Teaching Resources
Schools trial results
The People at War schools website was trialled in a total of 4 schools, one primary and one secondary respectively in Hartlepool and Swansea.
In addition teachers were invited to feedback specific comments, based on their experience of in class use.
The objectives of the trial were to assess results against the stated learning objectives of the project. These were to collect evidence of learning by website users and to relate this learning to three Generic Learning Objectives (GLO’s):
The target measures were to provide evidence of learning in these GLO’s by 75% of the student sample group and to support findings with anecdotal evidence from teachers.
Using forms adapted from examples given on the MLA Inspiring Learning website, students in two age ranges were asked to respond to simple statements by selecting yes, no or don’t know.
The Primary group sample was aged 7-10 years and totalled 45 pupils of which 23 were boys and 22 girls. The secondary age range was 11-14 and the total was 79, with 37 boys and 42 girls.
Responses were collated onto an data sheet which can be downloaded and viewed in Microsoft Excel or similar spread sheet applications.
School trial data sheet for Excel
School trial data sheet for other applications
1) Knowledge and understanding
Within primary, overall 69% of pupils stated that they had learned some interesting new things, although only 27% could understand most of what they saw. 58% thought that the pictures helped them, to understand WW2 better,
Amongst secondary pupils 85% felt they had discovered some interesting new things during the session and 76% felt that they lots to thinks about as a result of working with the website.
On balance there is clear evidence that pupils across the trial age range felt they had learned some interesting new facts and improved their understanding of WW2
Objective met.
2) Skills
Amongst the primary sample group 82% in total said that they enjoyed using the computer during the session and this figure increased to 95% in the girls responses. Amongst the boys, 70% had enjoyed using the computer. 78% of the total believed that exploring the website is useful for school work, with the associated implication of skill development.
Amongst secondary pupils 81% recognised that using the computer is a good chance to improve their skills
The results show that a significant majority of pupils recognise that using the computer to explore the website is an opportunity for them to develop their own skills and therefore this objective is also met.
3) Activity, behaviour and progression
Amongst primary schools pupils, although there was a lot of enthusiasm and interest during the lesson, only 42% said that the activities had made them want to find out more. This is broadly repeated in the secondary sample, with over 60% consistently stating that the website made the topic more interesting and understandable, but only 44% saying that they would use the website again. So, although using the website has produced a change in planned behaviour in both age ranges, the level is below the stated target in the project and therefore this objective is not met.