Scalability at the System Level Through a Shared Problem and Partnership Across Levels

• In Event: 73.059 - Toward an Operationalizable Model of Scaling Information and Communications Technology–Enabled Learning Innovations

Abstract

Objectives or purposes

This paper examines the scalability of the Remote Network Schools (RNS) initiative (2002-2014) for engaging teachers and students in collaborative activities within and among school districts in Quebec, Canada, was engaged at the time in an education reform. The raison d’être of the RNS was to counter the closing of rural schools, underpinned by the assumption that Internet-enabled activities could enhance the equity of access and quality of education.

Theoretical framework

Networks being instrumental (Lieberman and Grolnick’s, 1996), a school-university-government (SUNG) partnership was established. Teachers and students were to conduct networked activities with the support of collaborative technologies – a desktop videoconferencing system for verbal discourse and Knowledge Forum® for written discourse. Design-based research (Collins, 1999) was conducted. The innovation was supported onsite by a district-based board, and online by members of the research and intervention team (RIT) using a virtual room for providing just-in-time responses and teacher professional development activities. Knowledge building (KB, Scardamalia, 2002) was put forward as the pedagogy of choice. Several iterations were conducted, each providing multiple opportunities for improvement and generating new research questions. Teachers who most engaged their students into knowledge building participated in the Knowledge Building International Project (KBIP). This paper focuses on identifying the interactions of network entities at different levels (i.e. teachers, schools, system and international) within and across different sites that may be associated with evidence of any of Clarke and Dede’s (2009) five dimensions of scalability in the practices of the RNS agents at different levels (teachers, school and district administrators, RIT, and policy makers).

Methods and data sources

To characterize the interactions that made RNS a scalable innovation, the analysis focused on structures and mechanisms connecting actors within and between levels of the education system, and relating them to the five scalability dimensions: depth, spread, sustainability, shift of ownership and evolution.

Results
The RNS counts 23 school districts (comprising 1/3 of all districts with small schools within their jurisdictions), involving 207 schools and 508 teachers. Local, national and international-level testing results of students in the participating schools as well as ethnographic data have been gathered every year. Here are the key findings:

Depth: The big problem faced by remote communities to retain young families, and hence remote schools, gained support from the various stakeholder groups to rally behind the use of ICTs for teaching and learning. KB provided persuasive learning outcomes (e.g., vocabulary growth, types of questions asked and levels of explanation reached).

Sustainability/Spread: Government’s funding was allocated to a growing number of school districts.

Shift of ownership: Specific district and across district boards were created.

Evolution: RIT built teachers’ capacity through codesign, and cumulated KB artifacts on the RNS website.

A SUNG partnership and related structures rallying around a problem (mechanism) can scale innovation that delivers better learning outcomes.

Significance

The RNS shows that student learning environments can be enriched in remote areas challenged by equity of access and quality of education.

Authors

• Therese Laferriere, Laval University

• Alain Breuleux, McGill University