1. Introduction
Ziauddin Schools and Colleges are premised on the notion that learning can, and does, take place in many different settings and contexts that stretch far beyond the ‘traditional’ classroom. This belief is evident in the way our teachers teach and how our learners learn.
We believe that every student in a Ziauddin School or College should experience learning beyond the classroom as an essential part of their education, whatever their age, ability or social circumstances.
In this light we use both digital and non-digital resources that provide students with a variety of exciting, stimulating and enriching learning experiences both in the classroom, and beyond.
We believe that our students need to understand and experience that learning is not always like school. To prepare them for a world of learning, we want our students to be inquisitive, problem-solvers, explorers, and curious, in order to anticipate, discover, to be persistent, initiate and investigate. We nurture this as integral to every part of their learning within and beyond the classroom and the school/college day.
2. Aims of the Policy
- To guide schools and colleges in how to develop students’ self-awareness and what they are capable of doing and so enhance their sense of personal confidence
- To provide a framework for how schools and colleges should expose students to activities which are challenging and which help them realise that their capabilities are far greater than they realise
- To explain how to improve students’ self-image, self-worth and self-respect as learners by providing guidance on how each student can independently accomplish some challenging learning outside of regular classes
3. Learning Resources (Self-Access Materials)
This section should be read in conjunction with the ZES Enriched Learning and Teaching Policy.
In ZES we use learning materials in various forms – print, audio and video, multimedia, web etc. In order to help our students use these and learn in their own time and at their own pace, we develop and design the use of these resources in such a way to have the teacher ‘built-in’ to facilitate students’ learning. This range of resources, whether the format is textual or digital, means that the education we provide is flexible and responsive, and inculcates attributes of learner self-direction and self-management.
Our bespoke self-access resources are distinct from textbooks in the following ways:
| Textbooks | Self-Access Resources |
| Layout tends to be dense | Layout is more open (wider spacing) with margins for notes |
| If written, objectives are teacher-centred and worded for teachers to read. | Objectives are oriented towards the students (i.e. what the student will be able to do, or will know, after studying that material. |
| Written in an impersonal style (e.g. ‘the student’, ‘the child’) | Written in a personal style (e.g. ‘you’, ‘we’) |
| Little or no self-assessment, but sometimes with plenty of exercises | Lots of emphasis on practice and self-assessment |
| Assume interest | Written in a way to stimulate interest and motivation |
| Designed for a wide and unexpected audience | Targeted specifically towards our students |
Characteristics of ZES Self-Access Resources
At ZS, self-access learning resources are constructed around the following five characteristics: self-explanatory, self-contained, self-directed, self-motivating, and self-evaluating.
Self-Explanatory:
The self-access learning resources are written in a way that does not require any teacher to explain the content. This means, the content is written in simple language (in relation to the intended audience) and in small chunks to help students assimilate the content by reading and working through the instructions. Thus, in the materials a teacher is ‘built-in’ into the text.
Self-Contained:
The self-access resources must be prepared in such a way that the students do not need to rely on additional materials to learn the content, although other materials that they are known to have, can be referred to or referenced. In this instance, the students must have access to these.
This is also related to the nature of the ‘curriculum’, which needs to be open and accessible for the learners. This means that the content must be clearly detailed.
Self-Directed:
Since the students will be studying on their own, it is important that the self- access resources are designed in a way to provide all the necessary directions and instruction they need to study and progress through the curriculum. For this, the self-access resources should use ‘hints and tips’, additional side notes, icons to signal the type of text and actions to perform and explicit directions on what to do, how to do it and what is expected of the student. The use of clearly expressed learning targets for the material, an informative introduction, a conversational style of writing, as well as instructions regarding what to do and how to answer self-assessment questions are important components of the self-directedness of self-access resources.
Self-Motivating:
One aspect of teaching that all teachers manage when in the classroom is how students are motivated and encouraged as they learn. The teacher creates interest and curiosity in the topic. Good self-access resources should arouse students’ curiosity and interest, encourage critical thinking, stimulate students to question and reflect on their learning. The teacher does this through the use of a personalised style of writing, use of anecdotes and examples, illustrations from real-life, feedback on self-assessment questions, etc.
