JET Education Services: Innovations in Teacher Support and Curriculum Development Presentation to the Care and Support for Teaching and Learning Regional Sharing Meeting Durban, 23 November 2016

Overview of presentation Introduction to JET Education Services The need About the interventions: E-learning project Error analysis Results & next steps What we learnt & implications

Our mission To offer educational research and knowledge-based interventions that are innovative, cost effective, practical and sustainable JET Education Services works with government and public sector institutions, the private sector, civil society organisations, local and international development agencies and education institutions to improve the quality of education and the relationship between education, skills development and the world of work.

JET today  

The need South Africa has relatively high primary and secondary enrolment Education quality is a challenge Poor Maths results Lack of qualified teachers Teachers lack mathematical content knowledge Teachers face challenges covering the curriculum Assessment for learning is an area that needs attention Limited support provided to teacher by Subject Advisors and Circuit Managers Many teacher development interventions, limited success (especially in rural areas)

E-Learning Teacher Development Project

Overview of E-Learning project Teacher Development programme for Mathematics, Science, EFAL and Accountancy teachers Piloted in 5 KZN schools, 18 teachers, with plans to expand in 2017 One day workshop at the beginning of each term Online pre assessment at the beginning of each term followed by an end of term assessment on the same content Teachers receive a 1-hour E-Learning tutorial on a curriculum-related topic once a week Teachers receive an App (can be loaded to computer, tablet or smartphone) which sends questions daily Online forum groups (Communities of Practise) are created SMS messages sent daily with suggestions of questions to explore with the Forum or individually Facilitator on hand to offer support Targets and incentives Coverage

How the content is structured

How the content is structured Understanding the new topic or subject matter Provides the theory of the topic in order for the teacher to understand the subject matter. Examples of the implementation of the theory Practical examples of the theory in use Didactics (how to teach the theory) Didactics provided for each example of the theory Short quiz To ensure teacher competence Conclusion exercises and subject matter covered

How the content is structured Teaching resources Resource exercises include memorandums that the teacher can use to deliver the lesson in class which can be printed from the tutorial. Glossary of terms in indigenous languages Key terms used with the subject matter provided in indigenous languages to assist teacher understanding and the teachers ability to deliver the lesson

Data provided to teachers Teachers are given real time results which they can access on a daily basis and use to monitor their progress

Term1 Average Usage 6:06 Hours Term2 Average Usage 14:58 Hours Term1 Pre Assessment Average: 59% Post Assessment Average 74% Average Improvement: 11% Term2 Pre Assessment Average: 60% Post Assessment Average 83% Average Improvement: 23%

error analysis: using LEARNER DATA for formative assessment

Using ANA in a formative way ANAs provide national data annually covering learner performance in language and maths in grades 1-9. …ANA data is meant to be used for both diagnostic purposes at individual learner level and decision-making purposes at systemic level. The analysis and use of assessment information by teachers, principals, and education officials is in its infancy. The ANA data can provide teachers with empirical evidence on what learners in their class can and/or cannot do at a particular stage. Pilot in 2011 with a small group of Foundation Phase teachers in Eastern Cape to understand: how teachers understand learner responses and how they relate that to their teaching practices.

The Data Usage project Through the UNICEF funded Data Usage Project, JET in partnership with the Department of Basic Education, developed materials to implement error analysis in large scale by: Presenting ANA items in an accessible manner Mapping items to the curriculum Showing teachers how to do error analysis Providing teaching strategies on related content.

The materials Focussed on mathematics Grade 3, 6 and 9 Used 2013/2014 ANA tests as a reference point – the methodology can be applied to any test and test data

How does it work?

Levels of understanding Full Partial

None Provides teaching strategies to address the identified gaps Materials were provided to Subject Advisors, who were trained on how to conduct error analysis. Subject Advisors to training teachers. Exploring the application of error analysis to other subjects (language, science)

Lessons learnt & implications Importance of linking teacher support closely to the curriculum. Provision of focused tools, techniques & training which can be contextualised, rather than a one size fits all approach. Technology can be harnessed to seek solutions to problems besetting education. Technology will not replace the teacher, but offers opportunities to support, monitor progress and evaluate in a consistent, efficient & cost effective way, via: Support via SMS, whatsapp, email and social media. Realtime feedback. Instruments which may incorporated into the CSTL toolbox, adapted to other contexts and further the policy aim of ensuring quality learning and teaching. Importance of piloting and gradual scaling. Also provides teacher with more time to teach as a lot of the administrative jobs can be done by computers.

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