AQA Extended Project Pilot – Level 3

Links to post- 16 Qualifications

Interim results

Penny Vigers

The AQA Pilot •Extended project – Level 3

•Learner led identification of project title – empowerment and buy in.

•Research/activity/presentation

•Producing Production log and up to 5,000 word report.

•Assessed by the supervisor

First Steps - Methodology•Interviews with supervisors/facilitators

- What previous experience of citizenship they had.

- How did they go about making it learner led.

-What was the effect on the learners and on the facilitator.

-Did they use the project as part of the delivery for Key Skills.

- Did they feel that by the end of the project the learners awareness of active citizenship skills had changed.

Interim Findings•Facilitators felt they had experience of citizenship before the project started.•However the facilitators had never taught citizenship it was a personal interest and had been used in previous delivery e.g. Princes Trust.•Learner led approach through discussion from one facilitator. Learners left to decided topic completely on their own.•The other group had more intervention in deciding on the topic title.

Interim Findings* Learners found this a challenge to fully take part in the learner led approach.•Facilitators found this approach effective, however it depended upon the learners independent thinking and analytical skills.•* Doubling up on a Key Skills Working With Others qualification was also used well.•The facilitators and the learners felt that active citizenship skills had been developed in order for the learners to fully take part in the project. E.g. Democratic processes, discrimination, negotiating, debating and lots more.

First impressions•Format and guidance on learner led approaches to equip the learners with independent skills to become more aware of time management and their own influencing strategies.

•From the facilitators point of view it appears to be around having the confidence to stand back and let go and appreciating just how much time is needed for this process to work through. This time is well spent, as it sets the scene for the development of the learner voice and personalisation.

Next Steps•To look at a provision that does not use the AQA extended project and to identify to what extent this provision can deliver similar outcomes.

•To look at the process of an active project in relation to developing citizenship skills.