Developing More Effective Teachers

Creating More Effective Schools

Preparing Students for the 21st Century World

Washington StateOctober 22, 2010

Joyce Tapper-Benham

• Non-profit organization developed and based at the Harvard Graduate School of Education

• Founded in 1999 by HGSE Faculty--David Perkins and Martha Stone Wiske

• Served more than 20,000 educators since 2000

• 270+ institutional clients

• 100 countries, 6 Continents

Basic Facts

What Does WIDE World Do?

WIDE World builds learning communities of

teachers, coaches and school leaderswith structured

online courses and on-site programs that enable schools to cultivate the

critical skills that students need for the21st century world.

States must develop “standards that don’t simply measure whether students can fill in a bubble on a test but whether they possess 21st Century skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, entrepreneurship, and creativity.”

--President Obama March 2009 speech to the

Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

A Time for Change

What Capacities Do Students Need for the 21st Century World?

Problem SolvingProblem Solving

Collaboration

Collaboration

CreativityCreativity

Critical ThinkingCritical

Thinking

TeamworkTeamwork

InnovationInnovation

“Educating for the Unknown”

Teaching for Understanding

Generative TopicsGenerative Topics

Build the curriculum around important and accessible topics that interest students

Understanding GoalsUnderstanding Goals

Define explicit goals for student understanding and publicize them

Performances of UnderstandingPerformances of Understanding

On-going AssessmentOn-going Assessment

Offer multiple opportunities for students to perform in ways that develop and demonstrate their understanding

Assess student performance using public criteria tied to learning goals

Support reflective, collaborative learning communities

of teachers and leaders

The Teaching for Understanding Framework

Generative Topics

Performances of

Understanding

On-Going Assessment

UnderstandingGoals

The TfU Framework Serves as a…

• Model to promote meaningful student understanding;

• Structure for design of professional development;

• Foundation for leadership of learning organizations; and

• Shared language and coherent vision for improving communication and collaboration.

WIDE World Online Courses

Leading for Understanding

Data Wise

DifferentiatedInstruction

MultipleIntelligences Coach

Development (online and face-to-face)

Action Research

Math,Reading& WritingFocused

Teaching for Understanding

WIDE World Programs of Study

• Instructors design courses, select and

supervise Coaches and lead online learning

< Instructor

Boston,Massachusetts

Rochester, New York

St. Louis, MO

Brockton,MA

Namibia Singapore

Coaches >

< Online Study Group

People Learning Through Technology

Bangalore,India

Athens,Greece

• Coaches support learners, mediate discussions, and provide individualized feedback

• Coaches often recruited from among WIDE graduates

Hillsborough, FL

Washington State

Washington State

Birmingham, AL

What Happens in a WIDE World Course?

Read about ideas and examples

Discuss ideas with team and study group

Apply ideas in your classroom/school

Discuss that experience and results

Share feedback with coach and peers

Refine and continue the inquiry

= Job-embedded professional development in a professional learning community

Phase 3 Phase 4Phase 4Phase 4Phase 4Phase 1 Phase 2

Tailored Program for your District to Ensure Impact and Sustainability

• The collaboration continues with a new cohort…..

• The collaboration continues with a new cohort…..

WIDE World for School Improvement

Phase 3Phase 3Phase 3Phase 3

• Teachers and leaders go through Coach Development process (course and apprenticeship)

• District Leadership & WIDE World evaluate progress

• Teachers and leaders go through Coach Development process (course and apprenticeship)

• District Leadership & WIDE World evaluate progress

Phase 2Phase 2Phase 2Phase 2

• Teachers enroll in second teacher course; leaders enroll in a leadership course

• WIDE World nominates Online Coach candidates

• Teachers enroll in second teacher course; leaders enroll in a leadership course

• WIDE World nominates Online Coach candidates

Phase 1Phase 1Phase 1Phase 1

• Needs assessment/ program plan by WIDE World & district leaders

• Face to face “kickoff” workshop

• Initial group of teachers and leaders enroll in a course(s)

• Needs assessment/ program plan by WIDE World & district leaders

• Face to face “kickoff” workshop

• Initial group of teachers and leaders enroll in a course(s)

Reach and Impact

WIDE World Reach and Impact

Key U.S. Clients

Birmingham (AL) City SchoolsEast St. Louis (IL) School District

Hillsborough County (FL) Public SchoolsKentucky Department of Education

(and 70+ districts)Memphis (TN) City Schools

New York City Public Schools Orange County (FL) Public SchoolsThe School District of Philadelphia

Westbrook (ME) Public Schools

Evaluating Online Professional Learning

Participants’ Reactions• 83% course completion rates• 92% would recommend the course to a colleague

Participants’ Learning• 98% say their practice improved • EDC independent study showed participants apply theory to

practice

Teachers’ and Leaders’ Performance• teaching with students--focused on understanding• distributed leadership promotes learning for adults and

students

Impact• Student Performance: improved interest, understanding of

goals, confidence, and test scores• School Structure and Culture: shared vision and common

language for high quality instruction; from a culture of blame to a culture of shared responsibility

Orange County Public Schools, FL

2007 - Orange County Public Schools in Florida receives five year Teacher Incentive Fund Grant from the U.S. Department of Education– Focus: 10 lowest performing MS and HS– Goal: Student improvement– Results: OCPS reports to U.S. DOE:

• 4.9% FCAT increase in Math after Year 1; 8.1% in year 2

• 5.9% FCAT increase in Science after Year 1; 9.3% in year 2

• 16% increase in teacher retention from Year 1 to Year 2

• 86% of teachers see their students more engaged in learning

• 93% of Year 2 participants successfully completed their course

• 76% of Year 2 course completers receive TIF award

State Wide Implementation

WIDE World is working with the Kentucky Department of Education to foster systemic, wide scale improvements and realize the state’s goal of:

“High Quality Instruction. Every Day. In Every Classroom. For Every Child”

Kentucky Department of Education

“It wasn’t just about struggling schools, we were looking for improvement across all grade levels and all content areas. It wasn’t an intervention for a particular group or performance level, it was an intervention strategy for every kid.”

- Debbie Daniels, Director, Kentucky Cohesive Leadership Systems

New York City Public Schools

WIDE World is working with a selective group of New York City Public Schools to encourage teachers and leaders to be self-reflective, enrich their understanding of current educational research, and apply this new insight to their daily practice.

New York City Public Schools

“I want you to know how important (WIDE World) is to my school and to the kids. It is almost like hitting home runs. It is almost like winning the lottery. I believe right now with the help of Harvard and WIDE World online courses we are hitting home runs … and we are enjoying and loving it!”- Pat Quigley, Principal, Community School

61

Program Summary

Mission: To transform school systems by developing communities of teachers and school leaders to cultivate the critical learning students need for the 21st CenturyWIDE World is:

– Research Based– On-line– Job embedded– Team based with Coaching– Tailored for local impact– Global learning

Visit our website: http://wideworld.gse.harvard.edu

or call:

Patrick SchneiterClient Services Manager

617-496-9965

For More Information

Course Platform

zarowin *******

New Session Begins

Participants work on and submit the second set of assignments

Week 1

Week 2

Participants work on and submit the first set of assignments

A Typical Session Includes…

Reflection on the Previous SessionNew Content for the Current SessionAssignments

– Reading and Reflection– Project Development– Classroom/Practical Applications

The Learning Process

* Read about ideas and examples* Discuss and reflect on ideas* Develop projects that apply ideas* Apply ideas* Share application experiences and results with and receive feedback from coach and peers* Refine work and continue the inquiry