The role of the facilitator in developing collaborative professional learning communities Dr Diane Dalby University of Nottingham, UK. Educating the Educators conference November 2016

The FaSMEd project FaSMEd Formative Assessment in Science and Mathematics Education is a European (EU funded) project involving 9 partners in 8 countries. Aims To foster high quality interactions in international classrooms that are instrumental in raising achievement for low achievers; To expand our knowledge of technologically enhanced teaching and assessment methods addressing low achievement in mathematics and science.

Formative assessment “Practice in a classroom is formative to the extent that evidence about student achievement is elicited, interpreted and used by teachers, learners, or their peers, to make decisions about the next steps in instruction that are likely to be better, or better founded, than the decisions they would have taken in the absence of the evidence that was elicited.” (Black & Wiliam, 2009)

Where the learner is going Where the learner is right now How to get there TEACHER A. Clarifying learning intentions and criteria for success B. Engineering effective classroom discussions and other learning tasks that elicit evidence of student understanding C. Providing feedback that moves learners forward PEER D. Understanding (shared) learning intentions and criteria for success E. Activating students as instructional resources for one another LEARNER D. Understanding learning intentions and criteria for success E. Activating students as the owners of their own learning (Thompson & Wiliam, 2007)

Project strands Three interlinked elements: the design of lessons (that included some use of digital technology in a formative assessment process); the exploration of specific research questions; the professional development of the participating teachers.

Participating schools SECONDARY SCHOOL (11-18yrs) 3 teachers 3 lessons SECONDARY SCHOOL (11-18yrs) 3 teachers 3 lessons 3 cluster meetings PRIMARY SCHOOL (5-11yrs) 3 teachers 2 lessons

Lesson design An adapted design research approach with: A cyclical process of design, testing, feedback, reflection and redesign. (Gravemeijer and Cobb, 2006) Trials and observations of the ‘learning phenomena’ in real situations. (Collins et al., 2004) A fusion of research and practice. (Burkhardt and Schoenfeld, 2003)

Lesson planning A cycle of lesson planning involving collaboration, observation, reflection and feedback into the next lesson. Collaborative design Implementation Observation Reflection Feedback

Characteristics of the design process Collaboration between teachers and researchers in lesson designs. Knowledge-sharing between teachers and researchers became essential since each had specific knowledge of value. Experimentation with uses of technology rather than a refined design product.

Research focus Focus The research focused on the use of iPads in mathematics lessons and how they could be used to facilitate or enhance formative assessment. Research questions How do teachers process formative assessment data from students using a range of technologies? How do teachers inform their future teaching using such data?

Professional development Teachers worked in trios within their schools as small communities of practice within a shared domain of interest, acting as a collaborative community and developing a shared practice. (Wenger, 1998; Wenger, 2011) Characteristics of professional learning communities: Shared vision Focus on learning Reflection De-privatisation of practice Collaborative activities. (OECD, 2013)

Contrasts between professional learning communities School A School B Shared interest in developing collaborative work with iPads. Confidence with technology leads to a focus on the pedagogy required to develop effective formative processes. Members all make equal contributions to lesson designs. Varied interests of individuals in participating in the research. Focus narrows towards the development of technical expertise. Differences in the distribution of technical knowledge lead to some members having limited involvement in lesson design.

Facilitators and pre-conditions Secondary school A: Matthew Confident with technology in the classroom; Specific lead role in school for learning and technology; Designated ‘Apple’ academy with iPads issued to students and used across the curriculum. Secondary school B: Damien Confident with technology; No specific role in the school but a strong interest in increasing the use of technology in classrooms; Infrequent use of iPads in mathematics but class sets available in the school.

Comparisons of characteristics School A School B The development of shared aims The facilitator negotiates and agrees the focus with the group. The emphasis is on improving student learning. Individuals have varied aims initially. The facilitator focuses on technical processes rather than student learning. The division of responsibility The facilitator is the main contact with researchers but responsibilities and ideas in lesson design are shared. Facilitator leads the group, liaises with the researchers and carries out most of the design activity. Professional relationships Built on existing collaborative ways of working. Commenced working together as individuals. Communication Frequent although often email rather than face to face. Less frequent communication between members.

The role of the facilitator Facilitators have a key role in developing professional learning communities: As powerful influences over the development of shared vision; As active facilitators of collaborative ways of working; As leaders in the development of ‘knowledge in practice’ and ‘knowledge of practice’; (Cochran-Smith and Lytle, 2001; Dana and Yendoll-Hoppey, 2008) As agents of change in professional practice.

Thank you! diane.dalby@nottingham.ac.uk