1 Deconstructing the Capacity for Quality Instruction in Science, Mathematics and Language Teaching and Learning in a Primary School 16 November 2006 Makerere University, Uganda Promoting A Self-Reliant Approach To Basic Education Development in Africa Programme Loyiso C. Jita Matseliso L. Mokhele University of Pretoria, South Africa

2 Brief Recap of the South African Project Brief Recap of the South African Project Main Research Questions Approaches and Frameworks Feedback on Progress to date Feedback on Progress to date Future Plans and Way Forward Future Plans and Way Forward Discussion of some findings Discussion of some findings “Deconstructing the Capacity for Quality Instruction” PRESENTATION OUTLINE

3 Phase 1 (2005/2006): Phase 2 (2006/2007): Phase 3 (2006/2007): Pilot phase (2 schools): develop and refine the instruments & techniques & data analysis approaches. Pilot phase (2 schools): develop and refine the instruments & techniques & data analysis approaches. Thorough discourse and training on instruments & methods. Identify collaborators & research students. Thorough discourse and training on instruments & methods. Identify collaborators & research students. Schools Workshop I: Identify schools/launch research Schools Workshop I: Identify schools/launch research Full Study (additional 2 schools) Full Study (additional 2 schools) Focus of Investigation: Research Question 1, 2 (limited extent), 3 & 4. Focus of Investigation: Research Question 1, 2 (limited extent), 3 & 4. School’s Workshop II (Feedback & Discussion of Findings) School’s Workshop II (Feedback & Discussion of Findings) Full Study (continued…add 2 more schools) Full Study (continued…add 2 more schools) Focus of Investigation: Research Question 2 & 5. Focus of Investigation: Research Question 2 & 5. Continue exploration of longitudinal aspects (how capacity changes over time; how it is lost, maintained and/or replenished over time). Continue exploration of longitudinal aspects (how capacity changes over time; how it is lost, maintained and/or replenished over time). School’s Workshop III (Discussion of Final Report) School’s Workshop III (Discussion of Final Report) Feedback on Progress to date… Organizational Structure:

4 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: What makes two schools, with similar sets of resources, offer instruction of radically different qualities and/or to have markedly different student achievement levels?

5 Research Questions Research Question Data Source Sub-Question 1. How do the schools define and construct their capacity for instruction in different subjects? Teachers & Teaching Who are the teachers & what resources do they bring into the school’s construction of capacity? What kinds of teaching practices define a school’s capacity for instruction in Science/Maths/English? And Why? Learners & Learning Who are the learners & what resources do they bring into the school? How do the students in a school learn Science/Maths/English? Curriculum & Physical Resources What does the enacted curriculum look like? And Why? How is Science/Maths/English defined in the school and/or in the various classrooms? What kinds of material/physical resources exist for Science/Maths/English teaching and learning? How are they used to develop the schools’ capacity for instruction? And Why?

6 Research Questions… Research Question Data Source Sub-Question Organization & Leadership for Instruction Who are the leaders and What kinds of activities are they involved in? What are the structures & patterns for Science/Maths/English at the school? How are they constructed to develop capacity of the school in (Subject X)? Institutional Culture What is the school’s culture(s) with respect to Science/Maths/English? 2. How does the construction and definition of the capacity for instruction in (Subject X) vary over time? i.e. How is this capacity maintained, replenished and/or lost over time?

7 Research Questions… Research Question Data Source Sub-Question 3. What are the variations in this capacity by subject area (English versus Maths)? and by school (high, medium and low performing)? 4. What factors affect the school’s ability to organize and utilize its capacity for instruction in (Maths)? 5. What policy responses would maximize the development and utilization of instructional capacity in the various subject areas (English & Maths) & schools?

8  Effective Schools Research (ESR)  School Improvement Research (SIR)  Improving Educational Quality (IEQ) Project Some Literature Review 3 Major Research Programmes Investigating Quality and Effectiveness in Teaching and Learning:

9 CRITIQUE OF THE RESEARCH  Plethora of studies (USAID/WB): developing a LIST of school characteristics & teacher behaviours associated with effective schools. Capacity viewed as deficit at school level (labs, textbooks, etc.) or at the level of teachers (knowledge, qualifications).

