Global Perspectives

2017 ◽  
pp. 89-105
Keyword(s):  
School Improvement ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
School Context ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Global Perspectives ◽  
Economic Issues ◽  
Campus Administrators ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Program Content ◽  
Ongoing Assessment

When looking to the future, leaders need to keep in mind that when dealing with change, challenges and opportunities continue to evolve. The dynamic ebb and flow of cultural, social, and economic issues play a role in the school context, which requires ongoing attention to pedagogy, technology, and content and knowledge. Predicted future collaborations and program content will focus on global competencies causing a shift toward campus administrators serving as lead learners with staff, and encouraging teachers to implement innovation in disciplined ways, while keeping an eye to ongoing assessment to meet school improvement needs. Time should be devoted to personalized professional learning through coaching and reflection incorporating voice and choice. Chapter 5, devoted to global perspectives, examines the state of personalized professional learning opportunities in varied contexts.

A Taxonomy of Instructional Learning Opportunities in Teachers’ Workgroup Conversations

2016 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilana Seidel Horn ◽  
Brette Garner ◽  
Britnie Delinger Kane ◽  
Jason Brasel
Keyword(s):  
School Districts ◽  
School Improvement ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teacher Collaboration ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Urban School Districts ◽  
Sampled Data ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Collective Work ◽  
Work Supports

Many school-improvement efforts include time for teacher collaboration, with the assumption that teachers’ collective work supports instructional improvement. However, not all collaboration equally supports learning that would support improvement. As a part of a 5-year study in two urban school districts, we collected video records of more than 100 mathematics teacher workgroup meetings in 16 different middle schools, selected as “best cases” of teacher collaboration. Building off of earlier discursive analyses of teachers’ collegial learning, we developed a taxonomy to describe how conversational processes differentially support teachers’ professional learning. We used the taxonomy to code our corpus, with each category signaling different learning opportunities. In this article, we present the taxonomy, illustrate the categories, and report the overall dearth of meetings with rich learning opportunities, even in this purposively sampled data set. This taxonomy provides a coding scheme for other researchers, as well as a map for workgroup facilitators aiming to deepen collaborative conversations.

(In)effective leadership? Exploring the interplay of challenges, goals and measures in the context of school improvement

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Susanne Böse ◽  
Stefan Brauckmann-Sajkiewicz
Keyword(s):  
School Improvement ◽  
School Effectiveness ◽  
School Quality ◽  
School Principals ◽  
School Context ◽  
Strategic Decision ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Government

PurposeThis study aims to explore the extent to which schools principals serving disadvantaged communities in Germany are able to set appropriate goals and choose suitable measures for improving their schools according to the specific challenges they face. The authors determine whether principals are able to identify their schools' challenges or whether they merely follow “universal recipes” of the school effectiveness research paradigm regardless of their particular school context. This effectiveness-driven accountability approach requires an in-depth evaluation of the school and its stakeholders and might lead to a new attitude toward failure that sees it as an essential part of developing effective school improvement plans.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted descriptive and correlative analyses as well as exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses using longitudinal data of 164 school principals. Through cross-sectional analyses, the authors investigated the connection among challenges, goals and measures and how they correlated with (self-reported) improvements.FindingsFrom a leadership perspective, priorities for school improvement should be aligned with the school-specific challenges they identify and the goals they set to address them.Research limitations/implicationsThe extent to which legislation concerning individual school quality development programs can translate into feasible and effective actions is unclear. Caution should be taken when interpreting the findings of this study, as they reflect school principals' self-selected evaluation measures and therefore might be biased.Practical implicationsIn future research, emphasis should be placed on school management processes, in particular, the development of strategic decision-making, structuring of target perspectives and derivation of steps in school improvement and instructional development. The authors recommend the government offer school principals appropriate and adequate training and support services to prevent them from overburdening their staff.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to a deeper understanding of processes concerning strategic leadership, as opposed to operative management, of schools by revealing context-sensitive considerations.

