Extreme Learning: Wikispaces Authors Jennifer Walker, Ormiston Primary School, East Lothian, Scotland Emma Griffiths, Extreme Learning Coordinator, East Lothian, Scotland The project aims to tap into children's passions and interests to build a very strong foundation for future learning. It will enable learning to be of real relevance to each child, building on their personal experiences, and most importantly enthusiasms and passions.. Children will be supported and encouraged to develop research, literacy, numeracy and technological skills. Objectives IE Explorer browser (to access and edit documents on ). Digital cameras and video cameras along with the software to download images from the cameras and turn them into usable images for the wiki. Software Description The children used the digital equipment and ICT resources individually in an adult-led class situation, and at home too. The children completed a variety of pre-planned tasks, but developed their own projects according to their own levels of expertise, and different curricular areas as the projects developed. Beyond this initial support from adults, collaborative working meant peer teaching on technical aspects was employed, peers evaluated each others’ pages and provided positive feedback. Learning Areas ICT, Maths, Problem-Solving, Language, Personal and Social Development. Levels Ages yrs (final two years of primary school and first two years of secondary school) A Curriculum for Excellence, Problem-Solving, Collaborative Group Work, Formative assessment. Keywords Project Overview

Extreme Learning: Wikispaces Teacher Planning and Management Background & Planning (Overview): Extreme Learning – what is it? Students are actively learning when they are intensely engaged, mentally or physically. Active Learning is vigorous, lively and effective. Active learning takes place when the students are caught up in their experiences. This project aims to get the children interested in a subject to the extent that they can call themselves: EXPERTS. Each pupil will select an area of personal interest and investigate it with reference to an aspect of their subject curriculum (as set out in curriculum guidelines). Each pupil will be allocated an account on to record their project development and conclusions online. Teachers will use formative assessment to support the learning process. Each pupil will aim to complete one Extreme Learning Project in each of their final two years at primary school (P6 & P7) and in the first two years of their secondary school (S1 & S2). Doc 1: Background – extreme learning : An outline of the origin and objectives of the learning project Doc 2: Approval Form: Form completed by parents or guardians Documents

Extreme Learning: Wikispaces Teaching Resources Each pupil made a formal proposal for their project using the Pupil Proposal Form and then recorded their weekly progress using the Pupil Record Document. To assist teachers and pupils in selecting a project that was appropriate and relevant a Pupil Worksheet document was given to all teachers and pupils engaged in this project. The school management had previously agreed that for the duration of the project, normal homework would be suspended, and the children could concentrate purely on their Extreme Learning pojects. The main resource was the class interactive whiteboard, which was used to display examples of pupil work; a particular student’s wikispace. The school, like all primary and secondary schools in East Lothian, has wireless internet access in all classrooms. Pupils used laptops in class to research, to write and record their own progress. Pupils used their personal space on to record their findings, and develop different presentation methods, use of graphics, images and so on. Peer teaching was employed: if one pupil developed some learning in a particular area, such as animating lettering, then this was shared in class. The publishing aspect of the projects was an ongoing, dynamic and motivating teaching resorce. Documents

Extreme Learning: Wikispaces Assessment and Standards The Project was planned to enable children to develop research, literacy, numeracy and technological skills. It also aimed to enable children to work initially at their own level and then extend themselves. It provided children with the opportunity to make a link between their experiences in their own community and the learning process In line with the principles of A Curriculum for Excellence (a Scottish Government initiative to revitalise the curriculum) the project encouraged teachers to work creatively, with cross curricular emphasis, and with a focus on education as opposed to certification. Formative assessment, the process of learning, making decisions and improvements to work, during the process was key to this project. Summative assessment, fed back to pupils on completion of work, by which time it is too late to change things, and the learning outcome may or may not have been achieved, was largely avoided. Peer teaching, teacher feedback, engaging with the wider education community of parents and carers, as well as the school staff, all helped the pupils to create work in which they felt genuine pride, and in which they had achieved clear learning objectives, and moved forward at their own levels. The embedded PowerPoint below provides an indication of the success of this project. The extracts from the teacher’s blog records aspects of the project that were deemed to be successful. The word document below includes the learner voice from this project, with pupils commenting on their experiences, as well as comment from the Authority project leader. Documents

Extreme Learning: Wikispaces Teacher and School Information Jennifer Walker is a class teacher at Ormiston Primary School. This is a small school, in the picturesque village of the same name. It stands on the north bank of the River Tyne, a rural setting. The school roll is about 157 with an additional 50 children in nursery classes. There are several classes in the school: a Primary 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, a composite 5/6, and a Primary 7. The school has a committed and creative staff: the school website is indicative of their dynamism, and the caring, positive ethos in the school.