Questions were also raised concerning those who had already achieved one or more of these four capacities. In an endeavour to cater for the low-achievers, college staff argued that high-achievers might suffer as a result. The only thing that concerns me at the moment…is those that are already confident, successful learners…is there enough knowledge base? Is there enough stretching for them? (College staff, Stirling)
The college representatives’ comments highlighted three issues that could be considered in interdisciplinary learning. Firstly, there is a need to establish connections from one subject area to another. The second is that connections need to be made from subject-specific lessons into real life practice. The third and last issue suggested was the need for partnership. For example, two teachers teaching linked subject areas. It was also made explicit that despite the benefits that can be generated by interdisciplinary teaching, the actual practice is largely based on the resources available: Quite often these cross-curricular activities are the first thing to go where there’s pressure to reduce the number of units…. (College staff, Glasgow) We have to make the learning relevant to the young people across the other learning areas but also to life as well…but for teachers we have to look…unless we know…what’s going on in other areas, we can’t link that across the curriculum…. (College staff, Glasgow)
It was suggested that if disruptive students would be given lessons and tasks which enable them to see the bridge between their education and world of work, then learning would be more relevant and this would facilitate behaviour management: … some of the ones who are disruptive are disruptive because they’re not engaged in learning because they’re doing boring, meaningless things and that there would be less disruption if they can do things that are fun, that they can see the point of a bit more. (College staff, Stirling)
College representatives also explained that it is the middle learners who often suffer when there is too much class disruption: …the top get on often…the middle gets lost and the bottom get attention and they’re the ones that having taught in schools and done guidance and now see a lot of teachers, the bottom disruptive pupils are allowed often to disrupt for everybody and the top ones will get on in spite…, but those middle lot who want and need attention but won’t push themselves forward for it are the ones that suffer because the disruptive ones are taking too much energy, they’re not allowed to exclude them, they’re not allowed to put them out…and…that is the great problem. (College staff, Stirling)
This suggests that in making learning relevant for students, teachers should also carefully address any existing behavioural problems or lack of class management. Assessment was felt to be a contentious topic: I don’t want to bring up the topic of assessment because I think this lovely, rosy picture of wonderfully engaged children and learning experiences…. That’s why we’re all teachers, that’s what we want…the pressures of achievement, retention and performance indicators…stop us doing things the way we would really like to. (College staff, Glasgow)
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