Spaced Learning NEWS Project ISSUE 2 The Newsletter AUTUMN 2016 of the SLP Keeping you informed Welcome to this second edition Newsletter published in Summer of the more intangible aspects of of Spaced Learning Project (SLP) 2015 (http://hallamtsa.org.uk/ scientific procedural understanding News! The contributions for this attachments/article/152/Spaced_ and attitudes. When thinking about issue come from those that are Learning_Newsletter_1.pdf). Those undertaking research you might leading and managing the Spaced teachers who have participated in wish to dwell more on your Learning project to those that have this research share some of their thoughts about how Spaced participated directly by using spaced experience and if you are thinking Learning might be particularly learning in their classes. of embarking on research ventures suitable for those children who This edition of the newsletter is of your own you now have a are for instance disadvantaged in all about research and particularly community of people that you can some way. We hope to continue about engaging in research as staff make contact with and use as points the conversation we have initiated in schools of reference and help should you about how research endeavour need. Thanks to all those who have is fostered in your schools and Our project lead Alastair advises provided their thoughts. institutions. Although the post of in our first article about how busy PM is almost coming to an end and schools might get involved with I hope that this issue will show how I shall be moving onto pastures doing research of their own and we came to be undertaking this new, I know Alastair will be pleased how they can begin to think of research and how as a community to hear from you should you wish engaging in research activity. of practitioners we have developed something we are all excited and to know more and if you have any Farhana provides our second article further thoughts post Sept 2016 my which is her perspective of research enthusiastic about although it has at times simultaneously been akin personal email address can be found management of the project and on the back page. her thoughts about the possibility to riding the proverbial rollercoaster SLP News is Edited by Farhana Zaman of schools and increasingly SCITTS as well as sitting in the car on the engaging in research. She writes M1 on a Friday night with young Article - Alastair Gittner 2 a narrative presenting our project children in the back. Our journey story from our beginnings through may be somewhat atypical but Feasibility Study 1 5 to the present day and in this way as any researcher knows valid provides an update of the work research should be replicable and Article - Farhana Zaman 5 undertaken on this project as this all actions or a lack of them have phase draws to a close. consequences. Feasibility Study 2 10 Paul Kelly has kindly provided us We hope you enjoy this newsletter and if you are reading this in a with our third article which is an Myths about spaced learning 11 interesting summary of the Myths school or SCITT then I hope it will act as spur to motivate you to get about Spaced Learning and his The Team 12 response to these. stuck in and engage in research activity of your own. We have also included the initial thoughts of some of the teachers We had said in the last issue that we Spaced who have worked on this project hoped that one potential benefit of Learning in both our feasibility studies Spaced Learning will be to free up and others who have written to valuable class time so that we might Project us post production of our first ensure coverage and development ALASTAIR GITTNER “But Sir, I don’t learn like that, I’m a kinetic learner!!!”

This was a conversation with a pupil when I had just been appointed to a new role as Head of Science. The school had just tested all its students to discover which “learning style” they preferred and as teachers we had to tailor our teaching to the preferences of the students in our classes. The oxygenating powers of “Brain Gym” were also being pushed by some. In a nearby school they were well into using coloured hats and a nameless local authority was busily giving out Fish-oil tablets to all their year 10 students to help boost their mental powers.

Just a few examples of the large appear to have an effect. Indeed solve this conundrum. The paper number of educational initiatives many of them “feel right” to calls for: and learning resources that you teachers, they do seem to make n research on what works best might still find in schools as a difference, so their professional should be a routine part of life in teachers and senior leaders search instincts either rightly or wrongly, education for the Holy Grail of the thing that cause them to keep delivering is going to make a difference to them. Dylan William, Professor n teachers should be empowered their students’ progress. With the of educational assessment at to participate in research politicisation of education there the Institute of Education, when n the results of research should be are many providers of educational discussing the professional disseminated more efficiently services out there each claiming development of teachers has n  that there product is the panacea talked about the difficulties of resources on research should for a school’s educational woes. getting colleagues to “stop doing be available to teachers, Add into that the publishers sharing good things, so they can do enabling them to be critical their latest titles either in book even better things.” So what are and thoughtful consumers of or electronic form and the list the better things? And which evidence becomes extensive (and expensive). interventions have an effect n teachers should be driving the above and beyond the natural research agenda, by identifying The difficulty is trying to fathom improvement we can expect? questions that need to be which ones are actually effective. answered. In his extensive and seminal review In the influential paper “Test, Learn of educational interventions, John and Adapt,” commissioned by the Goldacre calls for the use of Hattie discusses the problem. The British Government, Ben Goldacre random control trials (RCTs) to trouble is that students have this also discusses the problem and test educational interventions and habit of getting smarter as they get calls for the adoption of research for schools to take on board the older, so that many interventions practices into schools to help them findings of this research.

