is likely to bring excitement to children’s learning since being outdoors provides children with unexpected learning experiences that can bring enjoyment. The ‘Excellence and enjoyment’ strategy (DfES, 2003, cited in Hartley, 2006) highlights that enjoyment is a result of excellent teaching that is increased through a creative and personalised approach (Waite and Rea, 2006).

During our ‘Areas of Learning and Experience’ seminar we completed a creative session that can be personalised to pupils and potentially be used within our classrooms in the future. This activity provides children with a range of skills that link to many of Donaldson’s six areas of Learning and Experience, for example, expressive arts to make the set and create the characters; language, literacy and communication to create the storyline and work in groups and mathematics and numeracy and technology to use the apps and work out the timing to move the figures (Donaldson, 2015). This is adopting a personalised approach to teaching because they can make the animation about something they are interested in and below is a link showing what my group created and some pictures to show the process all about the welsh nativity that even includes a dragon!

https://t.co/NWSgN8pApp

 

References

Crafta, A. & Creminb, T. & Hayc, P. And Clack, J. Creative Primary Schools: developing and maintaining pedagogy for creativity. https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/9d57/b3dfd3d84789a2d4b0ab46f2d4c2723add0e.pdf. (Accessed: 19th October 2017). 

Donaldson, G. (2015) ‘Successful Futures: Independent review of curriculum and Assessment Arrangements in Wales. London. Crown.

Duffy, B. (2006) Supporting creativity and imagination in the early years. 2nd edn. London: open university press.

Egan, K. and Madej, K. (2010) Engaging Imagination and Developing Creativity in Education. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 

Hartley, D. (2006) Excellence and Enjoyment: The Logic of a ‘Contradition’, British Journal of Educational Studies, 54(1), pp.3-14. 

Jung, J. & Chang, D. (2017) Types of creativity—Fostering multiple intelligences in design convergence talents, Thinking skills and Creativity, 23(1), pp. 101-111.

Maley, A. & Bolitho, R. (2015) Creativity, ELT journal, 69(4), pp.434-436. 

McCormick, R. (2017) Does Access to Green Space Impact the Mental Well-being of Children: A

Systematic Review, Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 37(1), pp.3-7.

Robinson, K. (2007) Do schools kill creativity? Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY (Accessed: 13 November 2017). 

Waite, S. (2011) Teaching and Learning outside the classroom: personal values, alternative pedagogies and standards, Education 3-13, 39(1), pp.65-82. 

Waite, S. & Rea, T. (2006) ‘Pedagogy or place?: attributed contributions of outdoor learning to creative teaching and learning’, Paper presented at the British Educational Research Association

Annual Conference, University of Warwick, England, 6-9 September. p.1-17. Available at: https://learn.cardiffmet.ac.uk/pluginfile.php/615231/mod_resource/content/2/Seminar%202%20marked.pdf (Accessed: 08 November 2017).