O1: Case Study Evaluation (and first publication) on Hindering and Facilitating F(A)ctors related to Blended Teaching and Learning
Led by EQI/DCU who are world-renowned experts in the field of School Evaluation, Case Study Research and Intercultural Studies; in preparation for this Output, a rapid literature review and survey of Hindering and Facilitating F(A)ctors related to remote Teaching and Learning was conducted between March and October 2020.
What was apparent was that although schools have put in place various mechanisms and supports to enhance either Face to Face (for the entire school) or remote learning (for the entire school) when it comes to the biggest challenge -that of providing a blended (Online and face to face) teaching and learning environment- issues abound.
The purpose of this Case output is to ascertain the Hindering and Facilitating F(A)ctors related to Blended Teaching and Learning (What has now become the only solution to keep schools open across Europe during the covid era)
This multi-modal case study of five schools per country, chosen from a pool of schools across the socio-economic divide will seek to elicit the experiences of all stakeholders( via interviews with Principals, Class teachers, Students, Parents and assessment biography) in relation to leadership, teaching and learning with blended teaching and digital learning ecosystems.
Description
Each partner seeks to enhance the understanding of the Hindering and Facilitating F(A)ctors related to Blended Teaching and Learning in their country/ region through the development of a series of case studies. Dublin City University and PDST/TIE in Ireland; The University of Ulster in Northern Ireland; the University of Cyprus in Cyprus; VisMedNet in Malta. A case study protocol will be developed in each of the project partner’s first language (English, Greek and Maltese). The description of the five cases, as a result of the analysis, will also be translated into the three languages that are part of this project team. This makes our results accessible to countries who do not frequently engage in English-speaking publications and reports. The outcome of the Case Study (together with outputs 1-5) will also be used for the development of the REBEL Training Module, Toolkit and MOOC.
Elements of Innovation
The creation of the case study is arguably unique in the field as it will enable, for the first time, an investigation of the strategies, beliefs, challenges, hindering and facilitating (F) actors and elements of practice to lead and ensure high-quality teaching and learning in a Blended Teaching and Learning environment. These case studies will provide the first in-depth analysis of the topic at an educational system level and will provide a rich and textured overview of actual practices within the case study schools. Elements of best practice will also be identified to support the creation of resources as part of the REBEL Framework, Toolkit, and training programme.
Expected Impact and Transferability Potential
The case studies will inform the project partners thoroughly on the state of affairs in their own educational system and of the other partner countries. The results will enable the identification of specific areas that are of particular interest and in a strong need for support. This will have a particular impact on the development of the REBEL Framework, toolkit, training programme and MOOC. It will also impact a broad range of stakeholders within the field of Blended Teaching and Learning, education studies; for example, policymakers, academics and practitioners. It will also challenge national and transnational support agencies to further consider the challenges and elements of best practice to lead teaching and learning in blended Teaching and Learning school environments.
Executive Summaries
O2: Co-Creation of an Evaluation Framework for Blended Teaching and Learning
This output involves the Co-Creation and development of an Evaluation/Quality Framework that can be used as an internal (Self) and External (Inspection) Framework to evaluate the quality of Blended Teaching and Learning in Schools. In preparation for this output, a rapid review of existing teacher competence frameworks was conducted to examine how the principles of blended intercultural learning are supported and embedded within these frameworks (See, for example, Roulston and Hunter 2020). The following frameworks were evaluated, UNESCO ICT CFT: DigCompEdu; ISTE Standards for Teachers (ISTE-ST) Framework; iNACOL Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework). It was found that although of extremely high quality (some of which were in part developed by REBEL partners) what was limiting related to that of evaluation criteria/competency standards that can be used by school staff and inspectors to ascertain the quality of teaching and learning as it relates to blended learning environments. There was also less emphasis on the educators and learners’ pedagogical competencies in the context of the project’s focus on teacher and learner social and cognitive presence in blended learning environments. To ascertain feedback on this review and by association, the central importance of creating evaluation/quality frameworks for Blended Teaching and Learning, the results were presented at (1) The Eurasian Educational Research Conference and (2) The Unesco Rcep Teaching and Learning Conference (See, for example, the following link: http://bit.do/fKycN). Thus the genesis for and preparation of this output. As such, this output aims to explore and create a practitioner Evaluation/Quality Framework that can be used to internally or externally evaluate the quality of Leadership, Teaching and Learning in blended learning environments.