10 Instructional Capacity Framework Instructional Capacity (Multidimensional / Dynamic) IndividualOrganizational Classroom Processes School-wide Resources & Arrangements Materials Teachers Learners Leadership Institutional Culture Curriculum & Physical Resources Parent Community

11  Longitudinal Qualitative Study (3-year period)  Selection of School Sites:  6 schools  6 schools  Groups of 2 per area (different in terms of performance & quality of instruction).  Sample Characteristics: mix of schools originally designed to serve the different population groups in RSA  Sample Characteristics: mix of schools originally designed to serve the different population groups in RSA  Special group of 2 rural schools. Study Design

12 Phase 4 (2007/2008): Development of a Research Report and Several Articles for Publication. Development of a Research Report and Several Articles for Publication. Conference Attendance and Presentation Conference Attendance and Presentation Dissemination and Sharing of Findings (Policy Briefs; Seminars; Newspapers etc.) Dissemination and Sharing of Findings (Policy Briefs; Seminars; Newspapers etc.) Feedback on Progress to date… Organizational Structure:

13  Case Study Approach (in-depth analysis of complex issues involved in the construction of schools’ capacity). Multiple Case Studies…  Although our unit of analysis: schools, the research is designed to capture the multi- dimensionality of the concept of capacity.  Data Collection Techniques: Mixed Method (interviews—individual & focus groups, observations, etc.). Deconstructing Capacity for Quality Instruction:

14  Background  Instructional Practices Reform practices and strategies Learner engagement Classroom discourse & Role of the teacher  Conclusions and implications: The Case of Hillview Primary School

15  Background located close to SA border with Mozambique and Swaziland Oldest school in the area (Build in the 60s) Oldest school in the area (Build in the 60s) Educated many of the township’s older residents. Educated many of the township’s older residents. learners reside in informal settlements ( mostly immigrants) few live in the oldest part of the village with grandparents learners reside in informal settlements ( mostly immigrants) few live in the oldest part of the village with grandparents less than 20% of parents can afford school fees of R80p/y-$12 less than 20% of parents can afford school fees of R80p/y-$12 lost a number of students and staff in five year period through the arrangements in the informal settlement and redeployment policy:750,697,650, 571,573 in 2002,2003,2004,2005 and in 20 teachers were lost and 6 replaced. lost a number of students and staff in five year period through the arrangements in the informal settlement and redeployment policy:750,697,650, 571,573 in 2002,2003,2004,2005 and in 20 teachers were lost and 6 replaced. no principal for a few months (leadership uncertain) no principal for a few months (leadership uncertain) The Case of Hillview Primary School

16 Background and Location

17  Instructional Practices All teachers were experienced ( 12-22) years. Not all of them were certified to teach the subjects Reform practices and strategies all teachers engaged reform practices e.g. Relevance to real life, engagement in hands on activities and experiments. all teachers engaged reform practices e.g. Relevance to real life, engagement in hands on activities and experiments. Learner engagement Engaged students fully (maths lessons) Made efforts, struggled with content knowledge (science lessons) Made efforts, failed to involve 80 % of the learners Classroom discourse & Role of the teacher Learner centered (maths lessons) Teacher talk dominated ( science lessons) Between the reform oriented maths and non reformed science lessons (English lessons) The Case of Hillview Primary School

18 Conclusion One A school’s Capacity for Instruction is defined more accurately in terms of BOTH the individual and the organizational resources Implication of the Conclusion To construct a school’s Capacity for Instruction, we need to focus not only on adding individual teachers or other such resources BUT also to focus on institutional culture, development practices and the use of such resources in each organizational context. Conclusions and Implications…(1)

19 Conclusion Two Resources upon which Instructional Capacity is built are variable AND multifaceted. Implication of the Conclusion To help school’s construct their Capacity for High Quality Instruction, we need to do a careful analysis and description of all the different kinds of resources a school has access to and not just the monetary or physical resources. Conclusions and Implications…(2)

20 Conclusion Three A number of factors – some internal (to the school) AND others external (from the socio- political-economic environment) determine & shape a school’s Capacity for Instruction. Implication of the Conclusion School districts or regions can help schools build and retain Capacity for Instruction through some deliberate centralized and decentralized planning. Some interventions, e.g. on post provisioning need to be planned centrally for all schools in a area while other issues like allocations of subjects to teach still require careful planning at the school level. Conclusions and Implications…(3)

21  The study contributes to a broader understanding of what goes into making a school effective & in fostering quality learning in the specific subject areas.  Findings present several characterizations of capacity in schools & the factors affecting its development & use under different conditions.  School practitioners & policy-makers are presented with several models of how capacity has been constructed & utilized (for better or worse) in the different case study schools, thereby encouraging informed debate & choices in the service of school development and reform. Policy Impact: A Link with Self-Reliance & Sustainability Approaches