NEW SOUTH WALES COUNCIL OF DEANS OF EDUCATION CONFERENCE SOUTHERN CROSS UNIVERSITY JUNE 10, 2014

1. NEW SOUTH WALES COUNCIL OF DEANS OF EDUCATION CONFERENCESOUTHERN CROSS UNIVERSITYJUNE 10, 2014 DARE TO DREAM

2. DARE TO DREAM • IN 1909, ABRAHAM FLEXNER WAS COMMISSIONED TO EVALUATE THE QUALITY OF MEDICAL EDUCATION IN NORTH AMERICA

3. DARE TO DREAM • FLEXNER FOUND: • MISSOURI’S 11 MEDICAL SCHOOLS HAD AN ADMISSION REQUIREMENT OF HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION. - ILLINOIS’S 14 MEDICAL SCHOOLS HAD A MINIMUM REQUIREMENT OF TWO YEARS OF COLLEGE. • MOST MEDICAL SCHOOLS WERE FOR-PROFIT ENTERPRISES PRODUCING A SURPLUS OF POORLY TRAINED PHYSICIANS. • JOHNS HOPKINS WAS THE “GOLD STANDARD” FOR A MEDICAL SCHOOL.

4. DARE TO DREAM • FLEXNER IDENTIFIED: • A SMALL NUMBER OF MEDICAL SCHOOLS THAT COMPARED FAVORABLY TO JOHNS HOPKINS. • MANY SCHOOLS THAT WERE SUBSTANDARD BUT CAPABLE OF BEING SALVAGED THROUGH SUFFICIENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO CORRECT THEIR DEFICIENCIES. • MANY SCHOOLS OF SUCH POOR QUALITY THAT THEY SHOULD BE CLOSED.

5. DARE TO DREAM • IN DEFENSE OF HIS GRADING OF MEDICAL SCHOOL QUALITY, FLEXNER STATED: “ANY STATE OF THE UNION, OR PROVINCE OF CANADA, IS BETTER OFF WITHOUT A MEDICAL SCHOOL, THAN WITH ONE CONDUCTED IN A COMMERCIAL SPIRIT AND BELOW A REASONABLE PLANE OF EFFICIENCY.”

6. DARE TO DREAM • FLEXNER WROTE: “EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ……. ARE PECULIARLY SENSITIVE TO OUTSIDE CRITICISM, AND PARTICULARLY TO ANY STATEMENT OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THEIR OWN CONDUCT OR EQUIPMENT WHICH SEEMS TO THEM UNFAVORABLE IN COMPARISON TO THAT OF OTHER INSTITUTIONS.” 100 YEARS LATER, WHAT IS THE STATE OF MEDICAL EDUCATION IN NORTH AMERICA?

7. DARE TO DREAM WHAT CRITERIA MIGHT BE EMPLOYED FOR THE EVALUATION OF SCHOOLS OF EDUCATION 100 YEARS AFTER FLEXNER? HOW WOULD OUR SCHOOLS IN CANADA AND AUSTRALIA FARE IN 2015? WHAT ARE SOME WORDS THAT COULD BE APPLIED TO AN ASSESSMENT OF THE QUALITY OF TEACHER EUCATION PROGRAMS IN, SAY, NSW AND ALBERTA?

8. DARE TO DREAM • IN USA IN 2012, OVER 1500 SCHOOLS OF EDUCATION. • IN FINLAND 8. • IN SINGAPORE 1. • IN CANADA 75?. • IN AUSTRALIA? 39?