Elements of Innovation
This is the first time that an evaluation framework of this kind for blended learning is co-creation with inspectors, teachers, school leaders and parents. The main objectives of this framework are:
- to lay a set of methodological and theoretical foundations for evaluating and leading blended teaching and learning that will result in improving integration/academic achievements of all students at the school
- to identify a set of indicators for evaluating the actual state of play in a school with regard to blended learning practices
- to establish a set of diagnostic indicators for school leaders and teachers to prevent integration problems and poor academic performance of students in blended learning
environments. - to define a set of competencies for school leaders and teachers to deal with these issues and, if appropriate, to better identify potential problems and compatibility profiles
- to establish a set of patterns for designing specific action plans and activities to lead teaching and learning in blended learning environments.
- to identify a set of assessing indicators for measuring the effectiveness of the leadership, teaching activities and strategies carried out.
Expected Impact and Transferability Potential
It is expected that the REBEL Evaluation Framework can be used by all schools in the partner countries to evaluate the extent to which blended learning practices are embedded in school life. The Framework will be developed as an instrument for schools own self-reflection on understandings and implementation of Blended Learning. The Framework will be co-created and constructed based on insights from the REBEL Case Studies, prior preparation and planning for the project (See Austin and Hunter, 2020, Roulston et al. 2020); Interviews with (Inspectors, School Leaders, Parents, Students and Teachers). The Framework will also be suitable for all levels of school Teaching and leadership and will be available online for easy and sustainable use and access
O3: Co-Creation and Development of a Toolkit to facilitate Blended Teaching and Learning in Schools
Based on results derived from Outputs 1 and 2, this output concerns the Co-Creation and Development of a Toolkit to facilitate Blended Teaching and Learning in Schools. CoOrdinated by PDST-TiE, within this, we will in collaboration with school personnel and students from the Case Study Schools, develop and Pilot a multilingual toolkit that will provide detailed guidelines and tools for school leaders, school inspectors/support agencies and teachers to engage with blended learning for intercultural education in schools.
PDST-TIE will coordinate the development and dissemination of the toolkit. Each partner will provide input, feedback and remedial actions for improvement of the toolkit. In collaboration with case study schools in their countries, they will pilot the toolkit to ascertain impact and areas, modifications required for improvements. The toolkit will also be
translated and subsequently available in each country’s native language. The toolkit will be piloted in each programme country (5 schools per country) to explore its relevance and ensure it is making a planned positive impact. Each partner will also provide feedback and remedial actions for improvement of the toolkit throughout its development.
Elements of Innovation
This output is innovative in not only providing a toolkit for the development of blended learning in schools but doing this in a way that takes account of cultural differences between schools and within schools. Using co-creation as the research development process, it will be the first time that the development of a blended learning toolkit has been created with teachers at the core of the design and piloting process.
By way of explanation, this new concept demands new approaches, new identities and new competencies therefore, a strong and sustainable toolkit ensures its effective implementation. To ensure high accessibility of the toolkit in all participating countries it will be available in three media: book, e-book and interactive resource. The findings of the pilot study of the innovative and comprehensive Toolkit will feed into the refinement of the Toolkit to facilitate blended learning.
Expected Impact
The toolkit will have an impact on blended learning in school networks. The toolkit being open access and available in many languages will impact the different participating countries.
Moreover, having the toolkit available in English, and other languages makes it highly relevant and useful for multiple stakeholders.
O4: Practitioner Training Programme to facilitate Blended Teaching and Learning in Schools
The case study analysis in the REBEL project, IO1, of the hindering and facilitating factors in the development of blended learning will be used to shape IO4, the practitioner training programme. Without prejudging the outcome of the work in IO1 which will run from April-October 2021, it is likely that the needs of teachers in implementing high quality blended learning will require a full appreciation of the hardware/software available to participants and a recognition that REBEL training fits in and is fully supported by national agencies responsible for education. The needs analysis will also take note of previous work carried out by Austin at Ulster University who has been a pioneer in the development of courses in blended learning for community cohesion in Northern Ireland (Hunter and Austin, 2020). This research noted, inter alia, that teachers often worked well when they were linked to a partner school to reduce the risk of isolation and to help teachers begin to think of themselves as being part of a community of inquiry. Consideration will also be given to the different needs of teachers working in STEM subjects compared to those in the Arts and Humanities.
