Curriculum for Excellence 1 III. Project Definition Introduction Literacy is top priority in all education systems because of the essential role it plays in all academic growth. How literacy is taught in public school systems is often influenced by policy in education set at the national level, such as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act in the United States, a policy set forth to raise student achievement in the core content areas by placing a strong emphasis on teacher accountability and common teaching and learning standards (“No Child Left Behind,” 2004). Scotland, on the other hand, also emphasizes raising standards and improving the knowledge of its students, but Scotland’s recent education reform—‘A Curriculum for Excellence’—takes on an entirely different approach. In 2004, Scotland introduced a new framework for its national education curriculum: a Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), which aims to provide “a more flexible, coherent curriculum” by “includ[ing] the totality of experiences” to bring “learning to life and life to learning” (LTS, n.d.b.). This means that they are aiming to integrate the subjects to contextualize academic learning and create meaningful experiences, capitalizing on the teachable moment. CfE places emphasis on the expert teachers while the NCLB seems to shift the “emphasis [toward] programs and packages as opposed to emphasizing the role of the expert teachers,” as stated by Richard Allington (2005, p. 18), the President of the International Reading Association. While the American system aims to raise standards by implementing standardized, commercially-packaged programs in schools across the nation and implementing state-wide common core standards to guide all public school instruction, the Scottish system seeks to provide a broader, deeper, more meaningful and cross-curricular approach to meeting their national priorities by placing greater power in the hands of the professionals (LTS, n.d.b.). The contrast between these two systems is Curriculum for Excellence 2 significant, I believe, because of the implications it has on classroom instruction and student attainment of goals. Both approaches are aimed at raising student achievement, but they seem to head towards very different directions. The Scottish approach, defined within the Curriculum for Excellence, offers insight into a different approach to achieving the same goals teachers in the United States aim to achieve. Within this, there is surely something to be learned. I am intrigued by the Scottish approach to education and I desire to learn the effects it has at the classroom level. Specifically, in Scotland, what does it mean for classroom teachers and for students when CfE is actualized in day-to-day practice? In particular, how is the literacy education—the foundation of all learning—being affected? I hope to examine Scotland’s national curriculum specifications for literacy education at the classroom level in order to determine what can be gained from their approach. A background understanding of A Curriculum for Excellence is essential before entering into the field-setting to study it in greater depth, at the classroom level. The following sections will provide a literature review which overviews the policy of CfE and the CfE guidelines for literacy education— instruction and assessment, as published by Scottish government and public agencies. This initial investigation provides the essential background information I need to further my study. I intend to use this Richter fellowship to investigate through case-study what tools and strategies are used for implementing CfE’s vision in classroom literacy instruction, how teachers are held accountable for its implementation, and the general opinion of the curriculum’s effectiveness in literacy instruction, as reported by those directly involved. A Curriculum for Excellence Curriculum for Excellence 3 Scotland has long been proud of the high quality of its education system. Over the past twenty years, Scottish education policy reforms have been focused around a central goal of bettering performance by increasing school effectiveness (Reeves, 2008). It is not out of a need to “fix” the education system that CfE was born, but rather, out of a desire to promote further growth and even higher attainment. In effort to achieve this, in 2002, the Minister of Education and Young People launched a nation-wide debate to develop a long-term education policy: The National Debate on Education. The goal of the National Debate was to “make sure that [the] schools [were] offer[ing] pupils and students a welcoming, productive and stimulating learning environment which is fit for the 21st century” (The Scottish Government, 2002). The debate was conducted in a manner similar to a census, in which information was collected from students, parents, employers, and others to gain insight and direction as they design the new policy. The feedback forms in the debate collected information from the general public on all the pragmatics of an education system. It surveyed public opinion on the best aspects of Scotland’s current education system, ideas for improvement, the top five things that all students should learn, the extent to which curriculum should be differentiated, how to best motivate children to learn, how to best teach to children’s individual talents, and a vision for the future of education (The Scottish Government, 2002). A committee—The Curriculum Review Group— was called to review the responses gathered during the National Debate and draw up a framework of the new curriculum. The results from the National Debate, as summarized by The Curriculum Review Group (2004), outline the values of the people in regards to education: general and flexible government control of education; emphasis on both breadth and depth of learning; teacher quality assurance; quality material to support the content of the current curriculum; Curriculum for Excellence 4 a more comprehensive approach, a more enjoyable learning experience; a less-crowded curriculum; a smooth transitional process throughout the entire education experience; work-skills instruction; greater opportunity for choice; assessment which guides instruction The feedback gathered through the National Debate on Education was recognized by The Curriculum Review Group (2004) as they developed the four capacities for all learners: “Our aspiration is to enable all children to develop their capabilities as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens, and effective contributors to society” (p. 1). The four capacities serve as the guiding feature upon which a Curriculum for Excellence is organized around. While restructuring the education system around these four capacities that they believe all learners should obtain, the education reform also aims to maintain the high standards of the National Priorities1, which have been left unchanged in the reform, as well as bring about a number of other changes (The Curriculum Review Group, 2004): to institute a single curriculum for students aged 3-18; provide greater opportunity for student choice within the curriculum; incorporate work-skills training into the curriculum; capitalize on depth of understanding rather than just breadth of content; mandate the inclusion of fine arts, sport, and nature in the broader educational experience In addition, it aims to “declutter” the curriculum to “free up more time for young people to achieve[,] to allow teachers the freedom to exercise judgment on appropriate learning” and to reform the way in which achievement is recorded (The Curriculum Review Group, 2004, p. 7). 