Living the science of learning research
AuthorDr Nina HoodCategoriesTeaching
Helping students to not do things by halves!
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Date28th Nov 2022AuthorOlly StevensCategoriesTeaching
Godalming College won the 2022 Independent Learning Award from SFCA for their work framing expectations around self-guided learning.
The step up from GCSE to A Level or BTEC at Level 3 is perhaps the most challenging step of the educational journey in terms of workload and subject content. Therefore, as with all 16-19 education providers, helping students to be effective learners and cultivate good learning habits is a key and ever-present priority for us at Godalming College. This is particularly true in respect of the work and learning that is needed outside the classroom. As we know, independent learning is key to success, yet it is something that most students struggle with post 16. The ‘phrase independent learning’ is often interpreted, though, as ‘left to your own devices’ or ‘do more work’! This is something that we wanted to dispel, as creating a healthy work-life balance is also important and makes learning sustainable. Therefore, about five years ago, we decided to develop what has become known as our college ‘50/50’ approach to help our students understand how to plan effectively and manage their time and college work outside of the classroom.
The 50/50 approach is a simple idea, and is used to explain and set our expectation of students as far as their learning outside the classroom is concerned. We state, as I am sure many of you do, they should equal the number of hours spent learning in the classroom with the number of hours spent learning independently, i.e. 50% classroom and 50% independently. As we point out, this is different from the 80% in the classroom and 20% independently at school, and will be different to HE, where it will be 80% independent learning and 20% taught (roughly!). This also reinforces the idea that sixth form college is a ‘stepping stone’ to university for many of our students.
We were acutely aware that students are often daunted by the idea of 50/50 at first, but through specific early induction sessions during pastoral tutorials, we help them to understand how they can achieve their ‘50/50’ by fitting it into their college timetable, limiting the amount of study they need to do at the weekend or evenings.
As well as spending time on 50/50 in the induction period and in follow up tutorials, each department reinforces the messages and helps students with the development and modelling of the 50/50 approach. Departments are asked to specifically signpost the amount of time required for every piece of homework as well as consolidation/revision. Each department also produces its own 50/50 guidance for students and parents. As a result, the 50/50 brand is well known by students and staff and has become part of the language of learning at college.
Student feedback through learner voice and focus groups is very positive. Students consistently report how the 50/50 approach really helps them to frame their understanding of what they need to do and how to approach their learning. We have shared our approach with parents too; for example, there are copies of the 50/50 guidance sheets available for each subject on the Parents’ Portal.
We have also done some work with our feeder schools to educate them in the approach and enable them to start to understand how the approach to learning will be different at A Level and BTEC.
From a marketing perspective, to counter the narrative that students are left to do all the work on their own, the 50/50 explanation has made our expectation clearer to prospective students. It has also helped us to better signpost all the support we have in place to help our students.
Our OFSTED report in 2019 named the 50/50 approach explicitly in our report. Since we introduced our 50/50 approach our HESA statistics for students achieving a First or 2:1 has been increasing and are consistently above all sector benchmarks.
Whilst nothing about the 50/50 approach is new or ground-breaking as far as pedagogy is concerned, sometimes the simple ideas are best. The whole-college approach has certainly helped students understand how to manage their learning more effectively. The clarity of this expectation, specific signposting, and continuous reflection have helped our students to become more effective learners. This is only a positive as far as improving their final outcomes are concerned.
Olly is deputy principal with responsibility for curriculum and quality at Godalming. Look out for more blogs from award winners in the coming weeks; this is the fifth in a series, and you can find the first here.