Clackmannanshire : Community of Philosophical Enquiry

What is this?

A previous council project developed the practice of philosophical enquiry across the council's primary schools. The evaluation of the primary school project provided evidence of significant social and cognitive gains for the pupils involved in this development. The current 'Community of Philosophical Enquiry' (COPE) Project seeks to extend these primary schools developments into the council's secondary schools. Personal Social Development (PSD) teachers in secondary schools will be provided with professional development opportunities to help them develop classroom 'communities of philosophical enquiry'. These classroom communities will encourage pupils to examine personal development issues at a deeper and more meaningful level than would otherwise be possible through more traditional teaching methods.

FLaT involvement?

FLaT support is provided to extend enquiry methods that have been successfully used in primary school classrooms into more complex secondary school organisational structures.

Links with National Priorities?

1.Achievement and Attainment
2. Framework for Learning
3. Inclusion & Equality
4. Values and Citizenship
5. Learning for Life

Project aims?

To increase pupil participation in classroom discussion.
To encourage pupils to routinely support their views with reasons (increase critical thinking).
To encourage teachers to use more open ended questioning strategies to support effective whole-class enquiry.
To promote 'thinking for understanding' to support learning and achievement.
To promote cognitive abilities.
Build inclusive classroom 'communities of enquiry' that can create higher levels of meaning and understanding then is possible with pupils working more on their own.
To provide pupils with opportunities to critically examine their beliefs and values.
To promote social/emotional development.

Project outcomes?

Demonstrate that whole-class enquiry methods can be extended to secondary school classrooms.
Sustain cognitive gains from Thinking through Philosophy project in primary school (as measured on Cognitive Abilities Test).
Increased pupil participation in classroom discussion.
Increase in pupils justifying their views with reasons.
Teachers using more open-ended questions to challenge the thinking of pupils.
Evidence of social gains for pupils.
Development of a set of learning materials.

Timescale?

The project started in February 2004 and will conclude in June 2006.

Level of Support?

FLaT support is a grant of £156,825 plus the costs of external evaluation.

Who are the evaluation team?

Not yet appointed.

Contact person:

Raymond Young,Continuing Professional Development Lead Officer/QIO, Clackmannanshire Council, Education Department, Room 28, Lime Tree House, Castle Street, Alloa FK10 1EX, Tel: 01259 452461,e-mail - ryoung@clacks.gov.uk