LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM Getting outdoors


In the first of a series of articles looking at embedding learning outside the classroom into different curriculum areas, Beth Gardner explains how integrating


opportunities in humanities may be easier than you think O


f all areas of the secondary curriculum, pupils are most likely to engage in learning outside the classroom (lOtC) during a humanities lesson, with 95 per cent of secondary schools providing lOtC activities as part


of geography teaching and 85 per cent giving young people opportunities for these inspiring educational experiences as part of the art and history curriculum. lOtC is defined as the use of any space other


than the classroom for learning and teaching. It can take place anywhere from the school grounds or local community green space through to a residential stay at an adventurous activity centre or field trip abroad. Historic houses, museums, art galleries and sacred


spaces are all venues with obvious relevance to the teaching of history, citizenship, art and religious education that lie within easy reach of most secondary schools. furthermore, the geography field trip has long been used to improve the knowledge and thinking skills of young people, enabling them to apply their knowledge in real-life situations, hypothesise and think critically. lOtC is proven to raise attainment, improve behaviour and remotivate pupils who are hard to reach


Union address: ASCL A biometric challenge


Brian Lightman on the


implications of


impending legislation on biometrics in schools


far TOO frequently, media headlines begin with the phrase “schools must...” I never cease to be amazed at how many commentators feel qualified to make these exhortations. Nevertheless one article with such a headline caught my eye recently: “Schools must embrace digital revolution.” The well written article argued convincingly for


the benefits of keeping informed about the dramatic technological and social changes which have accompanied the emergence of Skype, e-readers, iPads, facebook, Twitter and so much more. While acknowledging the gimmicks which give some new developments a bad name, the case was made for the incorporation of online and virtual learning in all of our learning institutions from nurseries to business schools. I have always found these new technologies astonishing and fascinating and, as a former teacher of modern foreign languages, need no convincing about their benefits in schools. The advantages of high-speed internet access,


multimedia, messaging, voice recognition and much more are absolutely obvious. The wealth of online resources available 24-hours-a-day – in an age in which almost all students have access to mobile technologies – has the power to transform opportunities and genuinely improve social mobility. When used effectively in the classroom, that impact can be powerful. But that does not mean that these technologies


are a panacea. They are an additional set of tools and not a replacement for tried and tested ones or existing teaching strategies. Nor do they automatically unlock the door to effective learning. as well as excellent practice, I have witnessed very ineffective use of interactive whiteboards which did nothing to enhance learning.


and although I spend more and more time


reading material on screen, that does not mean the end of books or libraries. The fact that I can access a wealth of information online does not replace the need for face-to-face contact with highly trained, knowledgeable and skilled teachers and the range of professionals who work alongside them. Our members have supported the development of


online reporting as a key to parental engagement. We remain convinced about the immense potential to waste many millions of pounds if developments like this are not co-ordinated properly, leaving schools to find their way through a bewildering free market. We also remain sceptical about the kind of


“schools must” headlines which have exhorted us to ban mobile phones from school premises, while those of us operating in the real world cannot imagine doing our jobs properly without access to these devices and the technologies they make available. all of this makes the opposition to the use of


biometric technology in the Protection of freedom Bill even less comprehensible. It is misguided in the extreme to introduce “schools must” legislation which creates a massive bureaucratic hurdle before they can install cost-effective, highly efficient technology which makes schools safer, improves access to libraries, and removes the stigma from free school meals. Perhaps the most astonishing aspect of the technology debate is the coalition government’s deafening silence on the whole issue of ICT. What do ministers and officials think? I simply don’t know. Did they recognise the implications when they decided to stop the production of the fantastic resources made available to the profession through Teachers TV – one of the most powerful training tools I have ever seen? Do they understand the technological implications of their commitment to make data available to parents? Perhaps the poor quality of the sections of the Department for Education website which attempt to do that is a symptom of that fact. although I agreed with much in the technology


article, I would want to change the headline. It should have begun: “Government must...”


