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Educ. 407-5
THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF IMPLEMENTATION:
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MEETING THE CHALLENGE OF EDUCATIONAL CHANGE
Instructor
Patricia Holbom, Project Office, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby,
B.C.
V5A 1S6
Telephone: 291-4770
Fax: ?
291-3203
Home: ?
469-0556
Seminar Dates and Locations
4:30 - 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise announced
Roberts Creek Elementary
September 13, 20, 27
October 11, 25
November 8, 22, 29
Purposes
Education 407-5 is a five-credit course that provides teachers with the opportunity to use their own
classrooms as laboratories for exploring, analyzing and evaluating the processes of implementation
and action inquiry. Theory and practice are linked through workshops, seminars and classroom
action inquiry projects. The course is operated on a pass/withdraw basis. No grades will be
assigned.
This specific course focuses on the implementation of new directions in education in British
Columbia. The purposes of the course are to help practising teachers and administrators:
a.
Understand the base of theory and research in curriculum, child development, language
learning and other fields from which current directions in education arise;
b.
Examine the beliefs, values and intentions reflected in current policy, program and curricular
documents;
c.
Explore the practical implications of new program and curriculum directions by becoming
familiar with a veriety of instructional and evaluation strategies that support a developmental
and learner-focussed approach to learning and teaching;
d.
Clarify personal beliefs about the teacher's role in programs that are based on a learner-
focussed approach;
e.
Be able to articulate a rationale for using a developmental, learner-focussed approach in the
classroom, supported with examples from current educational literature and classroom
practices.
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Course components
Workshops
The workshop component of the course will model a student-centered approach to instruction.
Activities will include examination
of-
* current B.C. policy, program and curricular documents;
* a developmental approach to teaching and learning based on current theory and research;
* learning as a constructive, generative and collaborative process;
* 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
for all students;
* strategies for assessing and evaluating pupils, teachers and educational programs;
* strategies for designing, implementing and evaluating a classroom-based action inqury
project.
Seminars
The seminar component of the course will provide a forum in which participants can support and
learn from one another as they compare 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.
Self-directed project
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.
Self-directed project guidelines
The action inquiry project provides an opportunity for you to focus on one aspect of your
professional growth, and to consciously and deliberately develop your classroom practices in that
area. The process of designing, implementing and evaluating the project is your major assignment
for Education 407.
Each participant will develop an individualized project plan with support from colleagues and the
instructor. The choice of focus area, goal and level of challenge is expected to vary from individual
to individual depending on background, previous experience and current situations.
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Choosing a focus area and a goal for the project
Perhaps the most difficult part of this assignment will be selecting the particular aspect of your
classroom program that you would most like to develop or change during the course. Some
questions to keep in mind when selecting your project focus are:
a.
Will I learn something new and worthwhile from the project?
b.
Will the project help me become a better facilitator of students' development in the focus
area?
c.
Is my focus area worthy of a significant investment of time and energy?
d.
Is my goal clear enough that I can identify specific practices I want to try?
e.
Is my project manageable within the time frame of the inservice course?
f.
Have I tried to anticipate problems that might arise during implementation and how I might
deal with them?
Developing a project plan
The project plan should include a list of the activities you will undertake and, where appropriate, a
timeline. Your plan may include background reading or research into instructional strategies as well
as a classroom implementation overview. It should also indicate what signs you will look for to
indicate that you have moved toward your goal. A format for your project plan will be provided by
the course instructor.
Setting up a support system
Although each teacher will engage in an individualized project, colleagues can provide invaluable
support in the form of encouragement, specific suggestions, empathy during times of challenge,
problem-solving ideas, and constructive feedback. As part of your plan you will be asked to
identify a small support group with whom you will regularly discuss the planning, implementation
and evaluation process.
Implementing the project
Your project plan provides a guide to direct your action inquiry efforts during the course.
However, you may find that as you try new practices, you need to make modifications in the plan
in response to unanticipated events along the way. It is expected that your plan may change during
implementation. Your reflective journal should document what actually happens during the
implementation phase, as well as your analysis of what you are learning from the experiences.
Your instructor will be available during class sessions to discuss your experiences, and your
support group will also help you deal with challenges you may encounter.
Monitoring the project
At the end of the course you will be asked to summarize what you have learned from the project.
You should be prepared to discuss its effects on your classroom practices and your students as
well as on your own learning. A well-kept reflective journal should provide much of the data for
your self-evaluation of the project.
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Preparing the portfolio
Your summary at the end of the course will take the form of a portfolio which represents what the
course experiences have meant for you in terms of learning and growth. The portfolio may consist
of a variety of carefully-selected items which represent your journey through the project or
illustrate some important aspects of your activities. The portfolio should also include a letter or
other document for the instructor which explains what the portfolio items represent and why you
have chosen them, and which summarizes your learning and growth.