Description and Target Groups
The practitioner training will be based on a common model designed to familiarise teachers with the tools they need for blended learning and to draw on insights of good practice to develop sound pedagogical plans which take account of social, cognitive and teacher presence. During the professional development days, teachers will be encouraged to draw up a 4-6 week plan of action in their schools to embed blended learning in one of their classes. At the end of that time, teachers will be brought back together to present insights from their experience to other members of their training cohort. This work will be coordinated by trainers in each country and a selection of reports from schools will be made available on the project website. The practitioner events will involve Dublin City University and PDST/TIE in Ireland; The University of Ulster in Northern Ireland; the University of Cyprus in Cyprus;
VisMedNet in Malta.
Elements of Innovation
No courses of this type, showing teachers how to use both synchronous and asynchronous tools to create digital content and a framework for interaction with pupils and students, exist at the moment. This training will be shaped by the different cultural and techno-specific school context in the 4 countries. The diversity of ICT infrastructure and support in the 4 countries means that the training will be adapted in ways that can then be disseminated at the end of the project.
Expected Impact and Transferability Potential
The primary impact is that teachers in primary and secondary schools, and tutors in Initial Teacher Education, will be able to implement high quality blended learning in their schools and colleges/Universities.
Through the use of the framework for evaluation of blended learning that they will experience in the project to assess their own work, they will have the means to continue working independently after the training period is over, using a common yardstick to measure the value of the blended learning. Teachers will be encouraged to continue their practice in blended learning through engagement with the EU’s eTwinning programme.
Activities:
O5: Co-Creation and Development of a MOOC (for Blended Teaching and Learning in Schools)
We will Co-Create and develop a multilingual MOOC with Case Study schools specifically geared towards those members who have not received training and/or are not involved in the day to day operations of school life (Parents and Management bodies) and how they can become involved in blended learning strategies in schools and in their respective organisations. Each partner will also provide feedback and remedial actions for improvement of the MOOC design and functionality. All partners will be involved in co-creating storyboard content for the MOOC. UCY will design and develop the technical plugins that will be installed and functioning on the MOOC. All partners will provide feedback and input.
The MOOC and its contents will also be translated and subsequently available in each country’s native language (English, Maltese and Greek). The MOOC will be piloted in each programme country of the consortium to explore its relevance and ensure it is making the planned positive impact. Each partner will also provide feedback and remedial actions for improvement of the MOOC.
Elements of Innovation
This highly innovative output, through the usage of state-of-the-art ICT technologies, explores the newest digital possibilities to disseminate the developed materials in an interactive way with the predefined audiences. Schools will benefit from this remote access technology to build their blended learning capacity. The MOOC will also ensure high accessibility in all participating countries and will avoid long-distance travel for training events. The findings of the pilot study of the innovative MOOC will feed into the refinement of the MOOC to facilitate the distributed evaluation and planning in schools. The newly developed MOOC will be tested for the first time in different project countries.
Expected Impact
The MOOC will have a huge impact on school leaders’ and inspectors’ QA practices. The nature of the MOOC, being accessible, open access, interactive, easy to use and available in many languages will impact the different participating countries. Moreover, having the MOOC available in English, etc makes it of high potential for the other EU member education systems. The pilot study of the MOOC is expected to contribute to the technical and design refinement and delivering of the final version of the MOOC in each main language of the project partner countries.
THE MOOC will be accessed through the project website. The coordinating partner will communicate with all partners to ensure that the website wireframe ensures that all key project areas, project objectives and background, partner country information, intellectual outputs, dissemination events are presented clearly in a user-centred manner for all stakeholders and visitors, schools, government and transnational agencies and support services. All partners will test the website and provide feedback on usability and content. To ensure maximum impact and transferability potential. partners will also translate core text, headings, etc. into their native language in order to ensure that the website is accessible to stakeholding groups in each partner country and throughout Europe.
O6: Project Evaluation
The purpose of this output is to provide an additional quality assurance check for the project group. It will be managed internally by the lead partner and will provide useful data regarding the processes, procedures and perceptions of the project team. It will also seek to get some data relating to external partners perceptions of the working of the project. The evaluation partner will also conduct a brief internal evaluation survey in months 6, 12, 18 and 24 specifically addressed at target group members.
Elements of Innovation
Whereas Quality Assurance initiatives were dominantly externally, this project will set off with an innovative and highly effective internal quality assurance protocol. Given the expertise of the project team on evaluation, there is access to cutting edge practice that will be applied to the operating activities of the project team.