2 SpacedSpaced LearningLearning ProjectProject

Partly in response to this the on their own teaching and the be integrated into the classroom. Government commissioned learning that is going on in their For some years we have been the Education Endowment lessons. This is consistent with using the Spaced Learning Foundation to begin its work is the findings of both Hattie and Technique as designed in the support of evidence based policy Williams that one of the most North East of by Dr Paul making in education, especially effective interventions for school Kelley whilst Headteacher of Monk with regards what can be done to improvement comes from an Seaton school. Though there overcome some of the differences investment in teacher professional had been some initial published that exist in many education development. Additionally results demonstrating its efficacy, systems between the success like many schools we use the and we indeed had done some of students from differing socio- “lesson Study” model to drive small scale analysis in our own economic backgrounds. (if you improvements of teaching and school, we realised there was a are interested in the work of the learning. Here teachers work need to do a large scale project to EEF, their web-site has details of all in small groups to plan and determine its actual effectiveness. the projects they are involved in). deliver lessons, the effect of this So it was suggested we apply for teaching on the learning of all, or So how do beleaguered Senior a grant. groups of students, is observed, Leaders persuade their already reviewed and then further lessons We are currently working in busy colleagues to become developed. Both Action Research partnership with a national involved in research and how and Lesson Study require teachers Teaching School, the Hallam can schools drive the research to clearly identify the issue that agenda? Research need not Teaching School Alliance. Like is addressed and the extent and be participation in a full RCT. As all teaching schools part of their range of the expected outcome. the review of the success of the role is to be involved in research This is good research practice. London Challenge showed, a and to disseminate its findings. good starting point is encouraging Sometime though in the end We believe in the importance teachers to become involved larger scale research is needed of evidence based practice and in Action Research; small scale and this is where our work with also the need for teachers to be analyses of their own practice, the EEF started. In 2013 the evaluative. Getting the time and with their own students, in their Wellcome Trust and the EEF space in a busy school term to own context. The real advantage announced a multi-million pound do this can be difficult and part of of this is that it promotes initiative to research into how the our thinking was that the project teachers to evaluate and reflect findings from Neuroscience can would provide us with capacity.

3 Capacity in increased staff but managing the grant. They have development to be part of the also capacity with regards time flexibility when it comes to staffing project. Are we any nearer in and a defined project that could that Local Authority schools will determining whether Spaced influence and inform future find more difficult, plus they had a Learning actually works, practice. I will be honest, we did spare office!! only a little. not really expect to be successful. All EEF grants are fully evaluated To what extent a school involves But with the view that nothing by an independent team of its staff in research it can only ventured nothing gained we wrote experienced researchers. We have benefits. Teachers engaging the bid. are working with a team from with research is a vital part of The EEF are well aware of the Queen’s University Belfast. Early their professional development. difficulties that schools face when on it was agreed that we were not It fosters the basic feature of a becoming involved in research quite in a position to move to a full profession, namely self reflection and so their application process random control trial. and a “restless desire” to improve, is set up to help with this. The There are many diverse opinions to do the job better, to evaluate initial stage was not lengthy on their role in educational and reflect. Teachers are and was clearly limited as to the research these mainly centre incredibly busy, the day to day number of words and scope that around the fact that they require job of teaching is busy, there are is required. There then followed some work to set them up always lots of things to do. Finding further stages of presentation correctly in the first place, to out which ones of the many busy and interviews. This was not account for the high number things we have to do actually without issues. The timing of the of variables one encounters in make a difference has got to be a process required us to attend a schools. It was decided that good thing. the project would be at first a meeting in London during the last Alastair Gittner week of the summer term and feasibility study to determine the then further meetings in the first scope of the intervention, the week of August, neither of which training materials needed and References Visible Learning: Hattie, J. 2008 are traditionally good times for whether we could deliver the intervention in schools. Test, Learn, Adapt: Haynes, L schools. In September 2014 we et al 2012 received the good news that we So what have we learned? https://www.gov.uk/government/ had been accepted and were the Research can take longer than publications/test-learn-adapt- only school that was leading one you think. For those of us used developing-public-policy-with- randomised-controlled-trials of the projects. This was when to working in hours and days Building evidence into teaching: working with the Teaching School with students, things can take Goldacre, B.2013 came into its own. They had the weeks. So far all the schools who https://www.gov.uk/government/ experience and staffing capacity are involved see the great value news/building-evidence-into- to help us with the fine details of it has for teacher professional education

“For all aspects of memory, keep yourself physically fit. My catchphrase is, ‘Healthy mind, healthy body, healthy body, healthy mind.’ Your memory needs oxygen as fuel, so why not feed it often?” Tony Buzan

