Figure 1: Applying the staged process to the learning experience
Scheme of work
Group/partner
requests
course
Possible topic
and content
Intended
student group
Tutor prepares
Learning
Outcomes
And Course
Outline/
syllabus
produced
Course
advertised
Scheme of
Work produced
Learning
Outcomes
negotiated
with
learners
Re-drafted
Learning
Outcomes
and
Scheme of
Work
Course Delivery
-Variety of teaching methods to accommodate
range of learning styles
-Differentiated activities to meet range of
needs/motives
-Activities that enable learners to judge
knowledge/skill
-Adaptions to teaching methods/ resources to meet
individual support needs
-How are tutors judging that their approaches are
effective (ie lead to learning?)
-How do tutors know what learners know /can do?
-How do tutors know if individual learner goals are
being achieved?
-How can tutors provide feedback on learners’
group/individual progress and achievement?
Information
and advice
Content
Level
Expectations
Support
Learning
Outcomes
accepted/
revised
-group/
individual
Challenging
–content approach
RARPA Training Pack 2005
Individual Learning Plan
Starting points identified:
-Previous skills /
knowledge / experience
-Individual goals for the
course (drawn from
motives)
-Support needs
WEA
Formative assessment
Group progress towards group
LOs
Individual progress towards
group LOs
Individual progress towards
individual goals
What next?
Progression
-How are learners
judging progress/
achievement?
-How do individual
learners know what they
know /can do?
-How can learners
provide feedback on
group/individual
progress and
achievement?
Summative assessment
Group achievement of group
LOs
Individual achievement of
group LOs
Individual achievement of
individual goals
Unanticipated individual
outcomes
Improving the Learner Experience
Venue:
Date:
Time:
Target: All tutors teaching for
Region
Aims:


Introducing the Quality Improvement Framework
Using the Staged Process
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the session Tutors will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
Explain the value of using the staged process in the planning & delivering of
learning
Use methods appropriate to their groups and curriculum areas to establish
‘distance travelled’ by learners
Record relevant evidence of Learners’ progress and achievement
Agenda
Welcome & Introductions
The Elements of the Staged Process
Effective Course Outlines
Identifying and using Learner’s needs and experience to inform
planning
Creative assessment
Recording appropriate evidence
Planning for progression
RARPA Training Pack 2005
WEA
Characteristics of all WEA provision
These characteristics were developed through the Curriculum Review and approved
by the NEC. They are drawn from the WEA’s work over the last Century. They
should apply to all provision and will be an important in considering our plans for
provision over the next three years and in assessing our work in every local area on
an ongoing basis.
The Characteristics are:
The WEA tradition at its best has hinged around a distinctive and influential blend of
programmes, people and process.
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Effective WEA programmes built on students’ experiences and interests and
linked them both to a wider social and critical understanding and to social and
civic action and involvement.
An emphasis on people who missed out on education first time round so WEA
offered potentially a route back into a sometimes life changing educational
journey
The development of educational processes that build a democratic relationship
between tutor and students, building the curriculum together, and encouraged
students to go on to become active WEA members.
Today, as we renew our own vision and values in a changing and unpredictable
world, we need to think about translating these into a modern context. We are
proposing to set out our defining characteristics to provide benchmarks for our own
work and to enable students and others to assess us.
This list of characteristics is as follows;
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Delivered to accommodate the busy lives of part-time adult students and their
diverse interests and needs
Welcomes second chance and returning students, developing and encouraging
their skills and progress as independent learners
Engages with adult students of all ages encouraging lifelong learning
throughout the life course
Takes positive action to reach and meet the needs of those affected by
economic, educational or social disadvantage
Recognises that students have multiple aims which include confidence building,
personal development, community involvement, education and employment
progression and that their intentions are central to the educational process
Develops models of provision that build group support and interaction
Encourages critical thinking and an appreciation of wider context and different
perspectives on issues
Supports and finds ways to facilitate student involvement in course planning
and delivery and engage students and former students in building and
delivering provision and taking part in the governance of the Association
Increases understanding and capacity to engage actively as citizens and
communities and participatory processes
RARPA Training Pack 2005
WEA
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Links with, and is responsive to the needs of local community networks and
organisation
Contributes to building a ‘learning society’
RARPA Training Pack 2005
WEA
Some ideas for initial assessment activities
Your course needs to cater as much as possible for individual learner needs, and to
enable both you and the learners to assess the distance travelled. Depending on the
kind of group you are working with, you could use one of the following activities in
the first session to assess learners’ starting points:

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Using your course learning outcomes, get each learner to think about whether
she/he already knows a lot, something or nothing about each one. (You might
want to change these in the light of what comes out of this discussion). Then
get them to identify their own personal goals for the course and record them on
their Learner Record form
A quiz can be a useful way of finding out what people already know about the
subject - it needs to be fun and not to long but can provide valuable information
about individual starting points.
An activity, for example analysing a painting (postcard), could help you to
assess the level of existing skills in the group.
You could get your learners to write a brief paragraph about why they have
come on the course and what they hope to gain from it. This will also give you
clues about whether the learner may wish to work on literacy, language or
numeracy issues. Learning Support may be required for this (see p53 of the
National Tutor Handbook). Contact your organiser if you have any
uncertainties about this.
Get learners to interview each other and take notes of the answers
RARPA Training Pack 2005
WEA
Starting the Course
Ask a partner these questions and jot down her/his answers on a separate sheet.
What are your main reasons for enrolling? (Try to list three or four reasons).
Are there any particular concerns you have about the course?
What are the main things you hope to learn through doing the course?
Give your notes to your partner to keep
You will need to refer to them later
Use this information to help check learning and assess progress as you go through
the course, and at the end
RARPA Training Pack 2005
WEA
Some ideas for formative evaluation
Formative evaluation provides the information you need in order to reflect on how
your course is going, and to mould it to fit the needs of your learners as you go
along. In addition it records learner progress through the course. The information
you gather from it can also contribute to the feedback you provide for your learners.
See Section 5.1 in the National Tutor Handbook.
Remember to record:

Your own evaluation of each session on your Scheme of Work, including
notes on individual learners
Sources of this information could include:


Verbal feedback and reflection from your learners:
At the end of every two or three sessions ask each learner in turn to say
one thing they have learnt from/enjoyed about the session and one thing
they would have liked to be different
Written reflection from your learners:
After every session, encourage your learners to record what they have
learnt, and write a brief reflective paragraph (Individual Learning Record)
See below for an example
Date ……………. Session no………. Name …………………………
Record what you learnt in today’s session (knowledge, skills, understanding)
Write a few sentences of reflection on your learning eg how you might use what
you’ve learnt, or how you felt about the way you learnt it, or anything else you want
to record.
RARPA Training Pack 2005
WEA
Assessment Matters
Paper Based Assessment
Assignments
Action Plans
Application Form
Case-study (notes)
Checklists
Continuum (paper)
Learner Profile (experience, health etc)
Learning Journal, Diary
Quiz/Questionnaire
Self-Assessment Forms
Tracking Sheets
Worksheets
Assessing without Paper
Continuum (e.g. line of floor)
Conversation
Discussion
Exhibition
Games
Observation
Performance
Practical Activity
Q&A
Real World (visits, home, work)
Role Play
Simulation
Tutorial
Record of Achievement
RARPA Training Pack 2005
WEA
What should tutors be doing to show their learners
are learning?
A brief summary:
Session one
Find out about your learners:
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Why have they come?
What do they expect?
What prior experience or knowledge do they have?
What they can actually do already (related to the subject)?
After session one
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Write up brief notes about each learner or keep copies of what they write about
themselves.
Read any questionnaires, quizzes etc
Revisit your planning and scheme of work
On-going in the sessions

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Check the learning
Find out how learners feel they are progressing
Record both of these
Give feedback on progress
Collect examples of learning e.g. photos, tapes, work in progress
On-going

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Keep notes of changes to plans when responding to needs
Jot down notes about progress of students
Plan activities to show learners how they are progressing
Build in challenges
Keep records in course file
At the end of the course

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
Find out how students think they have progressed (against initial outcomes)
Give them feedback on the learning you have noted
Find out what they want to do next
At end

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Check file is complete
Review your course
What do you need to change before teaching it again?
RARPA Training Pack 2005
WEA
‘Quick’ ways to get feedback from learners on their
learning and/or experience
‘Post-it’s
2 colours square or rectangular. Give one of each to all learners. Have 2 large
pieces of paper.
Use for evaluation:
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One thing I like about this course/group/method of teaching is …….
One thing I would like to change ………
Use for self-assessment – for feedback when tutor unclear if students confused:
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One thing I have gained……
One thing I still am not clear about ……
Follow up by copying these statements for your course file.
Follow up if learners are confused or unclear

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draw out in discussion and/or
find different method and/or resources to go over this material
Suggestion box
or open course diary or folder for suggestions
Helps make small changes and shape the course to individual/group needs
Smiley stickers
against chart of sessions - smiley, sad faces

Can use in general terms for how the course is running or specifically for certain
tasks or if introduced new topic or way of working. Quick way of getting feedback,
can be completed on way to coffee. If necessary, can instigate discussion afterwards
(helps ease process).
Instigate a ‘round’ of…
One thing I learnt today is… or … One thing I have gained from today is…. or
One good thing about this group (or course)… and One thing I would like to change
is…
Needs a scribe to record but must make sure group know that no names are written
down. Make sure that you address any issues so learners know there is a purpose in
providing feedback. You can literally go round in order of the learners (allowing them
to pass if can’t think of anything – takes pressure off, can then have quick check at
end to see if they then want to say anything)
RARPA Training Pack 2005
WEA
Learner progression tracking document
Learner Name:
Activity ID:
Course Title:
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
1
2
3
4
5
6
Session Assessment of Outcome:
date
1
2
RARPA Training Pack 2005
3
Initials
4
WEA
5
6
Session Assessment of Outcome:
date
1
2
RARPA Training Pack 2005
3
Initials
4
WEA
5
6
Learner progression tracking document
Activity
ID:
Tutor:
Course
Title:
Level:
Day /
Time:
Venue:
Use the following key for assessment of learning outcomes:




Y = Happy with this learning objective
? = Problems with this learning objective
O = Missed this learning objective
X = Needs more working on
Learner Name
Learning Outcomes
RARPA Training Pack 2005
WEA