Pln lessons from ea necdc
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The document discusses professional learning networks (PLNs) in East Africa that were established by the Aga Khan Academy in Mombasa, Kenya. It provides an overview of the goals, activities, impacts and sustainability challenges of the PLNs. Key points include: - The PLNs aimed to build professional networks for ongoing learning and improvement in teaching and leadership. - Activities included monthly cluster meetings for problem-solving discussions and sharing experiences. - Impacts on teachers included enhanced classroom practices and professionalism, while head teachers improved leadership skills. - Challenges to sustainability included maintaining participation amid workloads and ensuring adequate resources and benefits.
Pln lessons from ea necdc
- 1. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada Professional Learning Networks in Action: Lessons from East Africa NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON STRENGTHENING THE ECD LANDSCAPE IN UGANDA Early Childhood Development (ECD) and Systems Strengthening: Challenges and Opportunities
- 2. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada PROFESSIONAL LEARNING NETWORKS IN ACTION: LESSONS FROM EAST AFRICA Ontario Institute for Studies in Ed. • Dr. Stephen Anderson • Dr. Mary Drinkwater • Dr. Caroline Manion • Mr. Wesley Galt Aga Khan Academy (Mombasa) • Dr. Maina WaGíokò • Ms. Rose Iminza • Mr. Enos Kiforo • Mr. Howard Omukami • Mr. Isaiah Njagi • Rupen Chande (Project Advisor)
- 3. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada Graduation after 1 year/378 hr. certificate course Executive Meeting Cluster meeting Monthly Meeting Annual PLN Confere nce
- 4. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada AGA KHAN ACADEMY, MOMBASA, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTRE (AKAM-PDC) 4 Certificate in-service programs for • Head teachers (Mombasa & Kwale) • English primary school teachers (Mombasa) • Mathematics primary school teachers (Mombasa) Professional Associations of program alumni (Professional Learning Networks-PLNs) • Mombasa Education Leaders Association (MELA) • Kwale Education Leaders Group (KELG) • English Language Teachers Association (ELTA) • Mathematics Teachers Association (MTA)
- 5. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada 5 Professional Learning Networks Design and Purpose inter-school communication and collaborative activities among teachers and school leaders support and improve continuous professional learning and school improvement Four fundamental challenges to continuous professional learningmotivation and sustainability supporting implementation into skillful practice;adapting external knowledge to local contexts; and, mobilizing local practical knowledge.
- 6. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada PROFESSIONAL LEARNING NETWORKS (MOMBASA & KWALE) 6 • support ongoing interventions and improvements in teaching and learning and in leadership for the cooperating schools. Purpose: • associations, school clusters (10-15), monthly cluster meetings, monthly PLN association meetings, Executive Committee, annual conference Organizational structure: • PLN heads & secretaries, cluster heads & secretaries, Cross-PLN Executive Committee Governance: • AKAM outreach program alumni, voluntaryMembership: • AKAM “advisors”, funding for transport and “tea” to cluster & PLN meetings, material resources, venue External support:
- 7. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada THE RESEARCH: PROFESSIONAL LEARNING NETWORKS IN ACTION* • What activities do teachers and head teachers participating in PLNs engage in? • How do the leadership, management and support for implementation of teacher and head teacher PLNs influence network activities and participant outcomes? • What impact do the activities of teacher and head teacher PLNs have on growth in participant’s professional expertise and sense of professionalism? • What interventions associated with the activities of PLNs do participating head teachers and teachers enact in their home schools, and with what impact? • What policy, organizational and contextual issues and factors influence the implementation and sustainability of inter-school PLNs? *Funded by Government Affairs Canada and Aga Khan Foundation Canada 7
- 8. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada 8
- 9. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada RESEARCH DESIGN • Multi-methods research design 9 • Three two week site visits (March, July, September 2016) Data collection • PLN cluster and association records (attendance, meeting minutes, plans, reports) Documents: • PLN cluster meetings, monthly meetings, annual conference activities • Classroom observation of trained/untrained English and math teachers Observation: • Cluster members & leaders; PLN leaders; AKAM-PDC staff • External stakeholders Personal interviews: • Teacher and school leader networks • PLN Executive Focus groups:
- 10. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada SELECTED CROSS-PLN FINDINGS PLN Goals PLN Activity Professional Impact Sustainability Recommendations 10
- 11. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada PLN GOALS: PARTICIPANT PERSPECTIVES 11 Build a professional network of learning and support Build and apply professional knowledge and skills Support change and improvement in student learning
- 12. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada PLN ACTIVITY • Activities (All PLNs) • Agenda setting • Review & follow-up minutes • Identifying & sharing problems/challenges • Problem-solving discussions • Sharing experiences • Workshop/event planning & implementation 12
- 13. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada PLN ACTIVITY TOPICS Teacher PLNs Head Teacher PLNs • Teaching & learning practices & challenges • Classroom management • English language teaching & use (ELTA) • Learning materials development & use • Government policy initiatives • Outreach activities • Management & leadership practices • Academic performance (student, school) • Examinations • Government policy initiatives • English language teaching & use • Outreach activities • School facilities 13
- 14. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada PLN PROFESSIONAL IMPACT: TEACHER OUTCOMES 14 Impact on classroom practices • More student centered and activity-based (small group work, learning materials, etc.) • Response to student misunderstanding & misbehavior • More complete lesson planning and preparation • More differentiated instruction (a continuing challenge) Impact on professionalism • Teacher confidence (professional knowledge & skills, professional communication) • Norms of professional collaboration • Commitment to teaching and ongoing professional learning