4 FEASIBILITY FEASABILITY STUDY 1 FARHANA ZAMAN

In Feasibility Study 1 we trialled the four variants (see p7 of this newsletter) and undertook some A Research post testing and interviews with staff and students Project James O’Neill , I say “was” my favourite as a year , ago my department was given a Managers Tapton School in Sheffield have large box full of Transformers toys. been using Spaced Learning These, would you believe, go down techniques in various ways for very well with our students. perspective several years. The school has also A couple of years ago we trialled taken part in the initial feasibility using variations of the spaced learning theme with our physics study involving six members of We are the only school led project staff with two triple science GCSE A-level students. The older students amongst six that were allocated classes. Head of the Physics & enjoyed using the technique to Astronomy department James cover topics rather than whole funding in the EEF /Wellcome Trust O’Neill (twitter @physics) shares modules. We also tried getting Neuroscience and Education round his thoughts and experiences of the students to create and deliver and so I feel that we occupy a unique Spaced Learning. spaced learning. This worked position to share our experience and to Being part in the feasibility study well as pairs of students focussed show how our project has developed has been important for our school. on a topic, such as standing over time in the hope that it will serve Our teachers and students have waves, becoming experts. Their as a spur to action for other schools, knowledge could then be shared engaged with these methods SCITTs /University partnerships thinking using the spaced learning activities. for many years and we are sure of embarking on research. they do make a difference, yet it Spaced learning definitely has is important that this is qualified some merit as a technique to Alastair Gittner, our project lead, would somehow. support students in their learning attest that getting this grant to research Since discovering spaced learning and preparation for exams. We are Spaced Learning came as a bit of a around five years ago through the looking forward to the results of this shock to him and equally to those at Association for Science Education project and we hope it confirms our the Hallam Teaching Schools Alliance. expectations. I have used the technique in many That we as a school based team were ways. The primary use has been relatively unprepared for embarking for GCSE revision, a short period Jack Forrest, Head of on this kind of work and that everyone of time prior to the final exam. Science, Stocksbridge Students find the summing up of High School involved had to hit the ground running all their revision through spaced We have been using the would be an understatement but it was learning satisfying and supportive. Spaced Learning technique as the dust was settling, in the aftermath They are overwhelmingly positive for revision in the Science of being allocated the monies, that about the experience and it allows Department at Stocksbridge for the project began to metamorphose whole science modules to be more than five years. Over this into its current form. Capacity to deal laid out and interlinked. Keywords time we have developed our with projects of this scale had to be and phrases are reinforced and resources and strategies in an considered quickly and although a hopefully retained for use in attempt to deliver concise revision Project manager was mentioned in the answering the all-important exam key ideas and get every student questions. actively participating in the process. original bid with costings forecasted, During the initial spaced learning Every member of staff within the only a hazy picture of what they would feasibility study we were asked department firmly believes that be required to do had been formulated. to use juggling balls during the Spaced Learning has a significant The money was granted to the team learning spaces. This worked well positive impact on student progress in December 2014 and I came on and was different to other hands and our students also comment board in March 2015. I had a loose job on activities we have used over the on its usefulness immediately after description that outlined what a project years. The first activity we ever used sitting the exam that it helped manager could potentially do, however, involved making sculpture using prepare them for. Our participation it was a somewhat fluid so I was tasked Play-Doh and many of our staff still in the Spaced Learning Project use this. My personal favourite was will allow us to confirm exactly with carving out the role and giving it always origami. Simple and cheap how advantageous the revision shape and structure. to implement it really got students technique actually is for students focussed very quickly on something and spread the good practise to other than the science revision. other schools.

