The Crafted Conversation

Statements as a Means of Measuring Learning

In this solo episode, Marcus discusses the concept of offering statements within the Learning Design in elite sport settings. Statements are a powerful alternative to questions, which allow athletes/learners to demonstrate what they know via retrieval of prior knowledge, elaboration to context, and encoding new information as a more powerful memory trace.
Statements also remove judgement because there is no need to seek a "correct" response.
Instead of:
"how can our system create space out wide?"
We exchange for:
"our system allows us to create space in wide areas. Discuss."
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Solo Episode - Questions ??

 
In this episode Marcus discusses the importance of one of the most underrated tools in the leader/instructors toolkit: questions.
By making questioning a habit, leaders and instructors can:
Start by embracing curiosity and asking "Why?" often.
Move to "What if?" to explore alternatives.
Finally, ask "How?" to take action.
By adopting this approach, individuals and organisations can become more innovative, empathetic, and effective in problem-solving.
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Solo Episode: How Deep Is Your Processing?!

In this solo episode, Marcus delves into the concept of "processing". Imagine the Apple rainbow pinwheel or the Windows egg-timer of old as your device takes time to "think". To process. This is human learning. Our brain's require levels of processing in order to more deeply encode information into our long-term memory...
Drawing on the seminal works of Craick and Lockhart, Marcus considers these levels of processing.
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Dan Crossman - The Realities of Delivering Primary School Education

Dan Crossman is the Headteacher of Marlborough St. Mary's primary school.
Dan has a varied and interesting CV in primary education, where he trained and taught in London before moving back into Wiltshire. Dan became a Head early in his career at a small village primary school, and has been the Headteacher of Marlborough St. Mary's for three years. Under his leadership the school has altered its strategic priorities and made significant impacts in KS1 phonics and reading outcomes.
Dan acts in a coaching and mentoring role within the County supporting and facilitating growth in other aspiring, new, and serving Headteachers.
In this wide reaching conversation, Marcus and Dan explore:
Delivering a modern primary school education
The impacts of budget cuts
Consider the future of state-maintained education
Delve into leadership of large teams with multi-faceted roles & hierarchies
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Solo Episode: Pupil/Athlete "Voice & Choice"

In this solo episode, Marcus explores the important role of pupil/athlete voices as an empowering mechanism to offer agency; and choices to demonstrate value in their individual and collective competence.
 
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David Webb - Georgia National Football Assistant Coach

David Webb is the Georgia national football team assistant coach, supporting their much-documented run in the Euro 2024 tournament, beating Portugal to progress from the group stage and, despite going 1-0 up, losing out to the champions, Spain.
In a wide ranging conversation, Marcus questions David around the Crafted Concepts of:
applying his trade a a coach, and thus teacher, in in international setting
what elite learning looks like at the pinnacle of international sport
how classroom learning and curriculum play their part
identity and culture in group dynamics with limited contact time
the important topic of neurodivergent learners (an area of personal importance to David, as described wonderfully here and during the podcast)
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The Deliberate Cultivation of Character

In this episode, Marcus explores the impact of a deliberate and thoughtful approach to building character development into an elite sport or educational curriculum.
This is drawn from the University of Birmingham Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues' excellent foundation of research and application of four pillars of virtues:
Civic
Moral
Intellectual
Performance
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When Learning Design Fails To Inspire Learning!

In this week's episode, Marcus explores the concept of Learning Design choices which unintentionally fail to inspire any learning. This all hinges on seminal research by Clark (1989) where a meta-analysis of research where control groups outperformed research groups in learning.
The focus is all on scaffolding, or its deliberate absence...
Keynote Educational are the partner of The Crafted Conversation.
 
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Reflections: Physical Education & Sport Conference

In this week's episode, Marcus summarises his keynote speech at the Physical Education & Sport conference held in London last week, hosted by Keynote Educational. The focus is on The Crafted Concept's core pillars:
Learning Environment
Learning Design
Learning Critique
The second half of the podcast focuses on the question and answer session recorded live at the event for delegates to question Marcus and fellow presenter Chris Dossett, guest on last week's Crafted Conversation.
 
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Chris Dossett (Part 1) - Lessons in Leadership & Learning: Sport & PE in Schools

Chris Dossett is the Chair of the Professional Association for Directors of Sport in Independent Schools (PADSIS). Having worked in school physical education and sport leadership roles throughout his career, Chris's mission now is to help make the job easier and more enjoyable for those in post.
A self-confessed ever-learner, Chris brings his practical and experiential lens to this conversation, where Marcus challenges the themes he observes in the most successful physical activity providing schools.
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