What is the point? Understanding the importance of constructing tasks that engage students and enable them to make progress

Thesis

This dissertation discusses the importance of task design when planning lessons. This action research project gave me the opportunity to think about the importance of task design and think about what is the point in the tasks as teachers we plan.

I carried out evaluation of my own personal historic lesson plans to help understand the planning of tasks and then planned two schemes of work. These schemes of work were planned and developed with the use of literature, students' feedback and my own personal reflection. Learning diaries were used in the second feedback to give students more ownership of their learning and inform me for future planning.

Findings indicated that knowledge is an important factor when planning lessons and developing task design. Knowledge should be at the forefront of planning. Knowledge has been discussed in detail (Firth, 2015b, Lambert, 2011 & DfE, 2013). The introduction of the new curriculum has allowed knowledge to be at the forefront of planning and given teachers the opportunity to think about task design centred around knowledge. Enquiry learning was also thought about with knowledge. Enquiry learning is a complex idea that needs to be carefully used in lessons to ensure knowledge is not lost.

Authors: Heard, C

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-vep1zmgzg
• Type of award: MSc
• Level of award: Masters
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Keywords: MLT; MLT2015
• Subjects: Education