Explain how some of the data you have used to build a profile of the students’ learning will be used as baseline data at the end of the year.

My target group of learners for my Inquiry 2020 will be my Year 11 NCEA Level 1 class. I intend inquiring into the process of using the LearnCoach online programs (content) and VTaL Visible Teaching and Learning (workflow) to accelerate student achievement for Tamaki College students undertaking courses in Digital Technologies NCEA Levels 1, 2 and 3.

Following the discussions that I had with the three learners, I sat with Student 1 during class time, which they were happy for.  I noticed that when we were working together on a section of the task, that the student would stop when they were not able to spell a word or if they were unsure of the grammar.  They would literally stop working.  They wouldn't try to spell the word, nor would they try to find out how the word was spelt, as a coping strategy and means of continuing to work.  They would just stop working.  I sat and explained numerous times, that they were not being assessed on their ability to spell, or their grammar.  I only wanted them to demonstrate that they understood that section of work.  I prompted the learner to keep writing, even though they misspelt the words.  This took a bit of convincing.  Once I managed to get them to continue writing, they finished the sentence, and could see the spell check options that popped up to correct the words.  This made them happy, and also enabled them to overcome the hurdle of spelling and grammar.  However, this only occurred when I sat with the learner.  Almost as though my presence, prompting and ongoing positive feedback is what enabled the learner to continue with the work.

My next steps are to use the information obtained from the discussions with learners and strategies applied in class, to enable learners to progress with learning tasks without the need for me to sit with them the whole time; essentially, developing strategies for the learners to become more empowered and self sufficient in their learning and not dependent on me to do work.  In addition, the strategies need to be developed that still enables learners to know that they are able to ask for help and feedback, but that they don't need to wait for me to prompt them, in order to attempt learning activities.

I may look at developing a matrix in conjunction with the learners, to prompt student learning.  I will put together a draft of this over the holiday break, and the discussion with learners when I see them again at the beginning of Term 3.