1 5 National Priorities: achievement and attainment; framework for learning; inclusion and equality; values and citizenship; learning for life Curriculum for Excellence 5 In a general sense, the goal of CfE is to put the focus of education on the child, rather than the policy, in order better obtain a broader set of outcomes (Kidner, 2010). “A Curriculum for Excellence” states that “each child has an enormous capacity for learning and the potential to achieve in different ways” (The Curriculum Review Group, 2004, p. 12). The curriculum aims to reflect “what [they] value as a nation and what [they] seek for [their] young people” (The Curriculum Review Group, 2004, p. 12). It is believed that the attainment of the four capacities for all Scottish youth will bring about a growing economy, a multicultural perspective, greater health, lower poverty rates, higher employment, and an overall readiness for an uncertain future (The Curriculum Review Group, 2004). In order to achieve such broad goals, the four capacities need to be used as the basis of lessons and reflected in all aspects of the school community. They are to be implemented through “a wide range of planned experiences” that will take place across the curriculum—literally embedded in each of the content areas, and in other aspects of life in the school community (The Curriculum Review Group, 2004, p. 10). Teaching is no longer only the role of the teachers, but of all school personnel. This teaching, whether it is taught directly in classroom lessons or indirectly through experience, is to reflect the seven principles for curriculum design (The Curriculum Review Group, 2004): challenge and enjoyment; breadth; progression; depth; personalization and choice; coherence; relevance The Curriculum Review Group (2004) intends for the seven principles for curriculum design to provide the backbone of all curriculum measures, from age 3 to 18. ‘Challenges and Curriculum for Excellence 6 enjoyment’ refers to the aim to create a more engaging and motivating curriculum that allows students to take an active role in their learning, applying their individual creativity to tackle appropriate challenges (The Curriculum Review Group, 2004). The students, likewise, should be offered increasing opportunity as they grow for choice and personalization of their learning experience. Because each student is different, the content which interests one student may vary from another. So, the curriculums should be designed to allow students to learn in a broad range of contexts and through a broad range of experiences (The Curriculum Review Group, 2004). Likewise, it should foster depth by synthesizing different learning concepts to develop deeper thinking (The Curriculum Review Group, 2004). Because CfE provides a sustained framework for all stages of education, the progression from one grade-level to another should be smooth, with each stage building upon the previous (The Curriculum Review Group, 2004). With this sense of progression, the curriculum is coherent. Coherence is also to be achieved between content areas; there should be clear links between all aspects of learning (The Curriculum Review Group, 2004). And lastly, there must be purpose for all activities and lessons. This relevance should not only be apparent to curriculum writers and teachers, but also clearly understandable to the students and relevant to their lives both in the present and the future (The Curriculum Review Group, 2004). Each of these features—the four capacities, beliefs about the child as a learner, and the seven principles—are the guidelines set forth by the national government, each of which is further outlined in the five “Building the Curriculum” publications issued by The Scottish Government. However, the actual curriculum used in schools is determined by the Local Education Authorities (LEA), which are the regional government offices, comprised of elected members, responsible for the public education services in their particular locality (INCA, 2008). Curriculum for Excellence 7 The only statutory curriculum elements required in all LEA curriculums are some form of religious instruction and Gaelic instruction in Gaelic-speaking areas (Kidner, 2010). Besides these elements, the content of the curriculum is determined by the LEA and the school head teachers2 under LEA jurisdiction are responsible for the delivery of that curriculum (Kidner, 2010). As with any reform, the implementation of CfE is a multi-year progression. This multiyear progression is outlined in detail by Kidner (2010, p. 7) in a briefing issued by the Scottish Parliament, and listed below: 2002: The National Debate on Education and the Curriculum Review Group established. 2004: The Curriculum Review Group published its proposal for reform in “A Curriculum for Excellence.” 2006 – 2010: The Curriculum Review Group further published supplementary documents, each entitled “Building the Curriculum.” These documents outline the framework of the curriculum, focusing each document on key topics: active learning in the early years; framework for learning and teaching; strategic vision and key principles; and assessment framework. Also, beginning in August of 2010, schools were required to begin delivery of Curriculum for Excellence and the new national assessment resource was made available. 2011 (April): The Review Group will issue the new National Literacy and National Numeracy qualifications. 2 2012: Unit and course specifications or Literacy and Numeracy will be published. Scottish equivalent to American “principal” Curriculum for Excellence 8 2013 – 2016: Further publications will be issued regarding secondary and higher education, as well as certification requirements. At the time of the current proposed research, Curriculum for Excellence is not fully implemented. However, the reform is already in its sixth year and schools have already begun delivery. My research findings will reflect this transformational stage, documenting this reform from policy to classroom, as it is occurring. A proposal of reform is simply wishful thinking until it is put into action. Critics have analyzed the implications of the CfE reform and identified the challenges that teachers will face. Reeves (2008) identifies three main challenges inherent in the implementation of the new curriculum framework. She identified several challenges which can be summarized into three main categories: the transformation of the role of the teacher, the structure of curriculum design, and the teacher-student relationship. First, the role of the teacher is altered as, in order to align with the vision of CfE, teachers are to employ instructional techniques