5 Spaced Learning Project

Any project management most likely the project on time, to suggest teachers. All my past experience requires a reconnaissance phase and push through a modification was as research lead and I led and at the beginning. An audit of where of the budget and timeline and to managed my own projects. Alastair’s we were needed to be carried out ensure that all those working on it own background was in medical before I could ascertain where we were brought then kept on board, research before he embarked on a needed to head to. The first task I informed and enabled to take part. career as a teacher. Liam undertook was to come up to speed I was allocated admin support, (a cognitive psychologist and with the Literature in the field. I was essential for a role of this kind, and I Patrick (a neuroscientist), both have given numerous articles and books was after a little jutting at the outset recent and wide ranging research to read in my first few weeks. My given carte blanche to determine experience, see p3-4 of our early days of settling into this R and with the project lead and the rest of previous newsletter for background D post were spent on just a couple the team, the course that this project summaries. of main tasks. One, was to learn was to take. Working closely with Always remember that in any to be a member of staff at Notre the Project lead and other team research endeavour which has a Dame High school as it is this school members we tried as far as possible number of stakeholders who don’t that owns and operates the SCITT to ensure we were clear about our know each other well there is likely (Hallam Teaching School Alliance) distinct but complementary roles and to be a set of challenges to be dealt that are my employer and the grant responsibilities within the project and and worked with if the project is to be holders for Spaced Learning. I am to forge conducive relationships to successful. The main stakeholders in the only Research and Development ensure the smooth progress of the this SLP were HTSA our fund holder, Project Manager in the school and research. EEF our Grant providers. We also had my role has been dedicated solely to In any new role, it is always essential Alastair as Project Lead based across the Spaced Learning Project. Two, to have or set upon a particular at the other end of Sheffield doing a was to learn about what Spaced direction. Apart from Alastair and deputy heads job and I just back from Learning was about and form my myself we also had a set of externally a long absence from work. Into this own opinions about its value in allocated evaluators attached to the mix we threw in a set of people at education. I had worked in schools project as the EEF always allocate QUB who were very experienced at many eons ago it seemed and it was an external evaluator for each of conducting research projects. exciting to be back ‘at work’ but in the projects it funds. By the time I I feel that all research is an an entirely different role, I had left had joined the staff of the project, amalgamation of serendipity and school as a deputy head. In this new it had been decided that instead of wise or poor choices. As our role I was neither a teacher nor a being our evaluation team Queen’s research has taken shape so too have member of non-teaching staff but University Belfast staff would be our we as a team. We have fortunately rather than straddling the divide, I was co designers and researchers for this cleaved well despite being such a in a unique position not occupied project which was to be done as a diverse group. We have buried any by anyone else within the school – a couple of feasibility studies (Pilots), prima donna traits within and so pioneer of sorts and so once this instead of a full RCT since it was felt have with relative ease been able was understood by all of us including by all those now involved that this to overcome the geographical and me I began to carve out little by would be the best way forward. We temporal issues we initially faced and little the role required to help move had been allocated a substantial have made excellent progress. We this project forward and sustain it budget and as HTSA were relatively have eked out a scientifically sound as it gathered speed. I had been a inexperienced at research activity on piece of research that has borne in researcher who had managed my this scale (as any new SCITT might mind our eventual aim to define a own research in the past, so I needed be), and as it was new ground for set of protocols for undertaking a to find out what was essential about them, I was tasked with proceeding full RCT. Others have noticed, and project management. It was a steep cautiously. We were a group of recently we were picked by EEF to learning curve but I learned quickly. people who hadn’t worked together share our progress at a meeting as Essentially project management in but we had a ticking clock in the we are now deemed as a project this project meant not being project background and a tight timescale to that is making excellent progress. lead (as I had been used to being). adhere to and my task was to ensure The meeting set up by the Wellcome Project Management for the SLP we were successful in completing Trust was attended by the group of meant that I became a conduit for two feasibility studies and producing Neuroscientists that were involved ideas, a sounding board for the team, a manual which could be used for a in picking the six projects from the a gatekeeper for queries , a scheduler full RCT. ninety that applied. Each of us on the of meetings and their organiser, a As a former ITT tutor I had SLP team have now carved out a fluid negotiator, a problem solver and a undertaken science education niche for ourselves and I feel it is the novice at project management for research projects as well as research interplay of each of our roles that has someone else’s project. I had to about Diversity issues, Education for contributed to our steady progress. develop a refined set of negotiating sustainable development and use of Research projects tend to take shape skills and helicopter eyes to keep digital technologies for ITE student once a literature review has been

6 “Learning must not only lodge with us: we must marry her” de Montaigne undertaken by the project team. As Logic model result of shorter spacing, they are just you will have read above our research not the focus in the neuroscience Any logic model maps the experiences and our working literature. contribution of different bodies of practices differed but as with any new literature to the design of the potential Knowing all the above enabled us team beginning a research journey research study. to decide what we wanted to test together partnerships are developed in terms of our variants and what The Neuroscientific evidence through a series of meetings held issues may arise from these. The suggests importantly that short over the course of the project. variants presented below explore spaces are of value whilst the So it was with the Spaced Learning the replicability of the some of the Cognitive psychology and project team. research already undertaken within Educational research suggests that We had the first such meeting in the literature we had engaged with. long spaces are beneficial. Both of March 2015 and it was here that we I had to set up an initial meeting with began to hone our research skills as these broad approaches (short spaces and long spaces) may contribute to 4 schools who were briefed by our a team so that we could develop a team and once I had drawn up a common understanding of what we the short term outcome of memory formation and subsequently to Memorandum of Understanding and had set out to explore remembering other documents a formal process that the skill of research lies not the later outcome of educational attainment. of recruiting these four schools took in knowing all the answers but in place. Once MOUs were established knowing the right questions. The It is important to consider that there between HTSA and these 4 schools questions at the forefront of those is evidence in the literature for both in the initial Feasibility study ( FS1), we early meetings were, could we find of these approaches being valuable trailed the above variants. We also any evidence to support the use of for memory formation. Once we had carried out some post testing and Spaced learning? And further, could articulated our Logic model we set interviewing of staff and students SL be effective in helping children out to use it to help us to think about and the subsequent analysis of data learn a body of knowledge in Biology, the variants we would test. gathered in this stage was then fed Chemistry and Physics at GCSE? In the pilot study, therefore, we into the design of the second and How could we translate our ideas wanted to examine the contribution final feasibility (FS2) now completed in about Spaced Learning into real of each of these approaches, as schools. classrooms? well as a combination of the two, to The Spaced Learning Project like In our first few meetings with QUB, science attainment. other research activity has a number we engaged in developmental activity Our logic model highlights the link of outcomes. Those that are for in order to answer these questions. (dashed line) between cognitive and public consumption tend to be We formulated a set of research neuroscientific changes as a result of written but other outcomes are protocols and set about planning our spacing effects. It must be noted that always inevitable for any research what works research. cognitive and neurological changes activity that is deemed successful. One of the most valuable outcomes are not specific to long and short During the past eighteen months from that initial meeting was the spaces respectively. It is important to our project has yielded the following development of a Logic Model. I note that neurological changes still outcomes. Verbal outcomes, we have am not advocating that everyone occur as a result of longer spacing, spoken at a number of recruitment undertaking research should begin they just have not been explored in meetings and briefing meetings in this way however, we as a team the neuroscience literature. Similarly, as well as at conferences and in found it useful. cognitive changes still occur as a reporting to the funding bodies.

