Barnwell have secured an Effective Learning bid for 12 visualiser cameras. Jen McCall, Head of Science, submitted a very well-argued bid explaining how useful the visualisers would be…
“Visualisers can be used for a variety of purposes, for demonstrating, showing examples of good work and for recording documented evidence.
- Students will be more engaged in lessons where they can see visual demonstrations more easily on a screen.
- Students will have good examples of work shared with their class, giving them praise and encouraging others to strive to reach the demonstrated standard
- Students will attain higher marks if they are taught explicitly how to approach exam questions, when they see particular command words, texts, diagrams etc.
- Students will be able to see where mistakes were made in practice papers and learn to avoid those errors in their final exams.
Additionally, Science teachers undertake a number of demonstrations which support the students in their learning, for example heart dissections, the heating effect of a current in a wire and the addition of mass during combustion reactions. Sometimes these demonstrations are hard for a class to see all at once, so to be able to do them under the visualiser for the whole class to easily see the details would be really effective.”
The visualisers are being purchased initially for the science department who have a proven track-record of successfully using the few they already have. However, Jen strengthened her Effective Learning bid by explaining that science teachers intended to spread this good practice throughout the school and the bid provides for an extra 4 visualisers to lend out to other departments to implement the training immediately.
Jen also showed that other parties would benefit from the bid:
“Visitors to the school for JPD, Primary school students visiting for joint projects, induction sessions, and secondary transfer day, and our neighbours, a special needs school who visit to use our facilities or to receive lessons from our staff will also benefit.”