What is the answer? (1st Dec 2011)

Don't break things you cannot fix (or more accurately, don't whinge if you have not got a better idea) ... and I've spent an awful lot of time whinging in the previous blogs. Now it's time to get constructive.
Students are presented with large assignments and told, "I'll do some teaching and then I want you to hand this in four months from now". Then, surprise-surprise, some of them don't. The majority of those that do, started a week before the hand-in date. We then complain about them being lazy. After all, it can't be our fault. We gave them the work, we slaved over a scheme of work, wrote materials and lesson plans that promoted their involvement, so it can't be us. Students aren't what we were in our day!
If this scenario does not sound familiar then you are very lucky.
Yet there is an easy way around this problem. At the moment we create a scheme of work by looking at the assessment criteria required for their qualification, consider a logical order to teach these and then generate (or find) materials to support each class. In other words, we break things down only to aggregate them again in the coursework.
Suppose we assessed each item of learning separately. Each examining board offers a range of qualifications. Each qualification is broken down into units. Each unit is split into logical blocks - and then each logical block is made up of things that must be covered - we are calling these atoms. On our website (www.o-vl.com), we have decided that each atom will have its own web page which we are calling an aPage (an abbreviation of atomic page).
Each aPage is one of two types; process or product. The web page gives the information needed to complete a small task. The information on the web page is presented in four formats; as a web page for those happy to assimilate immediately, as a written document which is downloaded for those who learn by reading, as an MP3 file so that they can download or listen to it if they prefer and as video if they work best by seeing. At the end of the aPage web page is a multiple choice self-assessment quiz and a space to provide feedback to the person who created the aPage.
An atom should have the following characteristics :
  1. An atom is a discrete unit of learning.
  2. If an atom relies on pre-requisite knowledge then these should be in separate aPages.
  3. An atom must be assessable.
  4. An atom must have one or more subject classifications.
  5. Once achieved, an atom stays in your portfolio of successes for life.
  6. An atom is covered on one aPage.
  7. The content of an aPage should be learning style independent, i.e. presented in a variety of formats.
  8. Views of successes may be shared with others, either for a specific length of time or in perpetuity (at least until such permission is rescinded).
  9. aPages can be grouped to form chapters.
  10. Chapters can be grouped to form books (i.e. something than an awarding body will recognise as an achievement).
  11. Books can be grouped as a full qualification.
Both the detailed reasoning and the processes involved in creating aPages will be explored in later blogs. However, educationalists have long recognised that small chunks of learning are easier to digest than large ones. Also, students can progress asymmetrically (i.e. not all completing the same work at the same time) under an atomised system, making it easier to keep them engaged.