that align themselves with the constructivist and social constructivist theories of Piaget and Vygotsky, abandoning more behaviorist approaches used in the past (Reeves, 2008). Second, the purpose of education is changed by restructuring the curriculum to center on “cross-curricular capacities, which have tended to be treated as peripheral distractions in the past,” which includes not only interdisciplinary teaching but also a greater focus on character education within the general education classroom (Reeves, 2008, p. 11). And third, the format in which the curriculum is implemented, with greater student choice and more contextualized and interactive lessons, also re-conceptualizes the relationship between student and teacher. In giving students “autonomy […] in terms of their education,” practitioners are forced to view their relationships with the students not as givers of knowledge, but as co-facilitators of a complex and interactive educational Curriculum for Excellence 9 process (Reeves, 2008, p. 11). As I conduct my research in a Scottish primary classroom, I will observe teachers and students as they face these challenges of reform. Curriculum for Excellence and Primary Literacy Education The reform brought about through Curriculum for Excellence affects each of the contentareas, but what I am most interested in is how it is affecting literacy education. As stated by the current Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Michael Russell, literacy is “fundamentally about every citizen having the means to understand our world and to improve and shape our lives and communities for the better” (“Literacy Action Plan,” 2010, p. 1). It is truly the foundation of lifelong success. CfE supports this by endorsing “a coherent approach to planning the curriculum, learning, teaching and assessment” (The Scottish Government, 2010, p. 6). In 2010, a Literacy Action Plan was issued, in conjunction with CfE, specifying the nation’s plan to raise literacy scores, especially for those who are most vulnerable in this area. It is designed to guide already existing practice, but also to raise literacy performance in four main areas (“Literacy Action Plan,” 2010). The four priorities identified were to close the achievement gap, help those who struggle with basic literacy, provide a successful progression for literacy development, and raise literacy performance for all people in Scotland (“Literacy Action Plan,” 2010). Through this plan, it was expressed that the curriculum framework described in CfE will effectively “drive up literacy standards for all learners from 3 to 18” (“Literacy Action Plan,” 2010, p. 8). This includes making it the responsibility for all teachers to use innovative but valid practice to increase literacy achievement by developing advanced literacy skills, align instruction with national specifications, use diagnostic and ongoing assessment, and inform parents of Curriculum for Excellence 10 students’ progress and areas of need (“Literacy Action Plan,” 2010). This new plan affects primary literacy education in terms of pedagogy and accountability. Pedagogy is affected as the plan places the responsibility of literacy instruction on all teachers, whether that is their specialty or not. It requires practitioners to focus on more advanced literacy skills, identify students’ areas of need early on, utilize ongoing, formative assessments in a way that does not dominate the learning process, and sets higher requirements for inclusion of children with special needs in the general classroom (“Literacy Action Plan,” 2010). Teacher accountability is also affected by the Literacy Action Plan as it calls for (a) greater teacher support within the school community and by the LEA, (b) more literacy-intensive professional development opportunities, (c) an emphasis on sharing practice through professional learning communities and national online sharing resources, (d) more focused national assessment through the Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy (SSLN), (e) continued international benchmarking through the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), and (f) continued school evaluations by Her Majesties Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) every three years (“Literacy Action Plan,” 2010). Each of the changes set forth in this plan are in response to the reform brought about by CfE. Knowing how policy intends to shape literacy education helps shape the way in which I will go about studying literacy education during my actual research. Following the Literacy Action Plan, Scotland continued to publish documents regarding the new literacy framework outlined by CfE. From these documents, I have begun to understand the policy for literacy education in Scotland, as guided by CfE. The framework of literacy instruction in Scotland is specified through three main components, five subdivisions, and defined experience and outcome goals for each stage of learning. There are three main components of literacy instruction outlined in the framework: listening and talking; reading; and Curriculum for Excellence 11 writing. These skills are then further broken down into five subdivisions: enjoyment and choice; skill and knowledge tools; finding and using information; understanding, analyzing and evaluating; and creating texts (LTS, 2010). Under each of these subdivisions is a standard, or “experience and outcome” as it is called in Scotland, for each stage of learning. There are five stages of learning within CfE, spanning ages 3-18. They are outlined in the table below, summarized from information provided by The Scottish Government (n.d.a): Table 1 Stages of Scottish Education Type of School Stage Years of school Nursery “Early” Pre-school through P13 Primary “First” P24 through P45 “Second” P56 through P77 “Third,” “Fourth,” and S1 through S6, and “Senior” college/other means of Secondary further study Each stage of learning within the literacy curriculum has specified experiences and outcomes that are to be achieved in each of the five subdivisions, for each main component of literacy. The experiences and outcomes are written as “I-statements” regarding general skills the student should learn at each stage (LTS, n.d.a.). These are used to guide curriculum design by the LEAs and classroom instruction by practitioners. 