C

FIELD-BASED COURSEWORK FOR EDUCATORS

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Abbotsford, 1994-1995

This project is a collaborative venture of the Faculty. of Education at Simon Fraser

University and the Abbotsford School District. Its purpose is to engage educators in credit

coursework that focusses on the principles of British Columbia's current educational programs and

emerging educational practices. The coursework will be

offered

through Simon Fraser University,

spanning the period from September 1994 through April

1995.

All

activities will be held in the

Abbotsford School District

Fall 1994 ?

Special topics course: ? 3 credits ?

Educ. 386

Managing Educational Change

Spring 1995 ?

Theory and Practice of Implementation 5 credits

?

Educ. 407

PLEASE NOTE: The fall and spring portions are closely connected, and participants are

expected to register for both semesters.

The purposes of the coursework are to:

• Carefully study and become thoroughly familiar with current program and policy

documents provided by the Ministry of Education;

• Critically examine the theoretical and research foundations, educational beliefs, values and

intentions reflected in current program and curriculum documents;

• Study additional literature which examines the major theoretical underpinnings of current

program and policy directions;

• Identify emerging trends in school organization and instructional practices and evaluate

them in relation to current program and policy directions;

• Clarify personal beliefs about the teacher's role in relation to learner-focussed approaches;

• Identify and discuss personal goals or questions related to educational change;

• Select a focus, set a goal and develop a plan for a classroom- or school-based action

inquiry project

• Implement, monitor and evaluate the project and document learning.

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Project components

1.

Workshops

The workshop component of the course will provide participants with a theoretical framework for

classroom-based action inquiry, and a process for designing, implementing and evaluating their

own self-directed learning projects. Activities will include examination of-

* the Program frameworks, current policy documents, and other materials which support

them;

* a developmental approach to teaching and learning based on current theory and research;

* principles and criteria for educational decision-making based on a learner-focussed

educational philosophy;

* strategies for creating learner-focussed environments;

* strategies for selecting, organizing and implementing appropriate instructional approaches;

* strategies for assessing and evaluating pupils, teachers and educational programs;

* strategies for designing, implementing and evaluating a classroom-based action inquiry

project.

2. Seminars

The seminar component will provide a forum in which participants can support and learn

from one another as they compare their experiences in managing educational change through their

self-directed learning projects. Seminars will provide opportunities for participants to reflect on

their personal knowledge of children, teaching and learning, and how these change through the

processes of action inquiry and reflective analysis.

3.

Classroom Action Inquiry Projects

The classroom component of this course will involve the design and implementation of a

project in which participants investigate the use of specific practices that are congruent with current

educational policies and programs. A format for project design will be provided.

Participants will be asked to document and evaluate changes in their understanding and

teaching practices throughout the semester. Evaluation for university credit will be based primarily

on a portfolio submitted at the end of the coursework which represents the participant's work and

evaluates their learning.

4. Peer Support

Participants will be asked to identify a small support group to provide one another with

peer consultation and coaching throughout their action inquiry projects. Time for support group

discussion will be provided during seminars. Suggestions for forming a support group will be

provided by the instructor. Participants are encouraged to attend the course in small school-based

or interest-based groups to facilitate peer support.

University grading procedures

This aspect of the coursework will be discussed at the first session.

Wednesday afternoons, 4:30 - 7:30 weekly, beginning September 21.