Neuroscientific evidence

Memory Attainment

Cognitive psychology & educational practice evidence

7 tested the effect of the Spaced Learning lessons, VARIANT 1 using 10 minute spaces between repetitions.

VARIANT 2 tested the effect of the Spaced Learning lessons, using 24 hour spaces between repetitions. was a control group. Not a pure control but a control in terms of VARIANT 3 the slides. This tested the effect of the actual lesson material on learning, rather than the spaces between the repetitions of lesson material.

VARIANT 4 tested a combined approach of the 10 minute spaces (Variant 1) and the 24 hour spaces (Variant 2).

We have produced a video of what science colleagues that I spoke to and coupled with the fact that I have our research will involve for the sake (randomly selected and a mixture of always been fortunate enough to of our participants so that we ensured ages and gender) were only interested be offered work that could enable parity of information giving during in the research outcomes if those are me to broaden my understanding of periods of training for our second likely to impact on their own or the teaching and learning, choosing to be feasibility meeting. Additionally lives of their nearest and dearest. They part of the SLP was an easy choice. we have also had some physical said that they were not interested The best and most interesting outcomes, spaced learning lessons in the journey that researchers had research papers provide just that have been minds on as well hands taken to get to those outcomes and –context and detail. By contrast to on since the pupil participants were so I wondered if that would be true the above, peer review and testing, required to get out of their seats of science colleagues working. The however, is what the research and engage in physical activity as anecdotal evidence from science community now expects and they had to juggle as part of the SL teaching colleagues suggests that how research is judged to be of lesson. There were further outcomes research outcomes of projects like value. The rise and fall of university too since we had a number of the spaced learning project are of departments is largely dependent on interventional products including a interest (as one would expect), since their achievements in the Research training manual, a set of Powerpoint these colleagues had buy in. They Excellence Framework. The Research presentations and a measure of were interested in anything that might Excellence Framework (REF) is the learning. be useful in helping children in their new system for assessing the quality It was whilst I was engaged in reading schools to achieve better results. of research in UK higher education up about the project that I came They also suggested that process institutions. across many articles, some more might be of importance to others Although SCITTs like Hallam Teaching erudite than others, that I began to thinking about dipping their toes in Schools Alliance have a different remit wonder why ‘process’ is not shared research activity and so worthy of they are increasingly on the lookout more frequently and in more detail, being shared. for interesting and relevant research why is the nitty gritty of how does So where might you start? Well, opportunities that might arise which research activity come about never research almost always arises out of might be of real value to those they spoken of? I wondered if this was questions and things we are curious cater for in the main, the teachers and because every research activity differs about. You could for example children themselves. Where research so widely from the next and what investigate questions that might occur is undertaken in schools especially is shared with those on the outside to you and your colleagues which those that are running SCITT is entirely so that research can be as a staff you have always wondered programmes, it is useful to know tested by others to ensure replicability, about, something that is a burning that such institutions tend to follow a validity and reliability. question for you is always a good similar style and format that has been I asked some non-science colleagues place to start as commitment is set by the research community and here at Notre Dame what if anything ensured in such endeavours. dependent on the personalities of is of value to them when they hear How did we start? Alastair’s journey those involved. I have taken a slight or see the outcomes of research began with his wondering if this could liberty here as I wanted to share activity? Their answers were work in more than just his school and the journey we took to show other interesting for me as a researcher for me, well, I took this post because schools, SCITTs and Universities that and if time and resources permitted I was curious to know more about all is possible in the brave new world I would dig deeper. They suggested Spaced Learning, both intellectually that education is in 2016. that they don’t always believe the and practically it sounded like a good So where next? Once we had research outcomes reported and that idea and I wanted to be personally completed a literature review, this is because research contradicts involved as I like being part of some decided on our variants we had to itself and appears to come in cycles stories and I wanted to see the whole recruit participants and retain them (fads) for example to eat or not to eat picture and from several different throughout. It is with recruitment and eggs regularly, to have or not to have perspectives. I naturally tend to veer retention that large scale projects I salt in the diet and so on. It seems non towards wanting context and detail feel would benefit from having a PM.