3 Primary 1: 5-6 years old (INCA, 2008) Primary 2: 6-7 years old (INCA, 2008) 5 Primary 4: 8-9 years old (INCA, 2008) 6 Primary 5: 9-10 years old (INCA, 2008) 7 Primary 7: 11-12 years old (INCA, 2008) 4 Curriculum for Excellence 12 Knowledge of the framework of literacy instruction will be integral to my research as I interview teachers and make classroom observations. I will design my interviews and structure my observations around the structural components of literacy instruction specified in policy. I seek to discover how this CfE policy is translated into classroom practice. If all teachers are responsible for literacy education, including classroom teachers, what are teachers doing to uphold this responsibility? What instructional strategies are teachers using to enable students to meet the experiences and outcomes for the first stage? And, in light of the changes brought about by CfE, such as student choice and cross-curricular instruction, what changes are being made to the literacy instruction at the classroom level? My research will focus specifically on literacy education in the primary school classroom, at the first stage. The structure of the literacy curriculum, its objectives, and its tools of assessment, will guide my research as I seek to discover the instructional practices of school teachers in Scotland that align CfE policy with effective reading instruction. Conclusions Examining and analyzing a foreign education policy requires an entirely new mindset. As I embark to study how Scotland’s ‘Curriculum for Excellence’ is affecting primary literacy instruction at the classroom level, I need to possess a great deal of knowledge of the Scottish education system and the CfE policy, itself. From my initial research, I have come to understand that the vision of CfE is to enhance all learning in Scotland by transforming education into a comprehensive, coherent, enjoyable, meaningful, and worthwhile experience that creates the citizens that Scotland wants for its future. Although the curriculum extends beyond that vision, delving into the nitty-gritty of government policy and educational ‘best practice,’ it maintains a Curriculum for Excellence 13 strong and overpowering emphasis on an enjoyable and meaningful educational experience, not just on test scores and attainment. It is here that my greatest interest lies. I want to study literacy instruction in Scotland because I desire to learn how their policy is guiding literacy instruction— the backbone of education—while redeeming education as an exciting journey toward becoming a responsible citizen, effective contributor, successful learner, and confident individual. References Allington, R. J. (2005). NCLB, reading first, and whither in the future? Reading Today , 18. INCA. (2008, January 21). Retrieved February 16, 2011, from International review of curriculum and assessment frameworks: http://www.inca.org.uk/scotland.html Kidner, C. (2010). SPICe briefing: Curriculum for excellence. Edinburgh: The Scottish Parliament. Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS). (2010, Janauary). Curriculum for excellence: Literacy across learning principles and practice. Retrieved March 10, 2011, from Learning and Teaching Scotland: http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningteachingandassessment/learningacrossthecurriculu m/responsibilityofall/literacy/principlesandpractice/index.asp Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS). (n.d.a). Experiences and outcomes: Literacy across learning. Retrieved March 10, 2011, from Learning and Teaching Scotland: http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningteachingandassessment/learningacrossthecurriculu m/responsibilityofall/literacy/experiencesandoutcomes/index.asp Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS). (n.d.c). PowerPoint presentation: Curriculum for excellence - An introduction. Retrieved February 21, 2011, from Learning and Teaching Scotland: http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/resources/c/genericresource_tcm4628047.asp?strReferringC hannel=understandingthecurriculum&strReferringPageID=tcm:4-627954-64 Literacy action plan: An action plan to improve literacy in scotland. (2010, October 27). Retrieved March 10, 2011, from The Scottish Government: 2011 No Child Left Behind. (2004, September 21). Retrieved April 2, 2011, from Education Week: http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/no-child-left-behind/ Reeves, J. (2008). Between a rock and a hard place? Curriculum for excellence and the quality initiative in scottish schools. Scottish Educational Review , 6-16. The Curriculum Review Group. (2004, January 11). A curriculum for excellence. Retrieved February 20, 2011, from The scottish executive government: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/11/20178/45862 Curriculum for Excellence 14 The Scottish Government. (2002). The national debate on education: Briefing pack. Scottish Executive Education Department (SEED). IV. Methodology The goal of my research is to answer the question of how the changes brought about through CfE are affecting literacy education in the primary classroom and what can be learned from this approach, both positive and negative. This single question can be further broken down into the various aspects that make up literacy education according to Scottish policy, in accordance with CfE: the four capacities, the seven principles, and the literacy experiences and outcomes at the first stage of learning. How are these attributes of the policy playing out in primary literacy education, at the classroom level? In order to answer these questions, I will conduct intrinsic case study research. Case study research, according to Gall, Gall, & Borg (2003), is the analysis of four characteristics: “(1) the study of phenomena by focusing on specific instances, that is, cases; (2) an in-depth study of each case; (3) the study of a phenomenon in its natural context; and (4) the study of the emic perspective of the case study participants” (p. 436). The phenomenon in my particular case research is literacy education. That phenomenon is being studied within the specific and natural context of the public Scottish Primary 2 and Primary 3 reading classroom which follows the statutes of CfE. Data from the study, collected through interview and observation of teachers, will be collected in a format that displays the perspective of the participant teachers. The category of case study that my research falls into is instrinsic case research. Barone (2004) states that intrinsic case research is a type of case study in which “the researcher is seeking a better understanding […] because it is interesting, not because it might contribute to theory building” (p. 8). For my research, my intention is not to develop new theory about literacy education, but Curriculum for Excellence 15 rather to explore and gain understanding of the Scottish approach, through CfE. Intrinsic case study research has been chosen as my research methodology because it provides a deep and comprehensive scope of the topic of research, thus allowing me to conduct an intense examination of literacy education through CfE, use multiple modes of data collection (interview, observation, reflective journaling); allot a more generous amount of time for data collection; collect more focused, yet comprehensive, data; and use this data for pattern analysis upon which I will draw my final conclusions. Participants for this study will be Scottish Primary 2 and Primary 3classroom teachers. Children will not be used as participants in any way. The study will take place in two primary schools in Stirling, Scotland, with one Primary 2 and one Primary 3 teacher as participants in each school. Teacher selection will be made according to ease of access and willingness to participate. Prior to my research period, I will be student teaching at the Beaconhurst School, in the Bridge of Allan district of Stirling, Scotland. For this reason, Stirling has