A living theory approach to educational policy
formation, implementation and evaluation:
forming and sustaining a culture of inquiry for teacher-researchers as
leaders of learning in a School Board.
A proposal for ICTR 2007 in Chicago
Jacqueline Delong, Grand Erie District School
Board, Canada.
Jack Whitehead, University of Bath. UK.
Proposal abstract:
The researchers will explain how a living educational
theory approach to teacher-research has drawn on currently available
opportunities for practitioner-researchers to collaborate in influencing
policies in local, state, national and world contexts. They will explain their
educational influence in the learning of policy-makers to invite
practitioner-researchers, including students as researchers, to participate in
policy-making decisions. The objectives include the communication of a living
theory approach of teacher-researchers flowing from http://www.actionresearch.net and other connected web-sites.
Over 12 years, Delong has encouraged and supported pre-school,
elementary and secondary teachers, administrators and support staff to research
their practice by asking the question, " How Can I Improve My Practice?"
(Delong, 2002; Whitehead, 1989, 2005). The evidence of the systemic influence
is embodied in six volumes of Passion In Professional Practice: Action
Research In Grand Erie (Delong, Black And Knill-Griesser, 2001-2005) and
annual conferences, Ontario Educational Research Council and Act Reflect
Revise, where researchers also share their findings. The support model has been
developed, refined and published in Action Research For Teaching Excellence (Delong,
Black & Wideman, 2005).
Issues to be addressed
In this paper, Delong will share ways in which she has contributed to
educational policies that have influenced the development of a culture of
inquiry through action research in a school board. The policy initiatives
connects a number of programs and values. The programs include Roots of Empathy,
Tribes, Schools Attuned, Early Learning and Parenting, Mindshift- Learning
Disabilities and Moving Toward Independence. The values are embodied in Special
Education Guiding Principles, Inclusive Cultures, Valuing the Other and Inquiry
and Reflection. All of the programs are focused on improving students' learning
by building capacity in the system, reinforce and connect to each other and
embody the values. All of these programs have been researched by practitioners
in the District School Board using the programs in order to improve student
learning. The professional body
for teachers in Ontario is the Ontario College of Teachers. The paper will show
how teachers researching their educational influences in their schools are
living the standards of practice and ethical standards of the OCT as well as
contributing their educational knowledge to the Academy.
Objectives
The main objective of the presentation is to explain the contribution
to policy formation in School Board and University contexts of understanding
the living standards of judgment that can be used to assess the quality of
practice-based research and self-studies of teacher-education practice. This
objective includes the communication of the processes for developing
agreed-upon procedures for transforming knowledge based on personal experiences
of practice into 'public' knowledge has been highlighted by Snow (2001). This
is also a matter of concern in the UK where there is little consensus on the
appropriate standards to use in evaluating the quality of practice-based
research. Such 'public' knowledge requires comprehensible standards of
judgment.
Other Issues To Be Addressed
Whitehead will provide an evidence based explanation of the systemic
influences (Marshall, 2004) of Delong's educational leadership that draws on
the explanations of teacher-researchers of their educational influences in
learning (McNiff & Whitehead, 2005). The explanation will introduce and
exploring the implications of a new idea of inclusionality from the work of
Rayner (2005) in the knowledge generated by teacher-researchers. Inclusionality
is a relationally dynamic awareness of
interconnecting and branching channels of communication in space whose
boundaries are connective, reflexive and co-creative. It will be argued that
Delong's systemic influences as an educational leader can be understood from a
perspective of inclusionality. In this perspective complex self-identities are
viewed as receptive neighbourhoods in dynamic, loving, responsive relationship.
The significance of relational and dialogic ways of being in educational
leadership and influence will be addressed through multi-media accounts using
digital technology. These accounts (Farren, 2006; Naidoo, 2005; Whitehead,
2005, Whitehead & McNiff, 2006, Sullivan, 2006, Glenn, 2006) enable the
plural structures and interconnecting and branching networks of relationships
in self-study accounts to be represented and understood. The implications for
policy of these epistemological advances will be considered in relation to the
need for partnerships between higher education institutions and professional
bodies of educators to continuously regenerate both the standards of judgment
and the standards of practice. These policy implications will be focused on the
work of the Ontario College of Teachers on ethical standards and standards of
practice (Whitehead, 2006).
References
Delong, J. (2002) How
can I improve my practice as a superintendent of schools and create my own
living educational theory? Retrieved 29 January 2006 from http://www.bath.ac.uk/~edsajw/delong.shtml
Delong, J., Black,
C. & Knill-Griesser, H. (2005) Passion in Professional Practice 1-V.
Retrieved 29 January 2006
from http://schools.gedsb.net/ar/passion/index.html
Delong, J., Black,
C. & Wideman, R. (2005) Action Research For Teaching Excellence. Barrie, Ontario; Data Based Directions.
Farren,
M. (2006) How can I support a
web of betweenness through information and communications technology (ICT).
Retrieved 29 January 2006 from http://www.elearningeuropa.info/index.php?page=doc&doc_id=7020&doclng=6&
Glenn, M. (2006) Working
with collaborative projects: my living theory of a holistic educational
practice. To be submitted to Limerick University for examination in November
2006 Retrieved 17 July
2006 from http://www.jeanmcniff.com/glennabstract.html
Marshall, J.
(2004) Living systemic
thinking: Exploring quality in first-person action research. Action Research Vol 2 (3) 2004 pp
309-329
McNiff, J. &
Whitehead, J. (2005) All You Need
To Know About Action Research. London; Sage.
Naidoo, M. (2005) I
am because we are (A never ending story). The emergence of a living theory of
inclusional and responsive practice. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Bath.
Retrieved 29 November 2006 from http://www.bath.ac.uk/~edsajw/naidoo.shtml
Rayner, A. (2006)
Essays and Talks about Inclusionality. Retrieved 29 November 2006 from http://www.bath.ac.uk/~bssadmr/inclusionality/
Snow, C. E. (2001)
Knowing What We Know: Children, Teachers, Researchers. Presidential Address to
AERA, 2001, in Seattle, in Educational Researcher, Vol. 30, No.7, pp.3-9.
Sullivan, B.
(2006) A living theory of a practice of social justice: Realising the right of
traveller children for educational equality. Ph.D. University of Limerick.
Supervised by Jean McNiff. Retrieved 29 November 2006 from
http://www.jeanmcniff.com/bernieabstract.html
Whitehead, J.
(1989) Creating a living educational theory from questions of the kind, 'How do
I improve my practice?' Published in the Cambridge Journal of Education, Vol.
19, No.1,1989, pp. 41-52.
Whitehead, J.
(2005) Living inclusional values in educational standards of practice and
judgement. Keynote to Action
Reflect Revise 3 Conference, 11th November 2005, Ontario. Ontario Action
Researcher 8.2.1. Retrieved 12 November 2006 from http://www.nipissingu.ca/oar/new_issue-V821E.htm
Whitehead, J. (2006) Living The Standards And Living Your Standards As
Professional Educators
Notes for an Ontario College of Teachers Institute on Living The
Standards
20-21 November 2006 in Toronto. Retrieved 20 November 2006 from http://www.jackwhitehead.com/jack/jwoct06presentation.htm
Whitehead, J.
& McNiff, J. (2006) Action Research Living Theory. London; Sage.