Curriculum and assessment

Technology students often have widely varying knowledge and skills, so making qualification credits accessible to all is a challenge for the teacher. This study focused on real-life contexts, formative student–teacher interactions, and alternatives to written assessment to achieve this aim. The focus was on capturing evidence of learning, through techniques that supported the students’ technological practice.

Focusing on the technology education findings of the LITE (Assessment) project shows that students learn effectively in technology when they develop a broad understanding of technology, are clear about the task goals and the task substance, and make strong links between conceptual, procedural, societal, and technical considerations. Specific examples of student behaviour and learning are discussed, together with the implications of these findings for teachers.

Teaching technology to very young students is achievable and is a valuable addition to their work in the classroom. There are teacher strategies and techniques that enable students to work in a more flexible and independent manner, unconstrained by limited reading and writing skills. A clear teaching focus limited to teaching a narrow range of design components appropriate to the age group makes the learning of 5-year-old students into a worthwhile, imaginatively challenging activity that easily meets the expectations of the curriculum.

Three key features of technology known as "components of practice" are identified here and, with levelled indicators of progression, can support teachers as they develop long-term technology programmes and report on student achievement for formative and summative purposes.

In a thought-provoking piece, Keith Ballard traces some of the recent changes in the language of education and raises questions about the implications for teachers and teaching.

Ros McLellan reports on a 10-term UK project "Raising Boys’ Achievement". She gives an overview of the research and offers a framework for thinking about strategies that have the potential to raise achievement, especially that of boys.

This research shows that focusing on peer and teacher talk about Year 5 and 6 students’ scripts creates significant increases in the quality of the students’ written language. Students’ initial comments about their writing were largely general, affective, and unfocused. After professional development teacher support, a follow-up survey indicated a 2-fold increase in talk and talk content that included precise and constructive comment. The students reported greater satisfaction in writing and recognised that their writing had improved.

This study looks at an RTLB working within classrooms in a cluster of schools, assisting teachers in implementing inclusive practices to increase social and co-operative interaction between Year 1 peers. The study explores whether the teaching of specific social and co-operative skills, with practice opportunities across the curriculum, increases this type of interaction between peers within a Year 1 classroom.

This article examines significant social-emotional influences on gifted students' motivation. While students' motivation to engage in learning is very much determined by factors specific to each individual, understanding and knowledgeable teachers—and appropriate classroom and school environments generally—are key contributing factors.

Once upon a time the animals decided they must do something decisive if they were ever to solve the problems created by the growing complexity of their society. They set up a working party and, in due course, the working party reported back that in their view, taking all circumstances into consideration, a school should be set up. A second working party was then appointed to consider this recommendation and in due course their report appeared as well.