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Certainly much of my role has been 1. Programme adaptations for is indeed evidence to support a about managing good relationships, example, that timely delivery of full RCT being undertaken. The full being approachable and available. materials and resources we were report will be published on the EEF Busy teachers require immediate told needed to be ensured to ease website in the Autumn Term of 2016. responses to queries especially when the rushed feeling amongst some By the end of August 2016 we should projects are in their initial phases. I staff during FS1 have some more clarity of whether was cognisant of every aspect of the 2. Material adaptations were require Spaced Learning is deemed worthy project and made it my business to for example we learned a great deal of further exploration as a revision observe SL lessons in the first FS so about the powerpoints materials technique since our analysis will be that I was informed and up to date. we had provided and suggestions complete. It will be after this point As I also became a trainer for the for how these could be modified that we will know if a full RCT should SLP I could then use the knowledge or improved to ensure a consistent be pursued. I had accrued to support our training experience and finally we were told The role of PM for Spaced learning sessions. about has been an interesting one and given As we defined a set of strict protocols 3. Training adaptations that would the nature of roles that the project and we had a timeline to work towards improve the quality of participants team had at the outset, it was I would I had to ensure there was clarity experience of Spaced Learning for suggest essential to have a PM and during each of the phases and that example we were told that training I am satisfied that I leave the project participants knew what they should needs to specify that one teacher at a natural endpoint for this phase. I be doing and when and with whom. will deliver all lessons within a leave with a smidgeon of sadness as I As we completed each phase I worked variant, even if not their specialist always feel when good things come with our QUB partners to ensure that subject. FS1 Teachers suggested to an end but with confidence that the participants were translating what they we need to give future participants next chapter of this story has already required to do correctly and with due more confidence in delivering a had its seeds planted in those schools regard to the protocols we had set. “good” spaced learning lesson, and who have participated. Many of them, Once the intervention was completed so we needed as a team to look at it seems, are trialling Spaced Learning in each of the Feasibility studies we what a standardised spaced lesson with other year groups in their schools then had to undertake a period of might look like and to model this already and this is perhaps testament analysis and evaluation which would within our training. We also needed to the importance of this as an helpful then feed into the next phase. to ensure there was parity in the revision technique, What we learned from the evidence training we provided Since our pupils of course are our gathered from our qualitative We collected feedback on specific most valuable resource, I feel sure measures from FS1 variants and then used this as a basis those interested in Spaced Learning Interviews were conducted with for the design of FS2. will be actively seeking out new ways 8 teachers and head teachers, with to engage pupils by continuing to a range of previous experience with Heading into FS2, we produced a explore and use innovative solutions spaced learning. Focus groups were training guide and initially trained to teaching and learning for long term conducted with five children in each some new trainers drawn from those memory acquisition and recall. The of the four participating schools (total that had undertaken SL in FS1. We answer to whether “Spaced Learning n=20). addressed issues of parity and our ……really is the most efficient, and We received lots of positive feedback co researchers at QUB produced a effective, method of transmissive from both teachers and pupils about video showing FS2 participants what learning we have encountered” is the programme. For future purposes, would be required from them and still to be found but the two e.g. the programme manual, the giving the context and background feasibility studies we have qualitative measures have provided to our what works research. We undertaken will go some way, great insight into the benefits of ensured during the training that we as we hope, towards helping frame spaced learning, as seen by pupils and trainers adhered strictly to the training important questions that will need teachers. The interviews of staff and guide we had produced. We ensured further exploration in this field. And students were particularly significant as that all participants had undertaken so this is the way all useful research they highlighted some specific areas training from us before being allowed activity is concluded with new for adaptations to the programme to do SL in their schools with the test questions and further directions as to delivery, materials and training. A full groups. We adapted and modified the what to explore next. Powerpoint resources and we kept copy of our report will be published on This vignette of our project from a a strict eye on which schools had the EEF website. personal perspective as the project reached the acceptable trigger points manager, is presented with the caveat We examined what was said by those before allowing them to move to the that this is not a panacea as every who participated and were able to next part of our FS2 schedule. understand from FS1 that we need research endeavour will be determined to focus on three broad areas as we As I write an initial analysis has been by those who are undertaking it and moved forward into FS2. undertaken and suggests that there that is what makes it interesting!

9 FEASIBILITYY In Feasibilty Study 2 we refined the design of the STUDY 2 interventions, provided mandatory training for all participants and produced new materials including a training video. Additionally further variants were trialled with a pre test as well as post test and interviews of staff and students.