been chosen as my location of research. Of the two schools to participate in my study, one will be located at the city center, in Stirling, and another on the outskirts, in the Bridge of Allan district. In order to select participants, I have emailed the school headmasters, informing them of my intentions and seeking permission to conduct the study within (see Supporting Documents section). After securing two teachers for participation, I will provide a written form of informed consent for interview, audio-recording, and classroom observation (Appendix 1). Consent forms will be collected prior to time of interview/observation. Participant teachers will then be asked to provide the time-block in which literacy education can be observed and a schedule will be made. Teachers will also be asked to schedule a minimum of two hours for a semi-formal interview. Curriculum for Excellence 16 Also, to ensure safety, I will email a copy of my federal background check to participating schools. Data collection instruments to be used during this case study include interview, observation/observational field notes, and reflective journaling. Interviews will be conducted with primary school teachers at the participant schools, using the attached interview questions (Appendix 2). The interview conversations will be conducted in a semi-formal manner and audio-recorded for later analysis. Observational periods will be during the teachers’ indicated literacy blocks, for a minimum of two days, per classroom. The specific time and dates of these interviews and observations is pending. For the observations, I will develop a checklist based on the four capacities, seven principles, and experiences and outcomes upon which my research question is framed. Each day, following my interviews and observations, I will do a step one analysis of data collected that day, making notes, categorizing data, and searching for patterns within. Then, I will write a journal entry, reflecting upon the data collected. These journals will be kept separate from data, as to not confuse my interpretations with the data collected from participants. All data collected will be kept confidential and in a safe place that only I have access to. The data collection tools chosen for my case study have been chosen to ensure that data is collected from multiple perspectives. Interviews will provide data about the classroom literacy education from the teacher’s perspective. Observations will provide data about the classroom literacy education from the policy perspective. Reflective journals will provide ongoing analysis and reflection upon these two sets of data from my own personal perspective, with the knowledge from preliminary research and experience in mind. Using these three modes will paint a larger picture of the role of literacy in Scottish classrooms, as guided by CfE. Curriculum for Excellence 17 Analysis of all data will be through the form of written notes. During the interviews, notes and audio-record will serve as data, and during observation, observational field notes will be recorded. This data will be reflected upon daily throughout the period of study in the form of reflective journaling. I will keep this journal electronically, reporting from a personal perspective my interpretation of the data I have collected from both classroom observation and from teacher interviews. In my reflections, I will discuss the implications of my findings, as they relate to the readings done prior to research. I will look for patterns between classroom practice and Scottish policy, as specified in the four capacities, seven principles, and literacy experiences and outcomes. Then, I will examine these patterns to determine whether the three challenges identified by Reeves (2008): the transformation of the role of the teacher, the structure of curriculum design, and the teacher-student relationship, are present within the participant primary literacy classrooms. This analysis will structure my later analysis and write-up in my honors thesis. Data collection will take place in November of 2011, following my student teaching. Then, after all data is collected, I will return to North Central to complete my data analysis by the end of January. Then, I will use the data to write up and submit my honors thesis paper at the end of winter term 2012. Below is a proposed timeline for my research: Table 2 Timeline for Research Time Frame Research Activity Week 1 – Participant School #1 Classroom Observations (minimum of two days, per classroom) Curriculum for Excellence 18 Scheduled Interviews (two hours, likely spread out over two days, due to busy teacher schedule) Week 2 – Participant School #2 Initial data analysis Classroom Observations (minimum of two days, per classroom) Scheduled Interviews (two hours, likely spread out over two days, due to busy teacher schedule) Initial data analysis References Barone, D. M. (2004). Case-study research. In N.K. Duke & M.H. Mallete (Eds.) Literacy research methodologies (pp. 7-27). New York: Guilford. Gall, M. D., Gall, J. P., & Borg, W. R. (2003). Educational research: An introduction. Boston: A and B. Reeves, J. (2008). Between a rock and a hard place? Curriculum for excellence and the quality initiative in scottish schools. Scottish Educational Review , 6-16. V. Dissemination of Results The final product of this research will be an approximately 30 page honors thesis, covering an overview of CfE and policy and literacy instruction, data collected, and a detailed analysis of data with clear conclusions about how the CfE policy is affecting primary literacy instruction and what can be learned from it. In addition, my project will be submitted for presentation at NCC’s Rall Symposium, as well as the National Conference on Undergraduate Curriculum for Excellence 19 Research. The results of my study will provide insight into literacy education and this information will be beneficial to other teachers and educators who seek a greater understanding of other approaches being used around the world. VI. Relevant Experience I am a student whose high ambitions, strong work ethic, and past experience qualify me as strong and worthy Richter grant candidate. Conducting a Richter research project is an enormous undertaking, but, I believe, will be well worth it when it is complete due to the great enrichment it brings to an academic experience. Now in my fourth year of college, I have taken numerous courses that prepare me for this project, as well as demonstrated my high ability, as I have maintained a 4.0 cumulative G.P.A throughout my entire college career. As an Elementary Education major, the majority of my coursework has been directly related to child development and learning, content-instruction, and teacher pedagogy at the primary level. Education courses that I have completed that relate to this project include: EDN 100: Introduction to Education EDN 240: Children’s Literature EDN 260: Classroom Management EDN 330: Teaching Children with Special Needs PSY 100: Introduction to Psychology PSY: 210: Child Development PSY: 220: Adolescent Psychology Furthermore, I have completed all five instructional methods courses