Leading change for equity: Ethical use of evidence within, between - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Leading change for equity: Ethical use of evidence within, between & beyond schools

Dr Jess Harris The University of Newcastle SVA Bright Spots Schools Connection| November 19 2018

Presentation overview

• The education marketplace
• Using evidence in schools
• Challenges for inquiry
• Thinking fast, implementing slow
• Building a program logic for equity

The global education marketplace

• Quality and Equity as a GERM

(Sahlberg, 2011)

• Competition in the marketplace
• Questions of school choice
• A challenge to equity

Policy landscape

Schools reported being subject to increasing surveillance, monitoring, control and focused efforts to raise test scores. At the local level then - what can teachers and school leaders do?

Changing approaches in education research

• Engaging with views of different stakeholders
• Collaborating and networking
• Using current resources to improve practice
• Developing local capacity for sustained change

Using evidence in schools

Foundations

• Building on work from Greater Manchester

Challenge

• Collaborative Inquiry to improve equity

Study

• 2 universities:
• Queensland University of Technology
• University of Manchester
• Queensland Educational Leadership

Institute

• 6 Queensland schools

Practice

On-going school development Planning Acting Observing Reflecting Improvements in knowledge, practice and

• utcomes

Understanding

Research questions Contributions to knowledge Evidence Accounts & analysis

Multiple Links

Program Diagram

Green Point Secondary school

• School under pressure to improve

performance

• Long standing principal willing to

invest in the research process

• Substantial interest from disciplinary

teams, which reduced over time to extended collaborative research by

• ne team

Green Point

• Performance data used as a catalyst, but quickly

became a conversation between researchers and teachers in the English faculty.

• Teachers shared their “hunches” that students lacked

confidence in writing, and that their reluctance to write was impeding their learning and assessment results.

• A group of enthusiastic volunteer teachers worked

together to investigate further and trial different strategies to turn around student confidence.

An inquiry ry stance

• Teachers at Green point began to

talk about conducting surveys, collecting data, observing students, making notes… drawing

• n the language of inquiry

Collaborative inquiry ry

• opens up personal, professional and political dimensions

Planning Acting Observing Reflecting

Types of f information

Data

Perception data Achievement data Demographic data Teacher

• bservations

Program and faculty data

Periodic Assessment (e.g., for report cards) Ongoing in class assessment (e.g., project work, reading levels etc.) Standardised test results (NAPLAN, QCS etc) Achievement data specific to a program or faculty Interviews and focus groups Student, teacher and community surveys Observations of other teachers’ pedagogy Classroom observations of students Student, teacher, community demographics

The changing nature of inquiry

• Finding creative ways to use data for inquiry not accountability
• Building approaches that support equity
• Ethical leadership promotes leaders to consider justice, care & critique
• Balancing the long-term goals of teachers with the goals of education

bureaucrats and politicians

Outcomes for Green Point

• Year 9 (& Year 10) students reported higher levels of confidence in

their writing

• Teachers in the English department were engaged, enthusiastic,

dedicated to ongoing inquiry

• Despite engaging in collaborative inquiry for 12 months, NAPLAN

results did not improve

Raising the questions

• Is success a measure of improved

test results or increased engagement (of teachers & students)?

• What are the effects of competition

and accountability on students and schooling?

• How can we move beyond the ‘quick

fix’ to consider the needs of all students?

Slowing down for equity

Image from shutterstock – from The Conversation

• Adopting long term, local

perspectives

• Making time for sustained

conversations

• Allowing teachers to focus on

individuals, not accountability

• Taking an inquiry stance not

just responding to pressure

What is needed

• Collaborative inquiry –

between universities and schools

• Not just change but

sustained, critical inquiry of every step along the way, how our actions can change the outcomes.

Teachers attend workshop to learn how to conduct QTR in their school Teachers undertake QTR with school-based facilitators Improved Quality of Teaching Improved Student Outcomes Engagement, Academic, Equity Teachers having undertaken QTR facilitate QTR with colleagues in their schools Activities Ultimate goals (outcomes)

Building a program logic

Teachers attend workshop to learn how to conduct QTR in their school Teachers undertake QTR with school-based facilitators Enhanced capacity to lead colleagues in QTR and discussions about teaching Enhanced professional knowledge among teachers Improved teacher efficacy Improved well- being, morale and engagement among teachers Improved collaboration and support among teachers Enhanced professional identity among teachers Improved Quality of Teaching Improved Student Outcomes Engagement, Academic, Equity Teachers having undertaken QTR facilitate QTR with colleagues in their schools Activities Intermediate

• utcomes

(outputs) Ultimate goals (Outcomes)

Building evidence in program logic

Teachers attend workshop to learn how to conduct QTR in their schools Teachers undertake QTR with school-based facilitators Enhanced capacity to lead colleagues in refinement of teaching Enhanced professional knowledge among teachers Improved teacher efficacy Improved well- being, morale and engagement among teachers Improved collaboration and support among teachers Enhanced professional identity among teachers Improved Quality of Teaching Improved Student Outcomes Engagement, Academic, Equity Teachers are willing to develop and change their views / practice School leadership is willing to support teachers in developing their teaching practice Teachers want to collaborate and learn with peers Teachers follow the program with fidelity Teachers having undertaken QTR facilitate QTR with colleagues in their schools (ripple effect) Activities Intermediate

• utcomes

Ultimate goals Assumptions Teachers gain the necessary skills to conduct QTR

Identifying & Challenging Assumptions

Final thoughts

• “Every inquiry paradigm is anchored in some set of

assumptions about the fundamental character of the phenomena we seek to learn about.” (Bryk, 2014, p. 469)

• Invest in systematic learning about changes we

implement

• Move from the notion that something can work to

understanding whether and how it can be effective for your school

• Adopt an inquiry stance to examine evidence of

effects of change for all students

Dr Jess Harris

Teachers and Teaching Research Centre PhD Scholarships associated with the project Building Capacity for Quality Teaching in Australian schools now available. Contact jenny.gore@newcastle.edu.au

School of Education, Faculty of Education and Arts The University of Newcastle, Australia https://www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/jess-harris jess.harris@newcastle.edu.au Connect with us on Twitter! @jess_harris2 Email us at teachers-and-teaching@newcastle.edu.au

Thank you!