Celia Alcock Meadowhead spaced learning project allows us to be part of a real-life scientific research I had never come across spaced access a novel method of improving project and experience how parts of learning before. Having found out retention in our students. If successful this process work first-hand. I hope it little since the first meeting I’m still a it is a an approach we intend on will help improve my year 10 students’ little in the dark. First impressions are incorporating into our year 11 revision abilities to recall important information that it sounds fun and any fun during schedule in future. Secondly, it is a great for their GCSE exams. Spending some a revision session sounds like a good opportunity for us to show our students time learning how to juggle is an added idea. I’m excited by the thought of the breadth of topics research can take, bonus! something that helps with revision as I we believe this is a great opportunity have students in Y10, Y11 and Y13 sitting for them to be part of of a piece of Rachel Tasker, exams. I think it will suit our students, fun research and this will give us some University of Sheffield with purpose, although I can’t juggle at great opportunities to discuss how After graduating from university in all! This is what made me want to get research is conducted. The methods Summer 2002, I trained to teach at involved as any benefit to the students that are applied and look at how data is The University of Sheffield. I have is worth putting the effort in to research. collected and collated. been teaching science at secondary One of our main problems with exam schools in South Yorkshire and North classes is that students don’t know how Martin Royds-Jones, Minsthorpe Nottinghamshire since 2003. I currently to revise and revision lessons can tend Community College teach Chemistry at Handsworth Grange to get tedious after a while. I’m hoping I’ve been teaching for five years and Community Sports College in Sheffield. that it works and that I can apply the am currently the TLR holder for KS3 in I am always interested in finding and technique to all of my exam classes Science and Teaching and Learning trialling new techniques and resources and share it across the faculty. The in Science. As such I have a lot of to improve the attainment and obvious overall aim is that students gain interest in new and innovative learning engagement of the pupils I teach and confidence and get the grades they strategies. My role not only involves am really pleased to be involved in the deserve. T&L within science, but also sharing Spaced Learning Project. best practice across departments and Dr Jenny Coy, I would look to do so with Spaced Pete Williams, Minsthorpe Firth park Learning. Community College Hi, I’m Dr. Coy, I work at Firth Park I understand that Spaced Learning I have been in the teaching profession Academy where I have been for the past involves highly concentrated and for fourteen years, all at Minsthorpe year and a half. Before then I worked repeated tasks followed by breaks Community College. I have had several at Ridgewood in Doncaster, although based on distractor activities. I have a roles and now I am currently the had four years off in between. My aim personal interest in neuroscience and Curriculum Team Leader in Science. for being part of this research is to am fascinated by how the brain works Over the years I have seen various be able to teach our pupils in a way and how neuro pathways are created revision based techniques but very which encourages better retention and strengthened. few having the impact I had hoped. of information as this appears to be I am also a competent juggler of three The Principle forwarded the case what the pupils are weakest at having balls and on a good day four. study related to Spaced learning to analysed previous exam data. me and I was intrigued. The thing that Gemma Scarisbrick, St. John’s encouraged me to get involved was Otis McFadden, Teacher of school in Marlborough, Wiltshire I felt it would appeal to the students Science, Firth Park Academy I’m the subject leader for Chemistry who traditionally found it hard to focus My name is Otis McFadden and I at St. John’s school in Marlborough, in revision sessions and retain the am a teacher of science at Firth Park Wiltshire. I was introduced to the knowledge. In the future I am keen to Academy. I am taking part in the spaced Spaced Learning Project by my Physics try this technique with Post-16 students learning project for several reasons. colleague Ben Cobbold. I was keen on the run up to exams. If it can help Firstly after looking at our 2015 exam to get involved with Spaced Learning improve the retention of the wide range analysis we found as a department that because it sounded like a fun, engaging of information they need to know I’m our students did very poorly on recall way to revise science topics. It was also sure it will have a positive impact on based questions. Taking part in the a good opportunity for the students to progress.