Navigating the tension between scale and school context in digital college guidance

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-310
Author(s):  
Zoe Corwin ◽  
Tattiya J. Maruco
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
First Generation ◽  
School Context ◽  
School Level ◽  
Digital Tools ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Equity Issues ◽  
Digital Equity ◽  
Digital Intervention ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to highlight the potential of digital tools to address the significant challenge of increasing access to college and outline challenges and opportunities in effectively implementing a digital intervention across an entire school. Design/methodology/approach The study encompasses a randomized control trial and comparative case studies. This paper highlights qualitative data focused on implementation. Findings Findings illustrate impediments and strategies for implementing a school-wide digital intervention. Research limitations/implications Research focused on one particular intervention and is thus limited in scope. Practical implications The study has the potential to assist practitioners in better serving students from low-income and minoritized communities through digital tools. Social implications The study has implications for increasing the number of first-generation and minoritized youth who apply to and enroll in college. The study highlights digital equity issues often overlooked in ed-tech sectors. Originality/value Few studies exist that examine the implementation of digital interventions at the school level. Focusing on digital equity in the college access space (academic and practice) is novel.

scholarly journals From peer review to collaborative peer enquiry: Action research for school improvement and leadership development

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 373-389
Author(s):  
David M. Godfrey
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Action Research ◽  
School Improvement ◽  
Peer Review ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Peer Reviews ◽  
Academic Knowledge ◽  
Critical Social Science ◽  
Type 3

School peer reviews are increasingly part of the evaluation and school improvement landscape for school leaders and teachers in a number of countries. This article describes the growth of peer review, particularly in England, and its emergence elsewhere (for example, Australia, across Europe and in Chile). While these approaches provide a useful form of professional and moral accountability, this article identifies ways in which they could go further to empower practitioners through the use of an enquiry approach, combining formal academic knowledge with practitioner knowledge and school-based data. The term collaborative peer enquiry (CPE) is suggested as a way to explore this potential. The article sets out a typology of action research as a form of professional learning (type 1), practical philosophy (type 2) or as a form of critical social science (type 3). Four examples are given of different peer review models, two of them CPE approaches, and these are analysed using the above typology. A distinction is made between some peer review models that mimic external inspections and err towards self-policing, and others that encourage open enquiry and learning. In particular, the CPE models show the potential as forms of type 2 and type 3 action research. The role of peer review and CPE in the accountability system, in leadership development, and challenges for these models are explored in the discussion.

scholarly journals A social-cognitive study of Indonesian Google educator groups

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Pratiwi Artati
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Educational Technology ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Technological Environment ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Education Groups

<p>Self-directed professional learning is distinct from the traditional approach of directed professional development. The introduction of the Internet into Indonesian society provides the opportunity for teachers to use digital tools for their teaching and to access professional learning without attending mandated professional development. An emerging phenomenon in Indonesia is the establishment and use of Google Education Groups (GEGs) for professional learning about the use of educational technology (ed-tech) in the schooling sector. Two research questions guided the examination of Indonesian educators’ experiences of GEGs: (1) how do Indonesian educators participate in the GEGs for ed-tech professional learning? and (2) how do the GEGs function to enable Indonesian educators’ ed-tech professional learning? Collective case study methodology was applied, and three Google Education Groups were examined, one from a metropolitan area, one from an urban area and the third from a rural context. In each case study, the leader of the group and three group members with varying levels of online engagement were interviewed and online forum conversations were examined. Data were analysed using Stake’s method of categorical aggregation leading to within-case assertions and cross-case analysis. A social cognitive perspective was used as a framework to analyse and interpret findings. It was found that the Indonesian educators had an agentic approach to professional learning, which was context-dependent with three major interrelated aspects: the regional-technological environment as context, the individuals as agentic learners, and the connectedness as social learners enabled meaningful learning experiences. The regional-technological environment influenced how the GEGs functioned. The Metropolitan group was innovative and collaborative, focusing on the use of web-based tools to improve productivity of ed-tech practices. The Urban group aimed to explore how they could use web-based tools to improve efficiency through paperless classroom practices and school administration. The Rural group sought to use of web-based tools for simple teaching and learning practices within a context of low bandwidth and limited ICT infrastructure. In addition, certain conditions that support online collaboration and factors that can minimise and optimise ed-tech learning opportunities are identified. Participants overcame limitations and constraints by enacting agency and developing social connectedness in learning through the groups. The group leadership positions were voluntary and found to be driven by a desire to share expertise and practices that support, inspire, and empower others rather than about gaining positional authority. Participation in online informal groups such as Google Education Groups appears to be a supportive method of professional learning that facilitates agentic and experiential learning about the use of educational technology in Indonesia. This model can enhance professional learning opportunities for Indonesian educators. It can also be implemented into the design of government-supported ed-tech PD programmes, to create an empowering and safe learning environment that can optimise their potential in learning and improve practice.</p>

