Helen McPhun presented on engaging, motivating and assessing learners.

Opportunity one – cultural diversity should be used to enhance classroom learning. Move out of your comfort zone, bring learners together, challenge them & work with what results from the challenges. Employers need knowledge, skills & right attitude = cognitive (in context & memorable), psychomotor (realistic & practiced) & affective (fun & engaging) domains.

Need to bring separate units together into an integral part of the programme. Current assessments tend to assess declarative knowledge (what & why – algorithmic approach), how about the procedural knowledge (how & when – heuristic approach). Which one engages learners? Therefore best to provide opportunities of what & what if, why & why
not, how to & then what, when to & what happens, who does what but what if?

Project based learning recommended eg. To complete 6 units on communications, work in two teams to plan a real ‘school excursion’ working within real parameters, budgets etc. Mon – Wed. = teach led interactive lessons, Thurs. group time to do ‘research’, Fri.was run as a formal meetings in board room over the course of 8 weeks with last Friday being a formal presentation. Week nine, winning team subcontracts the logistical dogsbody work to the other team. Week 9 ended with THE TRIP. Week 10 focused on review of the trip & ended with where to from here session.

Formative assessment formed the background of the project. Summative assessments were also completed to reflect individual evidence of understanding and performance. Other evidence including audience feedback, peer assessments, personal reflection & teacher observations. Weekly self assessments were provided to assist with the reflective learning process.