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OECD Case Studies of Organizational ChangePreliminary findings from Canada

Alain BreuleuxAlain Breuleuxhttp://telelearning.mcgill.ca/OECD/http://telelearning.mcgill.ca/OECD/

TeleLearning Network of Centres of Excellence

Research team

York UniversityYork University• Ron OwstonRon Owston• Herb WidemanHerb Wideman• and collaboratorsand collaborators

McGill UniversityMcGill University• Alain BreuleuxAlain Breuleux• Ray Fitzsimons†Ray Fitzsimons†• and collaborators and collaborators

Funding from the Office of Learning Technology (OLT), HRDC, OttawaFunding from the Office of Learning Technology (OLT), HRDC, OttawaMs. Lucie Nobert, Ms. Murielle GagnonMs. Lucie Nobert, Ms. Murielle Gagnon

Coordination by the Counsel of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC) Coordination by the Counsel of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC) Ms. Monique Bélanger & Mr. Douglas HodgkinsonMs. Monique Bélanger & Mr. Douglas Hodgkinson

TeleLearning Network of Centres of Excellence

Methodology

• Site selectionSite selection– ICT has been for at least two years an important component

of a major improvement of the school as a learning organisation

– major, non-incremental changes that received national attention or cited as examples

– at least 60% of the teachers at a site should be regular users of ICT in their classrooms

• Nominations from Ministries of EducationNominations from Ministries of Education• Selection by Expert PanelSelection by Expert Panel

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Elementary Middle SecondaryProvince

French English French English French English

Total

Alberta 1 1 2

British Columbia 1 1

Manitoba 1 1

New Brunswick 1 1 2

Newfoundland 1 1

Nova Scotia 1 1

Ontario 2 1 1 4

Prince Edward Island 1 1

Quebec 1 1 2

Saskatchewan 1 1

Total 2 6 0 1 2 5 16

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CaseID

Pseudonym Context Level ofInstruction(age range)

Populationstudents/staff

CA01 Golden High School Suburban / middle to upperincome

7-OAC 1050 / 68

CA02 Mountview School Suburban / upper middle toupper income

K-8 443 / 32

CA03 Park Gardens Inner city / UrbanLow income

JK-6 420 / 24

CA04 Spencer Public School Inner city / Urban

Low income

JK-5 410 / 20

CA05 Dawson Urban. Upper middle-income 1-8 350 / 12

CA06 Lakeview RegionalSecondary School

Small town Senior 1-4 700 / 40

CA07 Fishbay Elementary Suburban. Middle income K-6 (4-12) 655 / 36

CA08 ƒcole Secondaire Saint-Thophile

Small town / rural 9-11 (15-17) 3000 / 175

CA09 Evergreen Elementary Rural 1-9 400 / 17

CA010 L'cole Nouvelle Baie Urban / Small town K-5 433 / 47

CA011 Westwinds College N/A (on-line & distanceeducation)

8-12 (&AdultEducation)

1000 (part-time)

CA012 Crocodile ValleySecondary School

Suburban 8-12 1050

CA013 L'Envol Suburban and rural combinedcatchment area

9-13 (13-19) 460/28

CA014 ƒcole primaire St-Vincent

Rural K-6 350 / 12

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Sample innovations from Canadian cases

• Grade 10 students in a computer course design and Grade 10 students in a computer course design and program non-violent computer games for young program non-violent computer games for young elementary students and field test their games in a elementary students and field test their games in a neighboring schoolneighboring school

• English Portfolio Web page: examples of Grade 7 English Portfolio Web page: examples of Grade 7 student work over the yearstudent work over the year

• Collaborative unit planning between teacher, Collaborative unit planning between teacher, librarian, and computer teacherlibrarian, and computer teacher

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Synthesis (1)

• Integration of ICT into daily curriculum activities is an Integration of ICT into daily curriculum activities is an important but challenging achievementimportant but challenging achievement

• Targets for ICT:Targets for ICT:– 21st century skills– Student motivation and engagement– Curriculum integration– Improved learning

• ICT creates incentives for:ICT creates incentives for:– collaboration amongst staff– connections between activities that are usually private and

isolated– connections with outside partners

TeleLearning Network of Centres of Excellence

Synthesis (2)

• Connection with community is an important aspect of Connection with community is an important aspect of ICT implementationICT implementation– equity for disadvantaged families– partnerships and knowledge networking

• One dedicated and supported person with One dedicated and supported person with competencies across boundaries of teaching and competencies across boundaries of teaching and technologytechnology

• A plan, vision, policy emerging from the teaching staff A plan, vision, policy emerging from the teaching staff or heavily influenced by itor heavily influenced by it

TeleLearning Network of Centres of Excellence

Synthesis (3)

• Timeframe for innovative ICT use at the organization Timeframe for innovative ICT use at the organization level has been short. It seems too early to see clear level has been short. It seems too early to see clear resultsresults

• Limited resources for monitoring and collecting Limited resources for monitoring and collecting evidence of achievement. Knowledge is tacit.evidence of achievement. Knowledge is tacit.

• Very caring approach to issues revealed by the case Very caring approach to issues revealed by the case studiesstudies

• Many in-school leaders mention a problematic relation Many in-school leaders mention a problematic relation with the school board:with the school board:– Policies and timelines going against local decision making and

local competence (e.g. wiring).

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Conditions for successful use of technology

Vision with support and proactive leadership from the Vision with support and proactive leadership from the education system education system

Educators skilled in the use of the technology for Educators skilled in the use of the technology for learning learning

Content standards and curriculum resourcesContent standards and curriculum resources Student-centered approaches to learningStudent-centered approaches to learning Assessment of the effectiveness of technology for Assessment of the effectiveness of technology for

learninglearning(Source:(Source:NETS Project http://cnets.iste.org/ ))

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Follow up

• Ensure that the case studies are available for Ensure that the case studies are available for practitioners and policy makerspractitioners and policy makers

• Maintain the process of interpretation openMaintain the process of interpretation open• Establish a process for disclosing case study dataEstablish a process for disclosing case study data• Interpretive community supported by web-based data Interpretive community supported by web-based data

sharing and interpretation toolssharing and interpretation tools