Information Collection and Dissemination Practices for Learners with Specific Learning Differences a

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Information Collection and Dissemination
Practices for Learners with Specific Learning
Differences across the Education Sector The
Impact and Consequential Intellectual Loss to
Education and Employment

• Kate Byford Velvet Kearley-Heywood
• Higher Education Academy
• AchieveAbility National Network
• University of Westminster

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AchieveAbility HE Academy

• In 2005 the HE Academy was commissioned to
  conduct a unique piece of research
• Aims of the research
• To identify the issues surrounding the collection
  and dissemination practices used to collect data
  about learners with Specific Learning Differences
  (SpLD)
• To promote a greater understanding of how to
  evaluate learner progression into Higher
  Education.

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Research Methodology

• Two phased approach
• In-depth semi-structured interviews with 23
  participants
• Consultation through online survey and discussion
  forum with 100 participants
• Across the education sectors
• Addressing depth and breadth
• Aiming to be as broadly representative as
  possible

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Findings Data collection

• Data collection practices
• Focuses on mandatory assessment requirements.
• Purpose of data collection
• Four key purposes fulfil mandatory duties,
  assessment, strategic and operational.
• Funding is a key driver of information
  collection.
• Variations of practice
• Between sectors different mandatory procedures,
  categorisations and assessment practices hence
  different types of information.
• Within sectors screening of learners,
  identification of support needs, type of data
  collected, recording and treatment of data
  hence differing learner experiences.
• Issues
• Lack of standardisation of data collection
  practices across the system
• Reliance on self disclosure to instigate data
  collection
• Focus on admissions and assessment (not success
  and progression)

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Findings Data Use

• Users of data
• Funding providers to calculate funding and
  support provision but also to monitor the
  progress of SpLD set performance indicators set
  equality diversity targets inform
  interventions staff development.
• Institutions to obtain funding, inform
  objective setting, monitor support, enhance
  quality, improve effectiveness and aid planning.
• End users to inform choice of institution.
• Other bodies to inform institutions about
  profile of applicants/accepts.
• Issues
• Tracking learners variations make it difficult
  to track/monitor learners and make cross sector
  comparisons.
• Lack of external focus nature and scope of data
  creates gaps - hence evaluating the progression
  of learners is problematic

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Findings Data Dissemination

• Practices for sharing and disseminating data
• Practices depend upon internal and external
  communication.
• Variety of mechanisms are used to disseminate
  information.
• Depends on individuals commitment, size of
  institution, data protection.
• Variations in data dissemination practices
• Key differences between institutions in how
  learners are referred, the provision of staff
  development opportunities treatment of data.
• Dissemination at transition
• Few standardised procedures to support transfer
  of information.
• Issues
• Staff awareness and development has the potential
  to support learners.
• Data protection protocols affect how data is
  obtained, held and disseminated.

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Conclusions

• Purpose for which information is recorded about
  learners is not focused on their progression
  through the system, making research problematic.
  
• Efforts to standardise practices are a local or
  regional level rather than at a national scale.
• Partnerships between sectors, institutions and
  with learners offer the potential to generate a
  better understanding of the achievements and
  progression of learners with SpLD.
• The consequential loss of intellectual talent

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Recommendations

• National organisations and policy makers
• Consider developing national or regional
  protocols and processes to support data
  collection and dissemination
• Raise the prominence of success and progression
  data collection.
• Institutions
• Be proactive in obtaining learner consent and
  access to information (preferably pre-entry).
• Make the most of opportunities to share data
  collection practices between and within education
  sectors.
• Become familiar with data collection practices in
  feeder sectors/ institutions
• Raise staff awareness of SpLD
• Work in partnership with other sectors,
  institutions and learners.
• Learners
• Be proactive
• Seek explanations (if unsure) about why
  information is required, as it may be beneficial
  to pass information on.

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AchieveAbility Network Projects

• AchieveAbility Interventions A Framework for
  whole class learning drawn from SpLD work
• SpLD identification checklist
• Quintin Kynaston School Whole school approach to
  multi-sensory teaching
• Enhanced and personalised learning training for
  FE and HE staff

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• Full copies of the report can be downloaded from
  the AchieveAbility website
• www.achieveability.org.uk