jeromedelisle.org

Aim/Goal

To enhance insight into the nature, practice, and implementation of site-based school improvement projects and large scale school improvement reform initiatives using current theory and practice. 

 

Learning Outcomes

At the end of the course the course, the participants will be able to:

 

(a)    Describe the practice of site-based school improvement.

(b)   Analyze the education reform trajectory in Trinidad and Tobago

(c)    Apply basic principles from the literature for the successful implementation of large scale system and school change

(d)   Plan school improvement at the school, district, or system levels

(e)    Analyze and critique plans for improving schools, districts and systems

(f)    Exercise leadership in school and system improvement

 

Course Content

1)    The history of school effectiveness and school improvement

(a)    The school effects movement

(b)   Early school effectiveness research

(c)    The refinement and expansion of school effectiveness studies

(d)   From school effectiveness to school improvement

(e)    School effectiveness and school improvement in the South

(f)    An evolving methodology-Educational Effectiveness Research

 

2)     Education Change in Developing Countries

 

(a)    Understanding the processes of education transfer and translation

(b)   The role of the state-The disputed role of funding agencies

(c)    History of education change in Trinidad-Social and historical forces, challenges and successful changes

(d)   The future of education reform in the Caribbean-Towards International Benchmarking and greater South-South Cooperation

 

3)    Improving Schools and Classrooms

 

(a)    Early approaches to school improvement practice

(b)   A framework for school improvement practice - culture, processes, and outcomes

(c)    A framework for improving classroom practice-New work from the OECD

(i)     Learning environments that foster innovation

(ii)    Paying attention to teaching and learning

(d)  School Turnaround-Theory & Practice

(e) Current best practices in school and  classroom improvement

(i) What Works?

(ii)  What works where-Context Matters?

(iii)  Strategies for fostering change

 

4)    Transforming School Systems

 

(a)    Large scale change-principles

(b)   Large scale change-Case studies and best practice

(i)     Comprehensive School Reform in the US

(ii)   Changing schools on the edge (schools facing challenging circumstances)

(c)    Leadership & policy for system change

(i)      Sustainable leadership

(ii)      OECD equity policy

(iii)     International Benchmarking in Education

(d)   Examining large scale change within the Caribbean-Selected Case Studies

(i)     Jamaica

(ii)     Trinidad

(iii)     OECS



Course Calendar

 

Week	Topics	Assessment/ Activity/ Modality
1.	Introduction and overview of course	Explanation, Discussion, Questions, Exploring Expectations
2.	The history of school effectiveness and school improvement: The School Effectiveness Movement	Online Lecture/ Discussion
3.	The history of school effectiveness and school improvement: 1)       School Improvement 2)       School Effectiveness in the global  South 3)       Educational Effectiveness Research-Emerging practices	Face to Face Lecture/ Discussion
4.	Education Reform in Developing Countries Survey of the field of education change within developing / non-OECD countries focusing upon policy transfer and implementation	Face to Face Lecture/ Discussion
5.	Education Reform in Trinidad and Tobago 1)       Analysis of the trajectory of education policy reform in Trinidad and Tobago 2)       Analysis of large scale education data for patterns	Face to Face Lecture/ Discussion
6.	Improving Schools and Classrooms: 1)       Introduction and Framework 2)       Consideration of emerging frameworks in teaching-learning and assessment systems from the OECD	Face to Face Lecture/ Discussion
7.	Improving Schools: 1)       Discussion of what works and what works where? 2)       Identification of specific site-based interventions (such as PLCs) that leads to educational effectiveness in various settings	Workshop/Discussion
8.	Improving Classrooms: 1)       What works and what works where 2)       Identification of specific classroom interventions (such as formative assessment) that leads to higher student achievement in various settings	Online Lecture/Discussion
9.	System Transformation: Principles Identifies policy levers for change	Lecture/Discussion
10.	System Transformation: International Case Studies Involves a study of high performing systems using both readings, data and video	Workshop/Discussion
11.	System Transformation: 1)       Selected Caribbean Case Studies 2)       Jamaica ROSE programme 3)       OECS Education Reform 4)       Trinidad and Tobago SEMP and seamless reform	Online Discussion
12.	System Transformation: Support for Assignment	Face to Face Tutorial
13.	System Transformation: Support for Assignment	Online Tutorial
		Assignment Due