QIF Language Arts Pre-Service Teacher Education Development Programme

1. QIF Language Arts Pre-Service Teacher Education Development Programme Workshop 1 The New Meaning of Educational Change 6th December 2011

2. Introductions Join with colleagues from other universities and briefly introduce yourselves. In pairs, describe a learning activity or task that you do with your students that you think is effective and that the students enjoy. Explain what makes this a successful activity. Now take turns to introduce your colleague and the activity to another pair.

3. Teacher Education Strategy in Palestine A vision for teachers – a vision for change Commitment to their students and to educating all of their students. Possess general knowledge, subject knowledge, use a variety of teaching methods that respect students and make them active learners, to improve and develop life-skills including problem-solving and critical thinking. Responsible for monitoring and guiding their students’ learning. Think systematically about their practices, learn from their experiences and continue to develop professionally. Work with their colleagues as members of a community of learners.

4. What is change? Change involves: Systematic transformation of the education system; e.g. Vision of Teacher Education Strategy and Standards for New Teachers in Palestine; World Bank TEIP and QIF Projects; Structural change e.g. in organisation, policy, programmes, courses; Changes to the culture of the system and mentality of the stakeholders; Consideration of interconnections between diverse components of the system - in this context need to consider the interconnection between academic and teacher preparation programmes and practice in school

5. What is change? Discuss: Who are the stakeholders involved in and affected by change to the English Language Arts Programmes? Who do you think is the most important stakeholder and why?

6. What is change? “If reforms are to be successful, individuals and groups must find meaning concerning what should change as well as how to go about it” (Fullan, 2001 p.xi)

7. Dimensions of change Fullan (2007) suggests 3 key dimensions of change: New materials and resources New behaviours and practices New values, beliefs, attitudes and understandings Where do you think change is most needed to create quality English Language Arts programmes?

8. Dimensions of change Change in practice normally precedes the deeper change that may occur to values, beliefs and attitudes. This means that those involved in change need to make a commitment to taking on new behaviours and practices, without necessarily knowing whether they will be successful or not. The attempt to make new practices work can be threatening, frustrating and deskilling. Fullan (2007) calls this the “implementation dip.”

9. Dimensions of change External Domain External source of information, stimulus or support Domain of Practice Personal Domain Knowledge beliefs and attitudes Professional experimentation Salient outcomes Domain of Consequence Enactment Reflection The Change Environment The Interconnected Model of Teacher Professional Growth (Clarke & Hollingsworth, 2002:951)

10. Key Questions Teacher Education Curriculum To what extent and in what ways is the English language teacher education curriculum effective in preparing beginning teachers of English to realise the vision of the Teacher Education Strategy in Palestine? How can we make the English Language Teacher Education Curriculum more effective?

11. Pupils What do we want pupils to be able to do in English by the end of grade 10? Student teachers What knowledge, skills, values and attitudes do beginning English language teachers need to develop to be able to help pupils to achieve this? Teacher educators What knowledge, skills, values and attitudes do teacher educators need to be able to prepare student teachers to be able to support and teach their pupils English effectively? Key Questions

13. Strategies for introducing change and innovation (Kennedy 1987) 3 main strategy types Kennedy (1987), citing Chin and Benne (1970) identifies the following three main types of strategy for effecting changes in human systems: Power-coercive strategies Rational-empirical strategies Normative-re-educative strategies

14. Power-coercive strategies • Changes based on sanctions of some sort, which force people to change or act in a certain way • Top-down: imposed from above • Non-consultative

15. Power-coercive strategies: examples • Introduction of new school textbook, or curriculum, by Ministry of Education, with little or no consultation with the ultimate users, the teachers and the students • Peer observation scheme in University Department introduced by Head of Department or Dean as a means of staff development

16. Rational-empirical strategies • People are rational beings who will adopt change once they are shown evidence that it will benefit those whom it affects • Information, once viewed in a positive light, will be sufficient to bring about change. • Use of seminars, workshops, newsletters to diffuse information

17. Questions Kennedy (1987) identifies a number of shortcomings of each strategy. • What shortcomings do you think there are, from the point of view of promoting lasting change? • Are there are any strengths in either approach?

18. Normative-re-educative strategies • People act according to the values and attitudes prevalent in a given society or culture; • Accepting change may require changes to deep-seated beliefs and behaviour: change is inherently destabilising; • This necessitates a collaborative, problem-solving approach, with all those affected by change involved in some way.

19. Normative-re-educative strategies (cont.) • Dynamic potential: concerned not just with the adoption of a specific innovation, but with “the process of development that individuals experience as a result of involvement, and which can lead to a continuing interest in further change and development” (p. 164) “Changing the culture of institutions is the real agenda, not implementing single innovations .... when implementing particular innovations, we should pay attention to whether each institution, and the relationships among institutions and individuals is developing or not”. (Fullan 2007, 124)

20. Planning for change using a normative-re-educative strategy • Importance of collaboration and interaction with those implementing the change: “do not assume that your version of what the change should be is the one that should or could be implemented.” (Fullan 2007: 122) • Individuals need space to work out their own meanings of the change - often through reflective practice, e.g. of “trying it out”. • Be prepared for conflict and disagreement: these are both “inevitable” and fundamental to successful change” (Fullan 2007: 123). • Effective change takes time.

21. Creating conditions for successful change What are key conditions for successful change? Shared vision - Shared vision is more an outcome of a quality process than it is a precondition. Shared vision involves shared goals, shared knowledge, shared commitment and mutual respect Personal vision based on own values and beliefs Ownership Voice Inquiry oriented Initiative Collegiality Collaboration Support from others

22. Preparation for tomorrow Could each participant please bring one or two newspapers to the session. All will be revealed tomorrow!