9. DARE TO DREAM • ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS • COMPETITIVE ENTRY • ORIENTATION TO TEACHING COURSE • DEPTH OF SUBJECT DISCIPLINE KNOWLEDGE • PURPOSEFUL INTEGRATION OF PEDAGOGICAL KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE • PROGRESSIVELY MORE COMPLEX PRACTICA • PLANNED INDUCTION INTO THE TEACHING PROFESSION

10. DARE TO DREAM • WHAT DOES FINLAND SAY? EACH UNIVERSITY OFFERING TEACHER EDUCATION SHOULD HAVE AN UPDATED, COMPREHENSIVE TEACHER EDUCATION STRATEGY, COORDINATED AMONG THE UNIVERSITY’S VARIOUS UNITS, AND GUARANTEEING MOBILITY ACROSS INSTITUTIONS. THESE STRATEGIES SHOULD ALSO PUT A STRONG FOCUS ON ENHANCING THE UNIVERSITY’S ROLE IN PROVIDING INSERVICE TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS. PASI SAHLBERG, 2010

11. DARE TO DREAM • ANYTHING ELSE? IN FINLAND, TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS PREPARE TEACHERS IN CONTENT, PEDAGOGY, AND EDUCATIONAL THEORY [AND IN] THE CAPACITY TO DO THEIR OWN RESEARCH, WITH FIELDWORK THAT IS MONITORED BY EXPERT VETERANS. PASI SAHLBERG, 2010

12. DARE TO DREAM WHAT ABOUT LETHBRIDGE? VERY COMPETITIVE ENTRY ORIENTATION TO TEACHING

13. DARE TO DREAM WHAT ABOUT LETHBRIDGE? VERY COMPETITIVE ENTRY ORIENTATION TO TEACHING PROGRESSIVE PRACTICA

14. DARE TO DREAM WHAT ABOUT LETHBRIDGE? VERY COMPETITIVE ENTRY ORIENTATION TO TEACHING PROGRESSIVE PRACTICA TWO DEGREES CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE FIELD

15. DARE TO DREAM WHAT ABOUT LETHBRIDGE? VERY COMPETITIVE ENTRY ORIENTATION TO TEACHING PROGRESSIVE PRACTICA TWO DEGREES CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE FIELD STRONG TIES BETWEEN UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE PROGRAMS

16. DARE TO DREAM WHAT ABOUT LETHBRIDGE? VERY COMPETITIVE ENTRY ORIENTATION TO TEACHING PROGRESSIVE PRACTICA TWO DEGREES CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE FIELD STRONG TIES BETWEEN UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE PROGRAMS R&D PARTNERSHIPS (MINISTRY, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, COLLEGE OF ALBERTA SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS)

17. DARE TO DREAM • I WISH WE HAD: • GONE TO A SIX-YEAR PROGRAM 22 YEARS AGO WHEN WE HAD THE CHANCE • DONE MORE TO DEVELOP AND EXPAND OUR MENTOR TEACHER BASE • INTENSIFIED OUR WORK WITH THE FIELD • MADE EVERY M.ED. FINAL PROJECT A THESIS • ENSURED EVERY FACULTY MEMBER KNOWS AND AGREES UPON THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES THAT GUIDE OUR WORK • ENSURED EVERY FACULTY MEMBER HAS A SAY IN DETERMINING OUR FACULTY’S ANNUAL GOALS

18. DARE TO DREAM • I WISH WE HAD (CONTINUED): • MAINTAINED DEEPER AND STRONGER TIES WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION • BUILT AND MAINTAINED STRONGER NETWORKS WITH OUR GRADUATES • MAINTAINED CONTROL OVER OUR FACULTY BUDGET • MADE IT MANDATORY FOR ALL FACULTY MEMBERS TO BE INVOLVED IN RESEARCH ACTIVITIES IN OUR PROVINCIAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS • ENSURED THAT THE EVALUATION OF FACULTY TEACHING EFFECTIVENESS WAS ALWAYS BASED ON A GROWTH MODEL

19. DARE TO DREAM WHERE CAN WE IMPROVE? RESEARCH! RESEARCH! RESEARCH! PROMOTE MORE RIGOROUS STUDY OF PROGRAMS, STUDENTS, COLLEAGUES, RESULTS, SCHOOLS, DISTRICTS, AND SYSTEMS. SET A STANDARD FOR RESEARCH QUALITY THAT EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS FOR RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION IN ANY OTHER PART OF THE UNIVERSITY. COLLABORATION MAKE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION THE MOST ESSENTIAL PART OF THE WORK OF FACULTY – TEACHING, RESEARCH, WRITING, SERVICE AND SOCIALIZING. REWARDS BUILD A BETTER REWARD SYSTEM, ONE BASED ON THE REALITIES OF A PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL OF EDUCATION IN 2020.