• Brian Lightman is general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders. Visit www.ascl.org.uk


Home and away: LOtC opportunities are easily found in the humanities curriculum Your own school grounds and local area


Opportunities will differ depending on the location of your school, however in both rural and urban settings you will find many locations for great, low-cost lOtC right on your doorstep. Why not start with an audit of what is available


within a 10-mile radius of your school? local places of worship, historic houses, small art galleries and museums may all offer obvious links with what you are teaching in school. Canals, village or town centres, old factories or farmland can all be used to illustrate key milestones in social and economic history. Earthworks, ruins, high streets and archaeological digs all contain clues of the past. libraries are a treasure trove of historical sources, primary and secondary. Historical re-enactments in the school grounds can be a fun way of bringing history to life (think of the jousting lesson on Jamie’s Dream School!). The outdoors represents the real-world laboratory,


and great fieldwork can take place in your own school grounds or local community. from a survey of visitors to a local shopping centre to a study of plant distribution on the school playing field, helping children make sense of the world around them is not just about delivering the curriculum but enabling them to understand each other and their own local community. Ideas to try for geographers include field sketching


or microclimate studies in the school grounds, a trip to a farm to investigate changes in agricultural practice or mapping mobile phone reception (using their own phones) in the local area to investigate factors affecting reception. These ideas and many others can be found at the Geography Teaching Today website.


Identify the good quality provision


The learning Outside the Classroom Quality Badge is a national benchmark that recognises providers of lOtC offering good quality educational experiences and managing risk effectively. If you decide to use an external provider, looking for the lOtC Quality Badge when planning an educational visit will give you assurance regarding safety and quality, and will reduce red tape. You can find providers of lOtC accredited under the scheme including places of worship, historic houses, museums, art galleries, farms, field studies centres, and overseas expedition organisers online


14


where you can search for venues in your own area or further afield.


Know where to go for advice and ideas


The Council for learning Outside the Classroom is a national charity that aims to help every child experience the world beyond the classroom walls as an integral part of their education. The Council supports teachers in overcoming the barriers to lOtC and providing good quality lOtC that meets the needs of young people. free online guidance on planning, running and


evaluating lOtC along with CPD resources, case studies and events can be found on the Council’s website. The outdoor education advisor within your local authority will also be able to help (contact details can be found online). for ideas on activities within your own school grounds, visit the learning through landscapes website. lOtC should be seen as a tool for teachers to


use in their arsenal to renew interest in learning, build relationships with pupils and appeal to different learning styles. When planning lessons, why not get into the habit of asking yourself if it could be taught more effectively outside the classroom and see where your imagination takes you?


SecEd


• Beth Gardner is chief executive of the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom.


Further information


• Geography Teaching Today website: www.geographyteachingtoday.org.uk


• lOtC Quality Badge: www.lotcqualitybadge.org.uk • The Council for learning Outside the Classroom: www.lotc.org.uk


• Oudoor Education advisors – online contact details: www.oeap.info/find-an-adviser


• learning Through landscapes: www.ltl.org.uk


SecEd will be focusing on learning outside the classroom in relation to other subject areas in forthcoming editions. If you are interested in finding out more about learning outside the classroom, email enquiries@lotc.org.uk to sign up to the free newsletter, find out about membership and be kept informed about teacher taster events happening near you in 2011.


SecEd • May 5 2011


in the traditional classroom setting. as the National association of field Studies Officers explained: “fieldwork in new and unfamiliar surroundings creates events and images that significantly enhance long-term memory recall, knowledge and understanding.” Most teachers agree that lOtC makes learning more memorable and expands the horizons of the young people taking part. However, all too often, lOtC is limited to a once-


a-year school trip rather than a regular and integrated part of school life. This is despite Ofsted’s recommendations in its


2008 report Learning Outside the Classroom, How far should you go? that learning outside the classroom is most successful when it is an integral part of long-term curriculum planning and closely linked to classroom activities. lOtC is most effective when it is frequent,


continuous and progressive. This means that it should happen on a regular basis, support learning back inside the classroom and be built upon throughout the year and key stages adding levels of challenge for young people. Despite the concerns that many teachers have about lack of time, lack of funding, red tape and health and safety, this best practice is achievable with just a little imagination.


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