Self-Evaluating:
It is important for students to know how they are progressing in their studies. When students are accessing materials independently, it is important that they get timely feedback on their learning. Therefore, the self-access resources should provide self-assessment questions followed up with personalised feedback so that the students can evaluate themselves and learn from their answers – whether correct or incorrect. This means that the students must use the self-access resources in an active manner – for example, in-text questions, self-assessment questions, unit-end exercises, reflective prompts, and action-based activities are all important to include. The use of learning objectives or stated learning targets structured around behavioral action verbs will enable students to measure their achievement.
Types of Self-Access Resources in Ziauddin Schools and Colleges
Using the five characteristics outlined above, there are three types of self- access resources in ZES:
- Tutorial-in-print
- Reflective-Action guidance
- Dialogic
Tutorial-in-Print:
These can be called ‘tell and test’. Through the print, they simulate situations where the teacher is teaching the student. Therefore, the content needs to make assumptions about the possible responses of the students as they work through the in-text questions and self-assessment questions.
Reflective-Action Guidance:
These self-access resources depend heavily on the use of reflective-action – based activities that the students are expected to do – this type of material is especially good for science, lending itself to students’ experimentation, but is also useful for mathematics when structured about problems to be solved, and social studies where students undertake inquiry/ exploration/ discovery activities.
These types of self-access resources give students opportunities for critical thinking and for developing skills of reflection. In this regard, these resources are more student-centric.
Dialogic:
Dialogic self-access resources prompt the students to critically question what is presented and simulate a real form of communication (dialogue) between the teacher and the student.
These materials need to be based around the understanding that learning is a process of meaning-making through conversation between two people asking ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions.
Components of Ziauddin Self-Access Resources
Ziauddin Schools and Colleges self-access resources must be written in a way to accommodate the features of all the three above categories and include the five characteristics of self-learning materials.
At ZES, the format of self-access resources is:
Beginning of the Unit
- Title
- Structure / Contents
- Introduction
- Objectives (Student-focused) – written as learning targets or study targets
Main Body
- Sections and sub-sections, with clear headings, sub-headings and other markers
- Illustrations and diagrams
- Self-assessment questions and directions for review
End Matters
- Summary of content/ learning
- Glossary / Keywords
- References and Further Readings (where appropriate)
- Answers and Feedback to FAQs
4. Extra-curricular Activities
ZES has a strong commitment to the added value of learning beyond the regular school learning day and beyond the school premises by the use of carefully planned visits and participation in functions. This is how all ZES schools and colleges provide a broad and balanced curriculum that promotes moral, cultural, intellectual and physical development of students.
Each year, schools and colleges might arrange activities that take place off site and/or out of regular hours. Therefore, the following policy statements apply:
4.1 Teachers and Extra-Curricular Activities
- Teachers will take an attendance list at the beginning of each activity and keep this as a record to be given to the Principal
- Teachers must be aware of ZES policies, Health and Safety procedures and fire evacuation/ security procedures prior to commencing any activity
- Teachers are responsible for ensuring that all furniture, materials etc. are returned to their original state at the end of any activity
- Teachers are responsible for matters of discipline during extra-curricular activities. Any discipline problems must be reported immediately or as soon as possible to the Principal
- Normal school/college rules apply to all extra-curricular activities
5. Clubs and Societies
Ziauddin Schools should set up clubs and societies as these are an important feature of students’ lives in Ziauddin, providing opportunities for social development and personal growth, as well as adding to their academic development.
6. Events
Students should be involved in initiating, planning, hosting and taking part in events – students’ experiences outside the classroom are a significant part of their education and all-round development. Involvement in events means that students learn about team work and leadership,foster relationships, trust and learn about mutual respect.
7. Consent
For out-of-hours clubs and events, parental permission MUST be acquired through the return of a consent slip. Parents must be given the information for the activities that students are involved in and should be informed by letter, phone call or through their son/daughter (as appropriate) if an activity has to be cancelled.