20. DARE TO DREAM WHERE CAN WE IMPROVE? (CONTINUED): TEACHING! TEACHING! TEACHING! TEACHING! MAKE EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING THE STANDARD FOR ALL FACULTY MEMBERS HELP CREATE MORE (EXCITING, USEFUL, RELEVANT) TEXTS ON EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING CHAMPION TEACHING EXCELLENCE IN EVERY SCHOOL IN WHICH STUDENTS COMPLETE PRACTICA PROMOTE SUCH A RELENTLESS COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING THAT IT BECOMES INTEGRAL TO THE ETHOS OF THE FACULTY

21. DARE TO DREAM • LET ME SHARE ONE EXAMPLE OF OUR WORK WITH SCHOOLS • 1. CHINOOK’S EDGE SCHOOL DIVISION • 38 SCHOOLS, 630 TEACHERS, 11,000 STUDENTS • 3 DISTRICT OFFICE LEADERSHIP TEAMS • 2 UNIVERSITY RESEARCHERS • 8 SITE VISITS TO EVERY SCHOOL, EVERY YEAR • EVERY EMPLOYEE COMMITTED TO A GROWTH PLAN • EVERY SCHOOL COMMITTED TO AGREED UPON GOALS • ALL SECTIONS OF THE DISTRICT COMMITTED TO A PROFESSIONAL INQUIRY PROCESS • STRONGEST POSSIBLE FOCUS ON ALIGNMENT, COLLABORATION, AND EVIDENCE • MONTHLY MEETINGS TO MAINTAIN COMMITMENT AND FOCUS

22. DARE TO DREAM CHINOOK’S EDGE (CONTINUED) PROJECT FUNDING $750,000.00 FOR THREE YEARS (50% PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT; 50% CESD) UNIVERSITY RESEARCHERS ON SITE 28 DAYS PER YEAR EACH SCHOOL VISIT APPROX. 11/2 HOURS PER MONTH 4-5 SCHOOL VISITS PER TEAM PER DAY DURING EACH VISIT, EACH TEAM ANSWERS THE FOLLOWING THREE QUESTIONS: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE IN THE LAST FOUR WEEKS? WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM WHAT YOU HAVE DONE? WHAT WILL YOU DO IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS?

23. DARE TO DREAM THE FACULTY OF MY DREAMS MY IDEAL FACULTY OF EDUCATION WOULD BE THE FLAGSHIP FACULTY OF THE WHOLE UNIVERSITY. IT WOULD BE AN ENGINE FOR IMPROVEMENT FOR ALL THE SCHOOLS IN ITS REGION, AND A BEACON WORLD-WIDE FOR SUCCESS AND INNOVATION IN TEACHER EDUCATION. FACULTY MEMBERS WOULD BE KNOWN FOR THEIR SKILL, ENTHUSIASM, AND PASSION, AND THE STRENGTH OF THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE VARIOUS DISCIPLINES OF TEACHING AND LEARNING. THE ABILITY TO CREATE AND SUSTAIN POWERFUL PROFESSIONAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER EDUCATIONAL STAKEHOLDERS WOULD BE A HALLMARK OF THIS FACULTY’S WORK. THE GRADUATES OF THIS FACULTY WOULD BE RECOGNIZED AND SOUGHT AFTER FOR THEIR KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND PROFESSIONAL ATTRIBUTES.