Improving students’ learning environment by using teacher assistants

1. . Presentation Frans Ørsted Andersen Skoleforskning/ DPU / Aarhus Univeristet Improving students’ learning environment by using teacher assistants

2. Frans Ørsted Andersen.TA evaluation Content 1. Introduction to the TA field 2.Publications and reports 3.Finnish TA practice and experience 4.Evaluation of the Danish TA experiments 5. Theoretical and practical approaches 6. Discussion

3. Frans Ørsted Andersen.TA evaluation Publications Danish websites: www.uvm.dkwww.skolestyrelsen.dk og www.lærerassistent.dk with evaluation reports 2. Andersen, FØ & Højfeldt, G.: Undervisningsassistenter. Hvad? Hvorfor? Hvem? Hvordan.? Hans Reitzel, 2012 3. Alborz et al. (2009). The impact of adult support staff on pupils London: Social Science Research Unit. 4. Andersen, F.Ø. (2010). Danish and Finnish PISA results in a comparative, qualitative perspective. In Educational Assessment and Evaluation, 22, 159-175. Springer Science 5. Saloviita, T. & Takala, M. (2010). Frequency of co-teaching in different teacher categories. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 25, 4, 389-396. Routledge Group.

4. WhyTA’s? Frans Ørsted Andersen.TA evaluation Teacher work is seen as increasingly complicated and demandig due to e.g.: More regulation and evaluation from public authorities and parents Growing use of and demnad for digital AV / IT teaching technology More demands for inclusion of pupils with learning difficulties Growing number of pupils with an immigrant background

5. The new Danish and Norwegian TA arrangements inspired by the Finnishexperience • The use of TA’s in Finland can be seen as a part of the ”Finnish Miracle of Education”. • The Finnish TA is by definition a flexible and practical assistant that teachers increasingly rely on in an ever growing amount of tasks. Frans Ørsted Andersen.TA evaluation

6. In Finland: Practical assistance in the classroom • Pracitical assistance with: • … setting up smart boards, tablets, pc’s etc • … solvingconflicts in the classroom • … substituteteaching • ….handling breaks and excoursions • …. Homework cafes • ….. Speciale needseducation • seems to be more and more necessary for teachers Frans Ørsted Andersen.TA evaluation

7. Official evalutionl of two year 2010-12 Danish TA experiemnt conducted by Rambøll Management, University of Aarhus and VIA University College on behalf of Danish Ministry of Education. Frans Ørsted Andersen.TA evaluation

8. The Danish twoyearexperiment and itsevaluation • All participating 25 municipalities and their approx 100 schools evaluated • Surveys to all participating teachers and principals • LRS and WBRS to all participating pupils • Case studies with interviews at 5 municipalites. Frans Ørsted Andersen.TA evaluation

9. Overall results of twoyears of evaluation in 25 Danish municipalities and around 100 Danishs schools: surprisingly positive in spite of massive resistance from DLF (Danish teachers’ Union) Bothschoolleaders, teachers, TA’s, pupils, parents and consultantsareoverwhelmingly positive Clear positive effects on pupils’ wellbeing and learning, both speciale needs pupil and ”normal” kids. Clear positive effects on teacherwellbeing and feeling of professional competence Results of the evaluation Frans Ørsted Andersen.TA evaluation

10. Full evaluationreport • To be found at www.uvm.dk , Danish Ministry of Education (Ministeriet for børn og undervisning). Frans Ørsted Andersen.TA evaluation

11. Three types of (Danish) Ta’s • 1. Teacher Training College students who prolong their studies with one or more years. • 2. Pedagogues (infant and preschool staff) • 3. Un-skilled staff (”club workers”). • Evaluation show now significant differences between teachers’ perception of the three types. Judgement of TA’s depend on TA personal profile,not on formal background. Frans Ørsted Andersen.TA evaluation

12. Official theoreticalapproaches • TA’s seen as a way of mediating teachers’ teaching to pupils’ leanring through personal contact and relations. • Mediated learning: Vygotsky, Hundeide, Tzuriel. • ”From Dianostical Practice to Identification of Ressources” Frans Ørsted Andersen.TA evaluation

13. Examples of practice: Odense • TA’sgenallyused in: • Large and difficultclasses • Periods with cross-curricularprojects • science education (”Natur og teknik”) • In art classes • Excoursios and breaks Frans Ørsted Andersen.TA evaluation

14. Example of TA workschedule: NB almostfull 37 hours at school /with pupils Frans Ørsted Andersen.TA evaluation

15. Discussion • Whatare the negative sides to usingTA’s? • How should the paradox of overwhelming support for TA-use by teacherswhoactuallyareinvolved and heavy resistance from Teachers’ Unions beseen? • Can the use of TA’sbeseen as a way of cutting public spending on schools? Frans Ørsted Andersen.TA evaluation

16. Whatnow? • Negotiations right now in Danish Parliament about new school legislation. The TA arrangement may move from ”experiment” to ”permanent”. Frans Ørsted Andersen.TA evaluation