Independent learners | Centre for the Use of Research & Evidence in Education (CUREE)

Strategies for improving boys' academic performance

Aim: To identify strategies which teachers can use to improve the performance of boys and their attitude to learning. In particular to examine the effectiveness of mentoring, as a strategy for improving boys academic performance. Also to ascertain which teaching methodologies are most likely to engage boys in their own learning.

Using learning logs to explore the views of exceptionally able boys on learning inside and outside the classroom

Aim: The aim of the investigation was to explore with some of our Exceptionally Able (EA) students specific aspects of learning which helped them to learn best and to assess what could be improved. We asked a group of EA students to fill in learning logs in order to find out what motivates EA students to learn, how can schools help such students plan their own learning and encourage independence and what is the impact on teachers' practice when confronted with the student voice in the form of learning logs.

Alf Coles, Developing a Need for Algebra (1999)

Knowledge and understanding + skills = wonder child?

Aim: To investigate factors that develop independence in problem-solving and to improve problem-solving throughout the curriculum.

Rubrics: a self evaluation tool that supports children's learning

Aim: Rubric is an explicit summary of the criteria for assessing a particular piece of student work, plus levels of potential achievement for each criterion.

Debriefing: Pupils' Learning and Teacher Planning

Aim: To investigate what and how pupils learn from debriefed lessons and how teachers plan and support such lessons.

Perspectives of one to one laptop access

Aim: The research sought to explore the childrens knowledge, views, understandings, interpretations and experiences of using laptop computers one-to-one and to gauge the effectiveness of the laptop use for the childrens learning.

Narrative Writing Project

Aim: The overall aim of the first phase of the project was to raise attainment in narrative writing for children in Year 6. The second phase involved extending the project to all children in Key Stage 2. The first phase is complete and the second phase is still being evaluated.

Using computers to improve performance in science

Aim: To ascertain whether computers can improve the results of students in a Year 10 science programme and whether students in other subjects can benefit.

How inclusive are our classrooms?

Aim: Following a recent review of inclusion in the Special Needs Unit at our school, we felt it was appropriate to evaluate aspects of our existing strategies for inclusion. We wanted to discover more about pupils perceptions of their own learning, and their attitudes towards the classroom learning environment and identify features of current practice that supported the effective inclusion of pupils with special educational needs.