FORWARD THINKING ABOUT CHANGE AND IMPROVEMENT

"Forward Thinking about Change and Improvement: A Collaborative Approach"

Acknowledgement

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible. A special thanks is also forwarded to all those schools, management and faculty who have allowed to carry on with the research in their prestigious institutions.

Abstract

In this study we try to explore the concept of “School improvement” in a holistic context. The main focus of the research is on “School improvement” and its relation with “management students and teachers”. The research also analyzes many aspects of “School improvement” and tries to gauge its effect on “management students and teachers”. Finally the research describes various factors which are responsible for “School improvement” and tries to describe the overall effect of “School improvement” on “management students and teachers.” The paper presents an extended knowledge of professional development school impact, in particular Primary school partnerships, upon student achievement. Specifically, the paper details the design-delivery implementation plan utilized to examine the school-university partnership. Research referenced in the paper reflects the level of active, collaborative involvement within the MU Partnership explained academic achievement in the areas of communication arts and mathematics. School demographics (SES, school size, minority population) and school profile characteristics (teacher experience, teacher education, teacher/student ratio), in addition to the design-delivery implementation plan, also impacted academic achievement. In this paper, we develop a ''best evidence'' model of school improvement processes in schools serving diverse student populations and test its effects on student achievement in a broad sample of schools. We do this because school improvement planning (SIP), and action guided by such planning, is arguably the most common response to low performance and to the meeting of assigned achievement targets; this is the case in spite of meager evidence about its effects, a matter we elaborate on below. Sometimes SIP is invoked in combination with other strategies and sometimes by itself.

Table of Contents

Abstractiii

Chapter 1: Introduction6

Purpose of the Research6

Problem Statement6

Overview of the Research6

Background of the Research7

Observation Question9

Aims and Objectives of the Research9

Rationale9

Significance of the Research10

Chapter 2: Literature Review11

Theoretical Framework11

Discussion12

Conclusion18

Chapter 3: Methodology20

Research Design20

Sample21

Longitudinal Case Studies in 10 Schools25

Data collection26

Results27

Summary and Conclusion28

Chapter 4: Examination and Discussion30

The Challenge31

A Strategic Plan for School Improvement32

The School's Team33

The Learning Curriculum34

Differentiated Lesson Plans35

Chapter 5: Conclusion39

Assessing Academic Progress41

Closing the Achievement Gap42

The Sights and Sounds of Victory43

Change in teaching methods44

Change in pupil learning45

Limitations & Strengths of the study47

References48

Bibliography53

Appendix56

Table 1 Students Achievement Plan56

Province57

Board57

School57

Province58

Board58

School58

Table 2 Perceptual/ Attitudinal Data59

Perceptual/ Attitudinal Data59

Table 3 School Program & progress Information61

School Program & Process Information61

Table 4.student achievement & learning plan: CATHOLIC FAITH COMMUNITY AND CULTURE62

Table 5 student achievement & learning plan: LITERACY67

Table 6. student achievement & learning plan: NUMERACY72

Table 7. student achievement & learning plan: Wellness/Safe Schools78

Chapter 1: Introduction

Purpose of the Research

How effective are we in achieving our pupil learning and achievement objectives, what is the evidence of this and what actions will we take to ensure continuous improvement?

Problem Statement

What are the various ways in which we can implement ...