10 PAUL KELLEY

Myths about spaced learning 1. Psychology has been doing 3. You don’t have to stick to 5. I can’t just start the course this for 100 years- spread the 10 minute gaps and repeating by telling them everything! learning over time three times Yes you can. One thing that is certain If you want to use Spaced Learning Spaced Learning is not based on research about Spaced Learning is that you can do you have to stick exactly to this pattern; in Psychology. It is based on discoveries just this, and the evidence suggests it is three repetitions of 20 minutes or less, in neuroscience that have demonstrated very effective indeed. Students were able two physical distraction activities of 10 the physical changes to create long- to perform in real GCSE exams a week minutes, and the whole process taking term memories can be triggered by a or two after a single Spaced Learning only about an hour. Of course you can specific time pattern. The pattern of three session as well as those who had taken experiment with all sorts of other timing repetitions separated by two ten minute the full course. This was replicated by patterns – and people do – but that isn’t spaces has a physical basis. This too has other teachers in different experimental the Spaced Learning that is based on been demonstrated. The hypothesis contexts. the research in neuroscience of Douglas that I proposed was simple: as it worked Although a Spaced Learning session Fields and others. in other species to create long term as course review may ensure students memories it might work with humans. who had been absent or missed part of 4. Just use the same the course have a chance to do slightly Powerpoint slides you’ve got 2. We teach, students better- an approach that showed small but and time it a bit differently remember- it’s not that worthwhile benefits for some students in complicated some questions when tested. Don’t. Spaced Learning is a method for encoding memory very rapidly. You If only it were so simple. It is true that 6. You don’t have to read use Spaced Learning at the beginning students often leave the classroom about it to get the idea of courses, so it has to be very carefully knowing what is taught. Unfortunately constructed, precise and concise. The You wouldn’t say that to a student they often come back having forgotten Innovation Unit guide to Spaced Learning studying A Level. There are billions spent it- short term memories fade. In the compresses two years of work by the every year on teaching skills. Spaced past century neuroscientists have been original team on Spaced Learning to get Learning is a skill that needs training and researching the physical basis of long- this right. The preliminary trials (reported time. It’s important to understand what term memory – often struggling to make in Making Minds - but without the name you’re doing and why. That’s why any progress for decades. Recently huge Spaced Learning) also give some idea of I didn’t just read Douglas Fields’ research, technological advances enabling them to the time taken over delivery of Spaced I discussed his research with him in terms make very rapid progress. The model of Learning. It is true that the final study of human learning, whether other timing long term memory they have established showed huge impact of Spaced Learning patterns might work and other issues. has three different elements: encoding a in real GCSE examinations, but it was Terry Whatson at the OU created the memory, consolidating the memory, and based on very thorough preparation of solution of physical distraction activities retrieving memory. Very loosely, encoding materials and delivery. in the spaces. Gifted teachers like Angela is learning something new, consolidating Bradley wrote the Innovation Unit guide. is strengthening the neural networks The Spaced Learning research paper is created in encoding - usually in sleep - and worth reading too. (For the dedicated retrieving is like recalling - accessing a “Memory is the treasury an overview of memory research in memory. Spaced Learning is one way and guardian of all neuroscience see Kandel, Dudai and of encoding memory - learning things” Marcus Tullius Cicero Mayford’s review). something new.

11 PROJECT SARAH TEAM WHITE

Alastair Gittner Alastair Gittner is a science teacher and school After reading the first edition of the leader with 20 years teaching experience. He Spaced Learning Project newsletter entered the teaching profession after 5 years of medical research and has always been I was absolutely fascinated by the interested in how educational research can project and the research being benefit teaching and learning. carried out. To think that it is possible to enhance the learning experience Farhana Zaman of individuals by teaching in a way Farhana Zaman joined the Spaced Learning that allows the brain to absorb Project team in March 2015 as their Research and Development Project Manager. Farhana has information is such an innovative taught in four Universities as a Senior Lecturer in concept. Science Education teaching on Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Graduate Teacher and Masters/PhD It’s so disheartening to see the programmes. anguish and frustration a student feels when they have put hours of Steve Davies work into their studies and done Steve Davies is a maths teacher and current associate head teacher of Notre Dame High hours of revision for a test for them School. He spent two years seconded as head to sit in the classroom and not teacher at which is where he became involved with spaced learning remember any of it. The idea that project with Alastair Gittner. Steve is now back some of the challenges faced by at Notre Dame where he will be taking up the students could be alleviated simply reigns as head teacher from September. by the way teaching materials are Dr Liam O’Hare presented and delivered could Dr Liam O’Hare (CPsychol) is Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Effective Education in change the education experience Queen’s University Belfast. Liam is the Principal for so many young people, opening Investigator of this feasibility study of Spaced Learning funded by the Education Endowment up opportunities which they never Foundation. thought possible. It’s my view that the Spaced Learning Dr Patrick Stark Patrick Stark is a researcher at the Centre for Effective Education Project really is the future of at Queen’s University Belfast. Patrick is the Research Assistant education. I can’t wait to read further on this Spaced Learning feasibility study. Patrick’s current research interests include the use of both neuroscience and editions of the newsletter and see psychology research to develop educational strategies. He is where the project takes us. also currently working on a large scale randomised controlled trial to evaluate a speech and language based educational intervention which focuses on improving communication and pupil achievement.

SpacedSpaced LearningLearning ProjectProject For further Information Contact: Farhana Zaman Hallam Teaching Schools Alliance, Notre Dame High School, Fulwood Road, Sheffield S10 3BT Tel. 0114 2302536 Ext: 278 [email protected] or [email protected] Contact for Farhana Zaman after September 2016 will be [email protected]

SLP NEWS EDITOR: FARHANA ZAMAN

“Four things support the world: the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the good, and the valor of the brave” Prophet Muhammad