Teacher Collaboration for School Improvement: A City-wide Strategy for Change

• In Event: Sustaining Productive Teacher Collaborations: Infrastructures Across International Contexts

Abstract

Objectives
The purpose of this paper is to draw out the lessons from the Every-Dundee-Learner-Matters (EDLM) strategy in Scotland. The strategy places sustainable teacher collaboration “within-schools” and “between-schools” as a central driver for change. The strategy focuses on developing the three ‘Ps’ of Presence, Participation and Progress of all children and young people across the city.

Perspectives
Underpinned by professional learning, building leadership capacity and an inquiring stance, and co-constructed with a diverse range of stakeholders, Design-Based Implementation Research (Fishman et al., 2013) guides this work. This points to the possibility of ‘joint practice development’, which Fielding et al. (2005) define as learning new ways of working through mutual engagement and sharing practices with others. Through such collaborative activities, teachers develop ways of talking that enable them to articulate details about their practices. In effect, developing evidence-informed communities of practice where collaboration and engagement in improvement arrangements by participants fosters identification with goals and acquisition of related knowledge and skills (e.g. Sim, 2006; Wenger and Lave 2001).

Methods
Key to the strategy has been the formation of School Inquiry Groups (SIGs) in all educational establishments across Dundee. These groups lead collaborative inquiry focusing on the 3Ps. In addition to these “within-school” arrangements, School Improvement Partnerships (SIPs) involving 3-5 establishments have been created to move knowledge, ideas and expertise “between-schools”. The SIPs share the learning from the SIGs and undertake rounds of peer-inquiry.

Data sources
The work of the SIPs and SIGs are monitored through a research strategy composed of four strands of activity:
● Secondary data including statistical data relating to the 3Ps;
● Qualitative research including interviews and focus groups are undertaken with key stakeholders;
● Artifacts that generated through collaborative processes (eg. posters, accounts of practice etc.) and
● Mixed Methods Social Network Analysis (MMSNA) to map the social interactions within and across SIGs (Borgatti, 2018) and inform the development of qualitative data collection.
This paper focuses on the interview data and MMSNA to offer insights into how collaborative processes are developing through this city-wide strategy. The paper focuses on the following research questions:
● What factors influence the implementation and sustainability of the strategy?
● What evidence is there of impact on the presence, participation and progress of learners?
● What are the implications for sustaining policies and practices for the future?

Substantiated Conclusions
Research and collaborative professional learning have supported the development of collective agency of teachers and school leaders. In turn, this has created the context for developing more sustainable practices across the city. However, the development of SIGs and SIPs are influenced by a range of factors including leadership conditions, relational trust, and beliefs in schools which also has implications for developing sustainable practices.

Significance
Findings support the growing body of international evidence demonstrating the impact of RPPs on improving education through collaborative processes to support professional learning and the development of an inquiring stance.

Authors

• Christopher James Chapman, University of Glasgow

• Thomas Cowhitt, University of Glasgow

• Mel Ainscow, University of Manchester

• Kevin Lowden, University of Glasgow

• Stuart Hall, University of Glasgow