- 15. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada PLN PROFESSIONAL IMPACT: HEAD TEACHER OUTCOMES 15 Impact on school management & leadership practices • School management practices (time management, staff meetings, scheduling, etc.) • Instructional leadership practices (supervising curriculum & teaching, teacher development) • Parent relations & involvement • Strategic planning and action research • Confidence in school management Impact on professionalism • Confidence in school management • Confidence in leadership for school improvement & teacher development • Career commitment • Commitment to ongoing professional learning
- 16. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada PLN SCHOOL CONTEXT AND EFFECTS 16 Head teacher support • Approval & permission for teacher participation in PLN activities • Providing resources to enact PLN activities • Encouraging teachers to practice new instructional methods • Facilitating collaboration between PLN teachers and peersStudent effects (including but not limited PLN teacher classrooms) • Student learning behaviors (active learning, group work, materials use, peer tutoring, student voice) • Student engagement (enjoyment, interest, participation, discipline, attendance) • Student performance (mean scores, English language proficiency)
- 17. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada PLN SUSTAINABILITY • AKAM-PDC support • Pressure & support (encouragement) • Resources (funding, space, materials) • Facilitation (training, mentoring, conflict resolution, annual conference) • Monitoring & evaluation (recordkeeping, reports) • PLN capacity • Ownership (motivation, commitment) • Leadership (governance, succession, conflict resolution, recordkeeping) • Confidence (efficacy, empowerment) • Resources (funding, space, materials) • Outreach (non-members, other schools) 17
- 18. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada PLN SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES 18 Participation (membership attendance) Resource (funding) Workload competing priorities and responsibilities Benefits (personal, economic, professiona School system linkages •Alignment & recognition of PLN membership & activity with professional development policies •Integration & cooperation with other school system organizations (gov’t, professional)
- 19. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada GENDER MATTERS 19 Demographic reality & PLN membership Engagement & interaction in PLN activities (cluster and monthly meetings) PLN governance Topical focuses of PLN activity
- 20. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada REFLECTIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS 20 Professional Learning 1. Deepening teacher learning and expertise 2. Strengthening the bias for action towards learning 3. Balancing learning of innovative practices with improvement in traditional practices 4. How to support more action research on a wide scale basis
- 21. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada REFLECTIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS 21 Network Leadership and Organization 5. Banking and mobilizing knowledge about what works 6. Strengthening the professional learning potential of outreach activities
- 22. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada REFLECTIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS 22 Knowledge Mobilization 7. Investing in network ‘system leadership’ training 8.School networks as an alternative to individual networks.
- 23. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada REFLECTIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS 23 Integration with the School System 9. School system recognition and reward for PLN participation 10. Expanding membership in the PLNs 11. Partnering with the education system 12. Strengthening professional community in schools.
- 24. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada REACTIONS TO RECOMMENDATIONS 24 PLN’s Flexibility Recognition MoE engagement Re-Branding Reaother Teacher association Collaboration
- 25. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada REACTIONS TO RECOMMENDATIONS 25 Stakeholder’s Roles Overlap Networking Collaboration Teaching portfolio Peer mentoring Connect with Existing teacher association
- 26. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada REACTIONS TO RECOMMENDATIONS 26 PLN/Stakeholder’s Networking Collaboration Connect with Existing teacher association
- 27. © 2014 Aga Khan Foundation Canada 27 Webale Osiibye otya nno
Editor's Notes
- #25: Need for creation of ‘flex’ policies, related to teacher professional development by the Ministry and recognition of the role of PLNs by the ministry. recognition of high time expectations for teachers (multiple and overlapping activities, often extending in the weekends More involvement by Ministry personnel with AKAM-PLES program; should be reaching out to AKAM to include strong PLN members in capacity building workshops. Care in branding programs -taking knowledge in isolation….and not within the system context The networks should extend between AKAM-PLNs and MoE and TSC to add value. TSC to connect and showcase some of the skills and knowledge that these PLN teachers have. Increased collaboration and networking between the AKAM-PDC and PLNs and the different stakeholders will help all parties know what the others are doing and help to reduce some of the ‘overlapping activities’ challenges.
- #26: TSC and MoE could discuss proposals to network more in their overlapping roles of support of teacher/student learning outcomes through the networks. Need to extend the network between the PLNs and the Field Officers (MoE and TSC) to help understand PLN activities and hence areas of support required. PDC, MOE and TSC officials to creation develop support and assessment tools collaboratively PLN members to develop portfolios in the to encourage teachers to continue collecting ongoing evidence of professional learning and that there should be some form of recognition by MoE/TSC as they move forward for promotion. That the trained Ts and HTs from the PLNs could be used to help train others; KNUT to actively partner with KEPSHA in promoting the network and their activities.
- #27: TSC and MoE could discuss proposals to network more in their overlapping roles of support of teacher/student learning outcomes through the networks. Need to extend the network between the PLNs and the Field Officers (MoE and TSC) to help understand PLN activities and hence areas of support required. PDC, MOE and TSC officials to creation develop support and assessment tools collaboratively PLN members to develop portfolios in the to encourage teachers to continue collecting ongoing evidence of professional learning and that there should be some form of recognition by MoE/TSC as they move forward for promotion. That the trained Ts and HTs from the PLNs could be used to help train others; KNUT to actively partner with KEPSHA in promoting the network and their activities.