Wynne HARLEN
Susana BORDA CARULLA
Fibonacci European Training Session 5, March 21st to 23rd, 2012
Agenda
 What is the IBSE Diagnostic Tool for CPD providers?
 Why an IBSE Diagnostic Tool?
 The content of the tool
 How and when to use it
 Taking action: how to help?
What is the IBSE Diagnostic Tool for CPD
Providers?
 List of criteria for judging the implementation of IBSE
 Through observation and analysis of classroom
practices
 Specific interactions that indicate IBSE
 DOES NOT cover all aspects of good practice, only
those SPECIFIC to IBSE
 K-9 (children ages 5-13)
Why an IBSE Diagnostic Tool?
 DIAGNOSE CPD requirements, NOT score teachers
 Identify strengths and weaknesses in IBSE
implementation
 Provide feedback to CPD providers concerning
teachers’ training requirements
 when designing a CPD programme
 during or after the implementation of a CPD
programme (pre-test post-test)
 Help DEFINE what we mean by IBSE in terms of
teaching and learning practices
The content of the tool: instructions on
planning and coordinating an evaluation
 Deciding on the
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
objective of the
evaluation
Selecting and training
the observers
Planning the class
visits
Gathering the data
Analyzing the data and
taking action
The content of the tool: forms for data
collection
LINES
 Interview with the teacher


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Section A: Teacher-Pupil Interactions

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Building on pupils’ ideas
Supporting pupils’ own investigations
Guiding analysis and conclusions
Section B: Pupil Activities

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
The observer
The session
The class
The teacher
The topic and objective of the session
Carrying out investigations
Working with others
Section C: Pupils’ Records


Any records pupils make of their work
Written record
COLUMNS (sections A, B, C) :
 Explanations and examples for each item
 Making a judgement (Yes, No, NA)
 Complementary information
Using the tool: planning an evaluation
 Read the instructions carefully!
 Decide on the objectives of your evaluation
 Diagnosis or assessment of impact?
 Are pre-requisites for inquiry in place?
 Are basic material needs covered? (materials, books, classroom
space)
 Select and train the observers
 Your observer’s profile
 How will you interpret each item within your IBSE programme?
 Training observers as a formative process
 Plan the class visits
 Decide on appropriate time of school year for observations
 Decide on number of consecutive sessions to observe:


at least 2 sessions
ideally a full sequence
Using the tool: gathering the data
 Explain the purpose of your visit to the teacher: NOT
to score them but to identify training needs
 Before or after the session: interview with the
teacher, record data directly on the form
 During the session: take notes on a separate sheet
of paper, record data on the form only AFTER the
session
 Record data on the form quickly after your
observation
Using the tool: recording the data on the
form (Sections A, B, C)
1. Make your judgement for each item:
YES means the practice: NO means the practice:
• occurred
• did not occur at
AND
all or only rarely
• is relevant in the
AND
context of the
• is relevant in the
observation
context of the
observation
NA means the practice
• did not occur
AND
• is not relevant in
the context of the
observation
(Content of
session? Age of
pupils?)
2. Provide qualitative evidence to support all NO and NA
judgements
Using the tool: examples for NA judgements
 Items 4e – 4i on the execution of an experimental
design: NA for a session where pupils did not
actually carry out the experiment because it will
happen in the next session
 Items 7ª - 7e on pupils’ written records: may be NA
for kindergartners
Analyzing the data
 Identifying high “No” and “NA” frequencies for each
item
 High “No” frequency: need for attention within the CPD
programme
 High “NA” frequency: are teachers not creating the
necessary opportunities for this aspect of IBSE to
occur? Need support in building teaching plans?
 Qualitative data is the key to interpreting
quantitative data
Analyzing the data
 Grouping items for analysis
 Group items according to:


The priorities of your CPD programme
Actions already undertaken in your CPD programme
 i.e.: group items 1a, 2a, 2b to focus on appropriate use
of questions by teacher and pupils
 Comparing teaching and learning practices
 Identify corresponding items in sections A and B (i.e.:
items 2e and 4d on “fair testing”)
 Do “No” judgements correspond? If not, what does this
mean?
What’s next?
 Becoming familiarized with the items: “Preparing to
observe IBSE”
 Observing a class session to recover “real” data
 Analyzing class visits: what can we do with this data?
 What are the specificities of IBSE in different levels of
schooling?
 Should the tool be used in the same manner in all levels?
 This is still a work in progress!
Any questions?
 Please focus on questions concerning the use or the
general structure of the tool. Questions on specific
items and examples will be dealt with in the following
workshop.
THANK YOU!