Facilitating Effective Sixth Form Independent Learning

For young people who have opted to continue their education post-sixteen, it is difficult to overstate the importance of the independent learning which takes place in the Sixth Form. Typically, the balance between classroom teaching and private study shifts dramatically at this point and individuals who intend to go on to university find themselves having to put in place strategies that will stand them in good stead for the next stage of their academic lives, in addition to serving their current needs.<br><br><i>Facilitating Effective Sixth Form Independent Learning</i> is a comprehensive guide for educators looking to support independent learning in the Sixth Form. It takes the reader on a step-by-step journey showing how an appropriate teaching programme may be set up and offers proven tools and strategies that can be adopted in the classroom. The book advises on how a worthwhile research question may be formulated and establishes the importance of teaching unifying methodologies, in addition to individual techniques, before various means of finding information are identified. It develops an approach to help students think systematically about the available options and considers methods for evaluating information and managing time. The book then addresses the construction of essays and reports and then guides readers through understanding and implementing the Information/Writing Interaction Model (IWIM). Further coverage includes strategies for countering plagiarism and numerous suggestions for promoting student reflection.<br><br>Rigorous yet accessible and featuring numerous practical examples, <i>Facilitating Effective Sixth Form Independent Learning</i> is an essential resource for educators working in a world where developing independent learning skills is not an option, but essential.

In Memoriam

It is my sad duty to announce that my dear friend Bryan Loughrey, co-editor of the journal, recently passed away after a short illness. It was Bryan who relaunched Critical Survey in 1987, serving as Editor, General Editor and lately Editor Emeritus. The journal was originally founded by C.B. Cox and A.E. Dyson in 1962 as a sister journal to Critical Quarterly (1958–), which also changed hands in 1987, but went in a different, more theoretical direction, under the editorship of Colin McCabe. Together with Critical Survey, Bryan also assumed responsibility from Cox and Dyson for the ‘Critical Quarterly Conferences’, a long-running series of conferences for UK sixth form students who might be contemplating studying English Literature or related studies at university. This historical background shows Bryan operating in three capacities in which he excelled: as independent scholar, editor and academic manager.

Some mathematical appreciations in the physical sciences

According to reports in the media, there is a dearth of practical examples that students of mathematics en route to their qualification can feast upon, at either sixth form level or an undergraduate level. Despite these alleged shortages, it is this author’s opinion that there are numerous examples that can be drawn from the literature and it is the purpose of this article to address the issue by providing examples from the realms of antenna reflector theory and the use therein of conic sections. Some students will be familiar with conic sections and others might not, but the numerous instances of their manifestation in the real world would suggest that they are a force to be reckoned with, and this is certainly true from a mathematical perspective.

The Effects of School Climate on Sixth Form Teachers’ Self-Efficacy in Malaysia

In Malaysia, sixth form is a post-secondary education that is comparable to pre-university programs such as A-level and Foundation qualifications. Enrolment in sixth forms has dwindled over the past ten years due to assumptions that the curriculum is difficult and because it is offered in regular secondary schools. Thus, the sixth form transformation program was introduced in 2015 with the purpose to rebrand sixth form education to a new setting comparable to other pre-university education, with a focus on improving the school climate and increasing teacher self-efficacy. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify the level and relationship of the school climate on teacher self-efficacy. This survey was carried out using a questionnaire instrument, involving 695 sixth form teachers currently in Selangor. The findings showed that the level of school climate and teacher self-efficacy in all sixth form centers were at a high level. There was also a strong positive relationship between the school climate and sixth form teachers’ self-efficacy. Social and academic dimensions contributed significantly to the teacher self-efficacy of 38%. Hence, further studies looking at aspects that suggestively contribute to the school climate should be given due attention to ensure that transformation planning can be implemented as intended.

Gaining understanding of different perspectives in Virgil's Aeneid through creative writing: an action research project with a sixth form Classical Civilisation class in a mixed comprehensive

Creative writing is a teaching strategy employed increasingly less frequently as students progress through their secondary education. From my own school experience and observing other teachers, many such tasks are set in Year 7 but then later give way to the pressure of preparing students for exams. In the first Professional Placement of my postgraduate teacher training, I observed a Classical Civilisation teacher set her sixth form students to write a poem about Hector or Andromache from the Iliad Book 6. Although there was some initial reluctance, students largely engaged with the task and we were both impressed by the results. This prompted me to carry out my own research project to explore further the potential impact of creative writing, following the argument that one way into a text is to understand the characters within it.

Esports and Education

This chapter is about the importance of establishing a brand new esports BTEC and its relevance in education moving forward. The author will share the successes and failures of a new esports BTEC course, whilst also considering how it lends itself to other subjects at both school and sixth-form level and also routes into university and new careers. Having helped write parts of the first-ever BTEC for esports, the author will share the progress made with its inception and subsequent journey from its launch during a pandemic and touching upon its future as a career for students in an ever-changing world.