for my major, in which I participated in over 300 hours of practicum experience and independently taught 16 content-area lessons. These courses covered the content areas of math, social studies, science, language arts, and reading. In addition to this, I have furthered my knowledge in the area of reading by taking courses such as Reading Assessment and Intervention (EDN 462), Reading in the Content-Area Curriculum for Excellence 20 (EDN 374), and Diagnostic Reading Instruction (EDN 463/464). At the time of my proposed research, I will also have completed my student teaching in Stirling, Scotland, thus having a greater understanding of the role of reading in the Scottish primary classroom. Each of these courses and experiences prepares me to delve deeply into the content and strategies of reading instruction and the intricacies of the education system in Scotland while I conduct my research for this Richter grant. However, it is not only my relevant coursework and high performance that prepare me for this project; it is also my personal experience. I have traveled abroad numerous times, having visited three continents and seven different countries, including Scotland. Nearly all of my experience abroad has been independent travel, in which I had to take care of my food, housing, transportation, safety, and budget myself. One of these experiences abroad included traveling to Taiwan alone and attending a public high school there for an entire year, in which I successfully faced the challenge of adapting to a vastly different culture, lifestyle, and school system. My past experience abroad instilled in me a greater sense of open-mindedness, understanding, cultural appreciation, and confidence to take on difficult tasks. These traits led me, in my second year of college, to organize and orchestrate an honors capstone project in which I integrated my honors philosophy course with humanitarianism to educate the public about life in Kenya following the riots related to the presidential election at that time and to raise over $5000 to support children’s food needs at a particular orphanage. That project remains in my mind as one of the highlights of my college experience. Through it I was able to bring together my course-related knowledge with current issues, and apply my skills in international relations, communication, and leadership, in order to successfully accomplish a large-scale international project. I hope to repeat this success in my Richter research endeavors. Curriculum for Excellence 21 Furthermore, my understanding of research has been influenced and developed through courses I have taken and through the counsel of my research advisor, Dr. Leu. I have taken SOC 100, PSY 220, and HON 300, each of which taught me the basics of conducting research. And, as I have developed this project proposal, I have also taken advantage of resources regarding educational research methodology. As a student who continually demonstrates high achievement and high ambition, who has a strong knowledge-base in the coursework related to my research and to research itself, and has diverse experience—both abroad experience and independent project experience, I am a promising candidate for a Richter research grant to study the implications of the Scottish ‘Curriculum for Excellence’ education reform on primary reading instruction. VII. Personal Application Challenging myself as I take on this research project, I whole-heartedly expect, will make a strong impact on me and my future. It is bound to alter my perspective, help me grow as a professional, a leader, and an international citizen. As I conclude this project, I will also be concluding my college career and embarking into the “real world,” as a reading teacher. Studying literacy education in Scotland will help me grow as a professional in the education field, allowing me to gain insight from a different perspective, develop my professional skills as I work with other professionals in the field, and develop strong leadership skills that are sure to pay off when I get my first teaching job. Also, considering my passion for international travel, I am enticed by the prospect of a future career abroad. The experience I gain from this research project will prepare me to develop further as an international citizen and international contributor. Curriculum for Excellence 22 I sincerely look forward to the growth that will occur in me through this experience and the impact it will have on my professional and personal goals. VIII. Annotated Bibliography Allington, R. J. (2005). NCLB, reading first, and whither in the future? Reading Today , 18. This article highlights some of the key challenges of No Child Left Behind/Reading First policies. Though the article pertains specifically with American school policy, it provides a common argument/rationale with the ‘Curriculum for Excellence’ policy in Scotland--that teaching is a profession of experts and teachers should be allowed to practice that expertise with students in order to obtain best results. The article brings to light the common issues in literacy education in both countries. Barone, D. M. (2004). Case-study research. In N.K. Duke & M.H. Mallete (Eds.) Literacy research methodologies (pp. 7-27). New York: Guilford. This chapter explains, in detail, the characteristics of case study literacy research and its history. The information provided within has contributed to the development of my own research methodology and provided a greater understanding of other literacy case study research that has taken place. Conroy, J., Hulme, M., & Menter, I. (2008). Primary curriculum futures (Primary review research survey 3/3). Cambridge: University of Cambridge Faculty of Education. This is one of thirty-two reports conducted by the Cambridge Faculty of Education regarding the state and future of the British school system, as of 2008. This particular report focuses on the curriculum of primary classrooms in the UK. Within the article, it states the focus of curriculum development: the learning of “transferable skills” and emotional maturity, which receives increasingly greater emphasis over the foundational content components of the curriculum: mathematics, literacy, and technology. It also details the British curriculum’s growing emphasis of “thinking skills,” which are imbedded in both England and Scotland’s national curriculum design and assessment procedures. Scotland is one of the countries that makes up Great Britain and as such, it will help answer questions about Scotland’s national curriculum specifications. It provides a springboard for further research of the national curriculum and assessment by suggesting that the Assessment is for Learning program, the “thinking skills” teaching approach, and the emphasis on building of children’s emotional capacity are key components. Curriculum for Excellence 23 Gall, M. D., Gall, J. P., & Borg, W. R. (2003). Educational research: An introduction. Boston: A and B. This book is a handbook for educational research. The chapter on case research was particularly usefully in helping me understand the characteristics and purpose of case study research. This