Ford Funding Project

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The Ford Funding Project (FFP) is an educational concept of gifted and gifted research, the fundamentals of which can be found in the field of individual support. The founder of the FFP is the educator and psychologist Christian Fischer. The project is aimed at students in pre-primary , lower secondary and upper secondary level . As part of the FFP, participating students decide on an individual focus of interest, on which they write a so-called expert work within the project, which runs in phases. The project culminates in a lecture by all participating students in front of an audience as part of a conference. The project is accompanied by teachers from participating schools, students, trainee teachers or high school students. The project is supported by the International Center for Educational Research (ICBF), State Competence Center for Individual Advancement (LiF) and the Ministry for Schools and Further Education (MSW). The aim of the project is to stimulate, train and develop processes of self-regulated learning in students and to create a challenging learning situation through the access of individual interests of the students, to maintain and increase their intrinsic motivation . After the project was tested and introduced at four pilot schools in North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony by the school year 2003/2004 , the FFP is now part of the school program in many schools in Germany, Austria and Switzerland . In addition to the gifted and talented promotion, the FFP stands for a successful school quality. With the Ford Funding Project in the revolving door model (FFP-D), Ford Funding Project in the standard project (FFP-R), Ford Funding Project Advanced (FFP-A) and Ford Funding Project Plus (FFP-Plus ). The Ford Funding Project currently comprises four project variants that are used within elementary school , secondary level I and secondary level II.

concept

The Ford support project started in the 2001/2002 school year under the direction of Christian Fischer. The cornerstones of the FFP are autonomy on the one hand and commitment on the other. The strategies of self-directed learning that are trained, consolidated and applied during the FFP give students a structural framework. The binding strategies of self-regulated learning are particularly relevant for students who, despite their ( high) talent , remain below their (performance) capabilities. The basic attitude of those involved should be characterized by recognition, consideration and mutual trust. The willingness to be involved in time should be guaranteed, as well as the support of the parents and mentors . The teacher acts as a support for the students during the FFP by making them aware of their role at all times in the project and adapting their own role according to the situation, needs and use. The teacher's perspective is clearly focused on that of the students. In addition to the teachers, mentors are part of the direct support of the FFP. The role of mentor can be assumed by trainees, students or high school students. To ensure success and correct handling within the project, the State Competence Center for Individual Promotion of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (lif) developed a training course for schools and teachers participating in the project. Due to the assignment to gifted and gifted promotion, the FFP works with a wide variety of diagnostic instruments to determine the personal talents of the students. Known tests and questionnaires are used here.

Project methods

Ford funding project in revolving door model (FFP-D)

In cooperation with the ICBF, two pilot schools (Ludgerusschule, Münster-Hiltrup and Elisabethschule, Osnabrück ) tested the FFP in the version of the revolving door model for the first time in the 2002/2003 school year. This variant includes age-heterogeneous students with talent. The group size is up to nine students (Haas & Konrad). The revolving door model takes place outside of regular lessons. In the context of the FFP-D, the students are guaranteed to be able to miss two hours of the regular lessons per school week and to dedicate this time to the promotional project. The participating students are obliged to catch up on the missed subject matter on their own. Approximately one school year is allowed as the period for the project. The revolving door model is used within the elementary level and lower level .

Requirement funding project in the standard project (FFP-R)

After successful testing of the revolving door model and the positive feedback from the people involved, another variant of the FFP was developed. In contrast to the revolving door model, the Ford Funding Project is incorporated into the regular lessons in the regular project and is therefore aimed at all students in a class community. The composition of the groups, consisting of five to eight students, is based on interests or on a specific topic and takes into account the friendly relationships of the individual class members. Just like the revolving door model, it is used in the elementary level and the lower level.

Funding Project Advanced (FFP-A)

In contrast to the previous two variants of the FFP, the third project variant, Ford-Förder-Projekt Advanced (FFP-A), enables high school students to participate in the revolving door model in the secondary level. This project variant is structured within small groups that are composed based on key interests. Just like the revolving door model, the project takes place in parallel with regular lessons.

Ford Funding Project Plus (FFP Plus)

The latest project variant has been tested since the 2016/2017 school year. This project variant follows the same principles as the FFP and can be perceived as a continuation of this approach. The FFP-Plus is organized as a tandem between schoolchildren on the one hand and students on the other hand and sees itself as an opportunity for research-based learning.

execution

Despite different framework conditions within the FFP variants, the same method of implementation is used. The implementation can be divided into six phases. The individual phases assert the different priorities within the project.

preparation

The first phase makes the upcoming Ford funding project transparent for teachers, parents, students and mentors. In the case of the revolving door model or the FFP Advanced variant, the participating students are selected in this first project phase. The educational measures of this phase include the determination of the demand and support needs as well as the interests of the students and the implementation of some pre-tests. Various questionnaires and tests serve as diagnostic tools. The convening of a first parents' evening is another aspect of this phase.

