You’ve got to watch the You’ve got to watch the bollards in the contra-flow bollards in the contra-flow

of life: of life: learning outcomes and the learning outcomes and the

death of education?death of education?

Greg Hoyland: Senior Lecturer in TheologyYork St John University | www.yorksj.ac.uk

By the end of this session you By the end of this session you will…will…

… … have engaged for at least 5 minutes have engaged for at least 5 minutes with your favourite fantasy while giving the with your favourite fantasy while giving the appearance of paying full attention to the appearance of paying full attention to the seminar;seminar;

… … be able to answer a minimum of 5 pub be able to answer a minimum of 5 pub quiz questions on cones (e.g. the quiz questions on cones (e.g. the specifications of standard BS EN 13422 specifications of standard BS EN 13422 relating to cones);relating to cones);

… … be one hour older and not a jot wiser.be one hour older and not a jot wiser.

Invented in 1914 by Charles P. RudebakerInvented in 1914 by Charles P. Rudebaker

First used in Britain to replace red lantern First used in Britain to replace red lantern paraffin burners during the construction of paraffin burners during the construction of the Preston bypass (opened 1958) the Preston bypass (opened 1958)

The design of the modern plastic cone The design of the modern plastic cone was refined by David Morgan of Oxford in was refined by David Morgan of Oxford in 1961 while working for ICI1961 while working for ICI

Morgan currently holds the Guinness Morgan currently holds the Guinness World Record for a collection of 137 World Record for a collection of 137 different conesdifferent cones

Today all cones have to conform to the Today all cones have to conform to the standard BS EN 13422standard BS EN 13422

This specifies a weight and vertical angle This specifies a weight and vertical angle for every type of cone which ensures for every type of cone which ensures cones of different makes can still be cones of different makes can still be stacked one on top of the other stacked one on top of the other

Last year 2 million cones were made in Last year 2 million cones were made in BritainBritain

6,000 cones are stored or in use around 6,000 cones are stored or in use around the M25 – stacked on top of each other the M25 – stacked on top of each other they would make a pile 10 times higher they would make a pile 10 times higher than Big Ben than Big Ben

Life without Life without cones…cones…

Life with Life with cones…cones…

Learning Cones and Learning Cones and Traffic OutcomesTraffic Outcomes

Learning Cones and Learning Cones and Traffic OutcomesTraffic Outcomes

My inspirationMy inspiration– Stevens R 1978 Stevens R 1978 Education and the Death of LoveEducation and the Death of Love

Peterborough: Epworth PressPeterborough: Epworth Press

My thesisMy thesis– In their current form Learning Outcomes are past their In their current form Learning Outcomes are past their

sell by date. Born in Modernism, they need sell by date. Born in Modernism, they need reappraising in a Postmodern contextreappraising in a Postmodern context

– Watch the bollards, miss the viewWatch the bollards, miss the view

My questionMy question– How can we describe and measure what we want How can we describe and measure what we want

students to learn without it becoming formulaic and students to learn without it becoming formulaic and ‘tick box’?‘tick box’?

Learning Cones and Learning Cones and Traffic OutcomesTraffic Outcomes

““If we achieve them we have If we achieve them we have succeeded. If that is all we succeeded. If that is all we

achieve we have failed”achieve we have failed”

Learning Outcomes – a child of the 60s?Learning Outcomes – a child of the 60s?

Modernism – postmodernismModernism – postmodernism– Modernism = the photo? Intimations of past Modernism = the photo? Intimations of past

and posterity?and posterity?– Postmodernism = the re-writable DVD? Postmodernism = the re-writable DVD?

Sceptical of past and posterity?Sceptical of past and posterity?

Learning Outcomes – a child of the 60s?Learning Outcomes – a child of the 60s?

ModernismModernism– IndustrialisationIndustrialisation– UrbanisationUrbanisation– Bureaucractisation Bureaucractisation – Democratisation Democratisation – (and the invention of ugly words ending in (and the invention of ugly words ending in

‘isation’)‘isation’)

Learning Outcomes – a child of the 60s?Learning Outcomes – a child of the 60s?

DemocratisationDemocratisation– Behaviourism Behaviourism – High culture = text and performance-based; High culture = text and performance-based;

popular culture = process and practice-based popular culture = process and practice-based – ““Commodities are consumed as much for their Commodities are consumed as much for their

meanings, identities and pleasures as for their meanings, identities and pleasures as for their material function” (material function” (Philip Philip

Grey: Department of English, Umeå University, Sweden)Grey: Department of English, Umeå University, Sweden)

Learning Outcomes – a child of the 60s?Learning Outcomes – a child of the 60s?– All learning is measurable (codes of practice)All learning is measurable (codes of practice)– All learners are the same (one size fits all)All learners are the same (one size fits all)– There should be transparency in the learning There should be transparency in the learning

processprocess– Teaching (and teachers) should be Teaching (and teachers) should be

accountableaccountable

Learning Outcomes – a child of the 60s?Learning Outcomes – a child of the 60s?

commodity processcommodity process

anan endend a staging posta staging post

a policy an attitudea policy an attitude

Learning Outcomes – a child of the 60s?Learning Outcomes – a child of the 60s?

Learning as a commodity/Learners as Learning as a commodity/Learners as containers leads to…containers leads to…

… … learning and learners needing to belearning and learners needing to be– ManagedManaged– Measured Measured – Monitored Monitored

Models of Education/EducatedModels of Education/Educated

What we might have lost…What we might have lost…– Risk taking/Mistake making Risk taking/Mistake making – MysteryMystery– Inquisitiveness/curiosity Inquisitiveness/curiosity – ImaginationImagination– JourneyJourney– Draw out – disciple (lead out)Draw out – disciple (lead out)– VocationVocation

Models of Education/EducatedModels of Education/Educated

““Higher education can never be reduced to Higher education can never be reduced to an academic services industry mass-an academic services industry mass-producing expert skills and useful producing expert skills and useful research. But nor, in an age of mass research. But nor, in an age of mass access and a knowledge society, can it be access and a knowledge society, can it be a purely ‘donnish dominion’” a purely ‘donnish dominion’” (Peter Scott: The Guardian, Tuesday 16(Peter Scott: The Guardian, Tuesday 16thth March 2010) March 2010)

Models of Education/EducatedModels of Education/Educated

“… “… [a project Michael Rosen] undertook with a school [a project Michael Rosen] undertook with a school in South Wales where books had been undervalued. in South Wales where books had been undervalued. He showed the children, and the teachers, and the He showed the children, and the teachers, and the parents the profound value of reading and all it could parents the profound value of reading and all it could do to deepen and enrich their lives, and he did so not do to deepen and enrich their lives, and he did so not by following curriculum guidelines and aiming at by following curriculum guidelines and aiming at targets and putting the children through tests, but by targets and putting the children through tests, but by beginning with delight. Enchantment. Joy. The beginning with delight. Enchantment. Joy. The librarians there were practically weeping with relief librarians there were practically weeping with relief and pleasure at seeing so many children now coming and pleasure at seeing so many children now coming in to search the shelves and sit and read and talk in to search the shelves and sit and read and talk about the books they're enjoying” about the books they're enjoying” (Philip Pullman: guardian.co.uk Sunday 21(Philip Pullman: guardian.co.uk Sunday 21stst February 2010) February 2010)

Life without cones… Life with Life without cones… Life with cones…?cones…?