Balancing Tensions to Increase Equity Through System-Wide Instructional Innovation

• In Event: Centering Diversity in School Improvement: Illuminating Equity in Educational Spaces

Abstract

Addressing inequity through student-centered instruction innovation can raise tensions for educators “on the ground.” This mixed-methods case study drawn from three years of data from a research research-practice partnership seeks to answer this question: How can a district balance tensions that come with efforts to increase equity through student-centered instructional innovation? We found that educators involved in a district-wide effort to promote equity through these instructional innovations framed seemingly opposing demands as assets rather than obstacles, and that a broader culture of innovation and trust encouraged instructional experimentation toward a shared goal. Further, flexibility afforded by a culture of innovation rather than a focus on any particular innovation provided for diverse expertise, raising the collective capacity of the district.

Authors

• Marie Lockton, University of California - San Diego

• Nicolette van Halem, Erasmus Rotterdam University

• David Albert Rodes Trautman, University of California - San Diego

• Yi-Hwa Liou, National Taipei University of Education

• Alan J. Daly, University of California - San Diego