scholarly journals Changing Dynamics of Governance after Pandemic Situation in Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Vol V (II) ◽  
pp. 87-95
Author(s):  
Fehmida Aslam ◽  
Bisharat Ali Lanjwani ◽  
Anwar ul Mustafa Shah
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Third World ◽  
Social Economic ◽  
Legal Issues ◽  
Global Village ◽  
Economic Issues ◽  
The Third ◽  
Technological Adoption ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
The Third World

The existing study aims to highlight the challenges and opportunities of e-government globally, especially in the third world nations, during this covid-19 situation. The miracle of globalization empowered the next generation with the adaptation of the scientific age to interconnect the whole world as a global village via online means. The current study presents the debate concerning the opportunities and challenges of e-government in developing countries like Pakistan and the situation of e-governance during and after covids-19. The major predicament relating to third world countries are associated with social, political and economic issues. Furthermore, this study also provides appropriate strategies to prevail over the obstacles, in order to meet these challenges which are to be faced any how to adopt eproject and make it successful. Thus it can be expected, that prevailing review will assist to understand the key difficulties related to technological adoption which belong to political, social, economic, infrastructural, and users' perspectives and legal issues in Pakistan. In this study, the challenges of e-governance and covid-19 have been focused with the technological usages and their positive implementation and development of e-projects.

Teacher Leadership

2015 ◽  
pp. 257-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Servet Özdemir ◽  
Ali Çağatay Kılınç
Keyword(s):  
School Improvement ◽  
Teacher Leadership ◽  
School Context ◽  
Important Variable ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Leadership Roles ◽  
The Past ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
The Relationship

This chapter focuses on teacher leadership, an important variable in the classroom and school improvement literature. The concept of teacher leadership has attracted increased attention in the past two decades. Teachers are assuming more responsibility for leadership roles and functions within schools. Despite the considerable amount of scholarly effort and time spent on investigating the teacher leadership concept, less is known about how it flourishes in the school context and how it relates to classroom and school improvement. Therefore, this chapter tries to shed some light on the teacher leadership concept and discusses its meaning, teacher leadership roles, factors influencing teacher leadership, the relationship between teacher leadership and classroom and school improvement, and future research areas on teacher leadership. Offering a framework for teacher leadership, this chapter is expected to contribute well to the guidance of further research on teacher leadership.

The Australian Curriculum

2015 ◽  
pp. 161-180
Author(s):  
Karyn Carson ◽  
Peter Walker
Keyword(s):  
Inclusive Education ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Diverse Learners ◽  
Comprehensive Assessment ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Australian Curriculum ◽  
Curriculum Assessment ◽  
Starting Point

A distinct synergy exists between pedagogy, curriculum, assessment, and reporting. The implementation of the new Australian Curriculum F-10 (henceforth abbreviated as “Australian Curriculum”) has provided both opportunities and challenges for ensuring that the needs of diverse learners are strongly addressed within inclusive education settings. This chapter illuminates specific issues related to the comprehensive assessment of diverse learners including national inconsistencies in the provision of accommodations, the use of the general capabilities as a starting point rather than a curriculum adjustment point, and the paucity of resources and professional learning opportunities supporting inclusive assessment practices. Recommendations are provided to demonstrate how educators can achieve effective student-centred assessment practices for diverse learners using the Australian Curriculum across and within different contexts.

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