information served as a guideline as I developed my own research methodology for this project. Hall, K., & Ozerk, K. (2008). Primary curriculum and assessment: England and other countries (Primary review research survey 3/3). Cambridge: University of Cambridge Faculty of Education. This is one of thirty-two reports conducted by the Cambridge Faculty of Education regarding the state and future of the British school system, as of 2008. This particular report compares the curriculum goals and structure of England with the rest of the United Kingdom, as well as with France, Japan, and Norway. It discusses the evolution of all United Kingdom school policies toward a joint goal to promote both the cognitive and affective growth of students. In its comparison, it provides information and citations to other documents that feature many key components of the Scottish system, such as its aim to undo the decontextualization of learning and to stress assessment for learning over assessment for accountability. This report will help answer basic questions about Scotland’s national curriculum specifications and serve as a basis for deeper research in these areas, providing reference to specific national documents and research articles that will aid in exploring these concepts further. Hayward, L., Priestley, M., & Young, M. (2004). Ruffling the calm of the ocean floor: Merging practice, policy and research in assessment in Scotland. Oxford Review of Education , 397-415. This article is based on an initiative by the Scottish Executive Education Department (SEED) to develop and implement its Assessment is for Learning (AfL) program. It discusses a piloted formative assessment program in elementary schools across Scotland. The main argument in the article is the collaboration of teaching professionals, researchers, and policy-makers, in order to create and carry out a formative assessment program that brings these three groups together, rather than pushing them apart. It discusses the focus of implementing the research represented in national education policy in the everyday classroom. The methods of policy and research implementation discussed in the article provide insight about how assessment is approached by all three parties: teachers, researchers, and policy-makers. It will help answer questions about the tools and strategies of implementation of the national curriculum, by providing Curriculum for Excellence 24 information that will aid in understanding the implementation of practice, from the research level to the policy level and then to the classroom level. INCA. (2008, January 21). International review of curriculum and assessment frameworks. Retrieved February 16, 2011, from INCA: http://www.inca.org.uk/scotland.html The International Review of Curriculum and Assessment Frameworks is an Internet archive that collects educational frameworks from twenty-one different countries, including all of the United Kingdom. It is run by the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency, which is the English national curriculum development agency. Within the INCA review of the Scottish education system, it outlines and describes the structure and organization of the system and the nationally stated curriculum and assessment arrangements, as well as a glossary of common terms used within the system, linked reference to national websites regarding Education, and other relevant source references. This website provides answers to any questions regarding the make-up of the Scottish national curriculum, the specifications of the curriculum, and the intended implications in the classroom. It has specific sections that focus on the primary grades, as well as specific sections that focus on literacy. Kidner, C. (2010). SPICe briefing: Curriculum for excellence. Edinburgh: The Scottish Parliament. This report from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) provides a detail summary of the rational, structure, and implementation procedures of CfE. In addition, it covers the implications it has on assessment and qualifications, as well as a list of sources. This briefing provides a comprehensive summary of what CfE is and what it is to achieve. Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS). (2010). Curriculum for Excellence building the curriculum 5 a framework for assessment: Key ideas and priorities. Retrieved March 10, 2011, from Learning and Teaching Scotland: http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/Images/BtC5_assess_tcm4-582215.pdf This document issued by The Scottish Government is a guiding tool for educational administrators and practitioners to use while developing their local curriculum to align with CfE priorities. It states the eight main differences between the prior curriculum and CfE and outlines each. In addition, it provides a visual framework by which assessment is to be organized within CfE. Curriculum for Excellence 25 Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS). (2010, Janauary). Curriculum for Excellence: Literacy across learning principles and practice. Retrieved March 10, 2011, from Learning and Teaching Scotland: http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningteachingandassessment/learningacrossthecurriculu m/responsibilityofall/literacy/principlesandpractice/index.asp This document issued by The Scottish Government details various aspects of the ‘literacy across learning’ initiative within CfE. It includes the definition of literacy, the literacy framework, implications of the framework on learning and teaching, and features of literacy assessment. It provides needed information about the structure of literacy curriculum and assessment within CfE, according to policy. Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS). (n.d.a.). Experiences and outcomes: Literacy across learning. Retrieved March 10, 2011, from Learning and Teaching Scotland: http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningteachingandassessment/learningacrossthecurriculu m/responsibilityofall/literacy/experiencesandoutcomes/index.asp This document published by The Scottish Government specifies the national learning standards for literacy throughout the entire 3-18 curriculum. It denotes which skills students should have attained by each phases of education, in accordance with CfE. This document will enhance my research because it provides information about how exactly CfE is carried out in the classroom, in terms of primary literacy instruction. Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS). (n.d.b.). National assessment resource assessment materials. Retrieved March 15, 2011, from Learning and Teaching Scotland: http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/learningteachingandassessment/assessment/supportmaterial s/nar/assessmentmaterials/index.asp This is a website which contains information and documents pertaining to the National Assessment Resource (NAR). The two documents provided include the NAR User Guide and NAR Exemplars. The user guide explains what NAR is and how it can be used to ensure quality literacy and numeracy assessment for students and the exemplar displays a formatted example of what the online database looks like and content in contains. This site gives me a greater understanding of how assessment is structured and administered under CfE. Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS). (n.d.c.). PowerPoint presentation: Curriculum for Excellence - An introduction. Retrieved February 21, 2011, from Learning and Teaching Scotland: Curriculum for Excellence 26 http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/resources/c/genericresource_tcm4628047.asp?strReferringC hannel=understandingthecurriculum&strReferringPageID=tcm:4-627954-64 This Power Point presentation is a tool provided by LTS to inform parents of the changes that will take place in their children’s classrooms as a result of CfE. It emphasizes the importance of cross-curricular and contextual learning and the transformation for the role of a teacher as a ‘trusted expert.’ Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS). (n.d.d.). Understanding the curriculum. Retrieved February 21, 2011, from Learning and Teaching Scotland: http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/understandingthecurriculum/ Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS) is a government supported website which provides all relevant information about education in Scotland for educators and administrators. ‘Understanding the Curriculum’ is a portion of this website which overviews all aspects of CfE and provides access to key government documents. Literacy action plan: An action plan to improve literacy in Scotland. (2010, October 27). Retrieved March 10, 2011, from The Scottish Government: 2011 This document put forth by The Scottish Government contains information on the newest government initiative in terms of literacy education: the Literacy Action Plan. It delineates the literacy trends in Scotland, the vision for future literacy trends in Scotland, the policy being set forth, the plan of action, and how it is to be achieved. It gives a wide picture of what the Scottish government aims to achieve through CfE in order to improve overall literacy. Reeves, J. (2008). Between a rock and a hard place? Curriculum for Excellence and the Quality Initiative in Scottish schools. Scottish Educational Review , 6-16. This article outlines the conflict between two Scottish education initiatives: Curriculum for Excellence and Quality Initiative in Scottish Schools. It delineates the difference in objectives of each initiative and the challenge that Scotland faces in integrating the two. The question approached in this article is how Scotland can effectively transform its education system without losing quality assurance. In its analysis, it states both the benefits and drawbacks of the new system in terms of theory and practicality. Thus, it helps to answer questions regarding the rationale behind CfE and its repercussions in classroom practice. Stephen, C., Cope, P., Iddo, O., & Shand, P. (2008). 'They should try to find out what the children like': Exploring engagement in learning. Scottish Educational Review , 17-28. Curriculum for Excellence 27 This article discusses the perceptions of “engagement in learning” as described by both teachers and students in Scotland. It is described as relevant research in relation to the aims of a Curriculum for Excellence. While the teacher and student responses were certainly interesting and provided insight about the role of teacher and role of student in classrooms (in disregard to policy), what is most relevant to my research is the methodology employed by the research team. Their methods of interviewing teachers and conducting classroom observations are very similar to the methods I plan to pursue in my research. Detailed description of how to obtain consent and how interview questions were structured is provided within the article. This information will guide me as I conduct my research. The Curriculum Review Group. (2004, January 11). A Curriculum for Excellence. Retrieved February 20, 2011, from The scottish executive government: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/11/20178/45862 This is the initial document published by the Scottish Executive Education Department (SEED) in 2004 to introduce CfE and its proposed reform. It provides and outline of the bare basics of the curriculum and what changes are involved with it. The Scottish Government. (n.d.a.). Assessment for Curriculum for Excellence: Strategic vision key principles. Retrieved March 15, 2011, from Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS): http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/Images/AssessmentforCfE_tcm4-565505.pdf This document specifies the purpose and structure of literacy and numeracy assessment in accordance with CfE. It states that assessment is not to lead learning, but support it. Within the document is described how assessment is used to track progress, how consistency is ensured, and how results are reported for both literacy and numeracy. This provides me with foundational knowledge about how CfE is affecting literacy assessment. The Scottish Government. (n.d.b.). Building the curriculum 5 a framework for assessment: Understanding, applying and sharing standards in assessment for curriculum for excellence: Quality assurance and moderation. Retrieved March 15, 2011, from Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS): http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/Images/BtC5SharingStandards_tcm4-630057.pdf This ‘Building the Curriculum’ document focuses on assessment, and more specifically, how assessment policy brought forth by CfE can be translated into classroom practice. It explains how changes in assessment policy affect practitioners, schools, and education authorities, as well as how support, quality assurance, accountability, and national Curriculum for Excellence 28 guidance will be administered. Reading this supplies information about the policy of assessment and how it is to be played out in the everyday classroom. The Scottish Government. (2006). OECD review of the quality and equity of education outcomes in Scotland: Diagnostic report. OECD. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an international body which collects data on various areas that affect economic development, including education, and provides publicly accessible reports. This document is the diagnostic report issued by the OECD about the quality and equity of Scottish education. It details the structure of the education system and its various sectors; past, present, and future policies; and how Scottish students are performing in the various content-areas. From this document, I can obtain information not only about how the Scottish system in structured as a result of CfE, but also how students are performing in literacy. The Scottish Government. (2002). The national debate on education: Briefing pack. Scottish Executive Education Department (SEED). This is the original “National Debate” document published by SEED which was sent to Scottish citizens seeking public opinion in regards to how Scottish young people should be educated. Looking at this document provides insight into the rationale behind CfE and how this reform was started.