Projects
Next Steps
The principal aim of the next evolution of e-scape is to take it to an Awarding Body pilot that will involve national awards at 16+. This is planned to begin in September 2009 with at least one Awarding Body and run for the two years of normal 16+ examination courses. Discussions are underway with all the appropriate bodies - including Ofqual - to launch this final phase of e-scape.
The Awarding Body pilot will run for two years in a nominated subject, with the e-scape component being one element of the assessment for that subject/award. Provided that the pilot is concluded successfully, it is planned that the system then moves towards commercial exploitation by Awarding Bodies and others.
Transferability (science, geography) and scalability (d&t)
In e-scape phase 2 we had successfully built a prototype system that enables us to run and design & technology test activities in 11 schools across England. This had resulted in 250 performance portfolios in the website and these had been assessed using a Thurstone Pairs methodology. Learners were enthusiastic about using the system in schools and the reliability of the subsequent assessments was significantly higher than is possible using conventional approaches.
However, there were two limitations with the phase 2 system:
Firstly, it operated only in design & technology, and this raised the question of its transferable value into other subjects.
Secondly, the phase 2 tests had been run as a research project - with the research team operating the system in schools. This was not a scalable model for national assessment. It was necessary for such a national system to be operable by teachers in their own classrooms.
The brief for phase 3 derived from these two imperatives.
Building a prototype system (d&t)
In e-scape phase 1 we had been able to establish that the use of digital peripheral tools could enable learners to create authentic, real-time, web-portfolios of their performance. The value of peripheral tools lay in their 'back-pocket' potential. Learners were not tied to desktops and work-stations, but could roam the studio / workshop as they normally would in designing mode. The peripheral digital tools enabled them to build an authentic story of their designing through a combination of drawings; photos; voice files and text. Their story emerged as the trace-left-behind by their purposeful activity in the task.
We had shown the potential of these tools - separately - in capturing designing activity, but we had not integrated them into a complete system. This became the focus of e-scape phase 2.
Proof of Concept (d&t)
Project e-scape originated in a QCA project (2003-4) entitled 'Assessing Design Innovation'. In that project we developed an approach to assessment in design & technology that encouraged creativity and teamwork, and was based on a 6 hour structured coursework activity.
The approach has since been adopted by OCR as the 'innovation challenge' in their new Product Design Specification.
In the process of developing that system we became aware of the possibility that digital tools could be used to enhance the assessment activity. The DfES was keen to promote more effective and widespread integration of ICT within subject teaching and learning. Design and technology had shown that this integration was possible, and a number of studies (e.g. DfES 2003, OFSTED 2004) reflected increasing use and positive effects. DfES and QCA supported a phase 1 'proof of concept' for project e-scape (e-solutions for creative assessment in portfolio environments).
Analysis of Curriculum 2000 d&t identified a mismatch between the ‘Importance of D&T’ statement, the Programmes of Study and Attainment Target with regard to creativity, innovation and teamwork. There was also concern that innovative learners were being penalised by GCSE assessments. As a result the DfES D&T Strategy Group recommended research into the practice and assessment of creativity and innovation in D&T.
Growing concern over the confidence and competence of d&t teachers to teach designing skills and enable creative responses in learners had been expressed by the profession, including through Ofsted reports. To address this, the Design Museum initiated a project through which practicing designers led hand-on workshops with teachers, providing a real opportunity to get inside their company's creative practices and for teachers to discuss the curriculum and pedagogic issues the practices presented. Workshops were held with a range of companies including IDEO, Dyson and Paul Smith.
This project combined NESTA’s concern for creativity and innovation and LEGO Education’s commitment to hands-on learning. The two teamed up to develop materials for 11 - 14 year olds linked to ‘systems and control’ aspects of the curriculum, based on LEGO RoboLab and Mindstorm resources.. TERU was commissioned to evaluate the impact the resources had in the classroom.
The introduction of CAD was given a major boost by DATA’s launch of the CAD-in-schools initiative, providing schools with ProDESKTOP state of the art software. DATA and PTC (the software producers) recognised the need for research into the impact this new ‘tool’ would have on designing skills of learners and commissioned TERU to undertake a small-scale exploration of the impact of the CAD initiative on children’s designing and on the standards of work that could be achieved.
The Design Museum's Mystery Box outreach programme, was a three year venture, aimed at providing quality loan box resources for schools, coupled with innovative training courses to help teachers use the resources to initiate, plan and teach successful design projects. The outreach programme started in 1997, involving schools covering a broad geographical spread and inner city, suburban and rural settings. In 1999 TERU was commissioned to evaluate the impact of this initiative.
In this project we evaluated a curriculum initiative aimed at developing technology education in South Africa. The initiative was a joint venture between DFID, the North West Province Education Department and PROTEC, a South Africa based NGO. It involved a three-year project with senior high school learners, set in the broader context of the introduction of 'Curriculum 2005', with its agenda for education for all learner centered teaching. TERU was commissioned to explore the impact of the initiative by comparing 10 schools involved in the initiative with an equivalent set who were not.
The National Curriculum introduced technology as a foundation subject to be taught to all children from age 5-16. For the very youngest children in Key Stage 1 (KS1, age 5-7) technology was the first 'foundation' subject to be assessed. For their teachers technology was considered a new subject and support was needed not just for assessment, but also for learning and teaching. The KS1 technology Standard Assessment Tasks (SATs) were non-mandatory and were designed to support teachers in making their own assessments, both formative and summative. The TERU team, part of a larger collaboration - the Consortium for Testing and Assessment in Schools (CATS), won the development contract.
The National Curriculum introduced technology as a foundation subject to be taught to all children from age 5-16. For Key Stage 3 (KS3, age 11-14) technology was the first ‘foundation’ subject to be assessed. Statutory Standard Assessment Tasks (SATs) were to be introduced for end of key stage assessment in design & technology and Information Technology. The TERU team, part of a larger collaboration - the Consortium for Testing and Assessment in Schools (CATS), won the contract to develop the SATs and supporting materials, in parallel with a development team based at Middlesex University.
The Assessment of Performance Unit (APU) was the major research arm of the Department for Education and Science (DES) during the 1970s and 1980s. Its purpose was to survey school populations to identify national capability levels. Surveys of English, Mathematics, Science and Modern Foreign Languages had been undertaken on a rolling basis. In 1981 a working party explored the idea of undertaking such a survey of Design and Technology. Following exploratory work undertaken by the National Centre for School Technology, a contract was awarded to Goldsmiths to undertake a full survey.