Choice of subject

The second phase of the project revolves around defining an explicit topic. During this phase, the students begin to structure, plan and reflect on their chosen topic in order to deal with their topic in a targeted manner. The methods and strategies used in this phase are text and reading strategies, the creation of mind maps and the handling of quotations .

Information search

The third phase of the project focuses on the selection and finding of suitable information sources. The students receive their information through various media (literature, print media, internet sources, films). Visits to the library are also planned. Depending on the author, this phase includes conducting expert interviews and creating a bibliography.

Expert work

In this phase, the focus is on creating and completing the expert work. For this purpose, the students are instructed by means of writing strategies to consider and apply the criteria for writing a scientific paper. The results developed up to this phase form the appendix to the expert work. Kaiser-Haas and Konrad only locate the processing of the expert interviews in this phase. The second of three parents' evenings belongs to this period of the project.

Expert lecture

Organization and structuring of the expert lecture and expert conference characterize the beginning of that project phase. Under supervision , the students learn appropriate methods of rhetoric which they can use when giving their own presentations . Accordingly, the creation of the presentation is located here. Before the final expert conference takes place, the students try out their presentation in a dress rehearsal. The expert conference concludes this phase. In addition to the lectures given by the students, they receive recognition in the form of a certificate.

Evaluation

In the final phase, the FFP is followed up with all participating and involved people. This is done both on an empirical level by means of written questionnaires and in a reflected manner by means of corresponding oral reflection rounds or written evaluation . The last of three parents' evenings takes place.

effectiveness

Through the FFP, pupils deal with their personal interests in a challenging way and are encouraged to try out processes of self-directed learning and to increase self-motivation through this. Within the individual project phases, the students assume their own responsibility for the overall process, in which, for example, they use the experiences of success resulting from these processes to consolidate the individual character of the students in the long term. There are empirical studies of the FFP which show which effects result from this. Participants in the project showed an increase in grades in German. Further positive effects emerged from tests of reading comprehension, learning strategies, resilience and performance. Surveys carried out long after the project was completed underline the longevity of the project's effectiveness. It was pointed out that the independence and self-confident handling of the participating students with their own work can be assessed as improved. The project offers students who show a refusal or reluctance within the school an opportunity to perceive and experience learning in a motivating context. Students who support the FFP test themselves to accompany and perceive students during an ongoing process and to face them on a basis of trust. For participating teachers, the importance of the project becomes clear in their attitude, which adapts to the situation. The teachers take on different functions for the students during the FFP. The FFP has an appreciative effect on the perception of diverse individual priorities.

literature

  • M. Kaiser-Haas: The Ford Funding Project. (FFP) A source for individual advancement and school development. In: news & science. Promotion of gifted students and research on gassing. Özbf. No. 22 / Issue 2, 2009 / ISSN  1992-8823
  • M. Kaiser-Haas, M. Konrad: The Ford Funding Project (FFP) - Example of a pedagogy of individual support Opportunity for teaching and school quality In: Individual support for multiple talents. Icbf talent research. Volume 12, Lit Verlag, Berlin 2012, pp. 301-325
  • M. Konrad: Demanding and promoting special talents - approaches to individualization at the Wilhelm-Hittorf-Gymnasium in Münster In: Individual support: developing talents - developing personality. Icbf talent research. Volume 7, Lit Verlag, Berlin 2008, pp. 205-221

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l Monika Kaiser-Haas: “The Ford Funding Project. (FFP) A source for individual support and school development. ”In:“ news & science. Promotion of gifted students and research on gassing. Özbf. “No. 22 / Issue 2, 2009 / ISSN  1992-8823
  2. ↑ a b “Ford Funding Project. Practical training for schools in North Rhine-Westphalia " Website of the state competence center for individual support. Retrieved November 20, 2018
  3. ↑ a b c d "Individual support - support for the gifted. Examples from practice ”Website of the International Center for Educational Research. Retrieved November 20, 2018
  4. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Monika Kaiser Haas & Monika Konrad: "The Ford Funding Project (FFP) - example of a pedagogy of individual support, an opportunity for teaching and school quality." In: “Individual promotion of multiple talents. Icbf Talent Research “Volume 12, Lit Verlag, Berlin 2012, pp. 301-325
  5. ↑ a b c d e f “Ford Funding Project.” Website of the International Center for Educational Research. Retrieved November 20, 2018
  6. ↑ a b "New project format: Ford-Förder-Projekt Plus." Website of the International Center for Educational Research. Retrieved November 20, 2018
  7. ↑ a b c d e f g h i "Individual support - gifted support. Examples from practice ” Website of the International Center for Educational Research. Retrieved November 20, 2018
  8. ↑ a b Monika Konrad: "Demanding and promoting special talents - approaches to individualization at the Wilhelm-Hittorf-Gymnasium in Münster" In: "Individual support: developing talents - developing personality. Icbf talent research. ”Volume 7, Lit Verlag, Berlin 2008, pp. 205–221