Case Study
How to sense other people's thoughts
A group of Year 9 RE students took an excursion around the Portobello Market area in Notting Hill in order to gain information from people about their views of the area. The style of this trip undertaken as part of religious education teaching could be undertaken in any town or city.
The students were investigating people’s perceptions as well as learning about designing and conducting an interview as a research tool, which they would use to support their learning throughout the year.
These students walked from their school to Portobello Market and they were allowed to roam in groups no smaller than three to find people to interview. A number of sixth formers came as escorts to support and gain experience for their Duke of Edinburgh awards.
Students met back at a designated point at specific times to debrief and look at how they were going with their interviews.
Some students were highly capable at approaching and interviewing strangers in the street, while others were somewhat shy and found it difficult. When students came back to school they had to evaluate what they learned about themselves during their interviews, and how they could improve next time. They also had to make sense of the data they gained from people.
This
proved to be a particularly
successful trip.
