Cohort 2

Research studies

IER (Dhaka) September 2014

Increasing Scale

Common forms of Teacher Development

3

e.g. context: UP 2012:

* RMSA introduction; NCERT maths & Science exams

* 449 new schools; 402 schools ‘uplifted’; 26,000 teachers to train through INSET

2. English in Action:

Upscaling a school-based, mobile enhanced,

Teacher Development Programme

See: Power et al (2012):

The Curriculum Journal, 23(4):503–529

EIA Pilot approach

mobile

materials

Conceptual framework

• teachers identity and

expertise is developed in

context of local practice

• the school is the main setting

of professional learning

• cultural artefacts and tools

mediate learning

• support mechanisms

integrated school-based peer

supportSocial Practice Theory. See for example:

Chaiklin and Lave, 1993; Vygotsky, 1962;

Bruner, 1996; Sen, 1999

Schools Component

Teacher No. 2011 Actual 2014 Target 2014 Actual

Primary 508 7,500 7,523

Secondary 243 5,000 5,028

As scale

increases…

• Availability of international or

national expert capacity

(time), per teacher,

substantially decreases

• Centralised delivery

becomes increasingly

unmanageable (workload,

travel time, communications)

• Inputs (number of days for

face-to-face support, extent

of materials) need to

increasingly align with

national norms for

sustainability

phase

phase II -

pilot

(2008 -

2011)

phase III -

scale

(2011 -

2014)

phase IV -

institutional

(2014 -

2017)

Teachers600 GoB

teachers

12.5 K

Teachers

38k

Teachers

Students118k

students

2M

Students

4.6 M

students

…emphasis on local peer support,

with practice expertise via

(offline) mobile technology

Pilot

mobile

materials mobile

materials

Upscale

local

peer

support

8

What has changed from the pilot that might affect outcomes in the school component?

• Teacher materials e.g. authentic video clips• Classroom materials e.g. based on textbooks

especially through use of classroom audio• Teacher Facilitator materials & role e.g. TFs

more central role, more direction• Relations with Head teachers & Government

officials

Education Officer observing EIA Class

International Evidence

on Teacher Education

How can teacher education and guidance

materials best support effective

pedagogy?

i) teacher peer support;

ii) alignment of professional

development with teachers’ needs...

and follow-up monitoring of teachers;

iii) support from head teachers; and

iv) alignment with the curriculum and

assessment.

Westbrook et al., 2013Westbrook, J., Durrani, N., Brown, R., Orr, D., Pryor, J., Boddy,

J., and Salvi, F. (2013). Pedagogy, curriculum, teaching practices

and teacher education in developing countries: final report.

Education rigorous literature review, EPPI-Centre, Social Science

Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London.

https://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/cms/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=E93CRI7ONw

A%3D&tabid=3433

DFID / EPPI Literature Review:

…Teacher Education in Developing Countries

International Evidence & EIA School Based Teacher Development

KEY FINDING EIA SBTD

1. peer support pairs of teachers, local Clusters

2. support from head teachers Active role, HT meetings

3. follow up monitoring Classroom observation, Cluster QA

4. alignment of assessment alignment to EfT & advocacy

In addition, EIA success also depends upon

5. high quality materials (including audio-visual) and enabling technology (SD cards, mobile phones, speakers).

Experiences of EIA

in schools

Example 1A: ‘EIA is transformative’

• ‘Classroom changes through use of mobile phones’ - Shyamal Kumar Chakroborty TF EIA

Example 1B: Role of classroom language

• Teacher confident in use of English in the class…• On talking to the teacher it was immediately noticeable

that his own English level appeared to be very low, • …he struggled to understand and express himself when

away from the language of the classroom … • a stark contrast

Example 2A: Role of videoExample 2A: Role of video

A teacher uses the video

• “for my preparation” …

• He is specific in saying that he learnt some of the techniques…for today’s lesson from Module 4…

• describes the clip on questions and then uses volunteers and pair work in getting the answers

• and … the use of pictures

Example 2B: Role of video

in video teachers also follow these methods…..

• ‘watch them at my work…..’

• ‘I watch with other teachers”…’

• ‘previous training there was no arrangement of videos and model teachers…..only EIA provides those things’

• ‘we can watch it when we like’

Methodologies

Students’

English

language

competence

Classroom

pedagogy

Classroom

techniques

Teacher’s views

about learning

Students’ views

about learningTeacher’s

EL competenceStudents’

motivation

Classroom

English

language

competency

Peer support

Video

teacher & student perceptions

English in Action (2014). Perceptions of english language learning and teaching among primary and secondary school

teachers and students participating in english in action: Second cohort (2013).

Research report, English in Action, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

www.eiabd.com/publications/

focus:

1. teachers’ views

(on ELT, practice,

students and the

programme)

2. students’ views

(of English and their

experience of English

lessons).

method:

• Self-completed

questionaire:

• primary teachers

• secondary teachers

• secondary students,

• structured survey interview

for primary students

• Fieldwork was carried out

by researchers from the

Institute of Educational

Research (IER), Dhaka

University.

issues

• instruments: modified

versions of questionnaire

designed by Savignon and

Wang (2003): teacher and

student perceptions of

CLT practices.

• primary student survey

interview newly designed.

Earlier study used group

interview for primary

students.

• What is most appropriate

method for

understanding primary

student views?

sample:

269 primary teachers,

123 primary head

teachers and 143

secondary teachers.

376 primary and

457 secondary students.

focus:

To what extent do

teachers show improved

classroom practices,

particularly in relation

to the extent and

language of student talk

method:

• timed observation schedule

• instantaneous sampling, at

one minute intervals

• recording objective features

of behaviour, not making

subjective judgements.

Whether:

• teacher or students

were speaking

• students were carrying

out an activity

• audio-visual materials

were being used

• any other activities

were being used

issues

• designed in reference to

other instruments that

measure classroom

interaction and the features

of communicative language

teaching (e.g. Malamah-

Thomas 1987, Spada

1990)

• Designed not to require

expert understanding of

ELT of classroom practice

from observers

• Reliability depends upon:

• nature of items being

observed

• skill and consistency of

observers

sample:

401 lesson observations

(256 primary, and

145 secondary).

primary (61%) and

secondary (21%)

female teachers

classroom practices

English in Action (2014). Classroom practices of primary and secondary teachers participating in english in action: Second cohort (2013). Research report, English in Action, Dhaka, Bangaldesh.

www.eiabd.com/publications/

Learning outcomes:Primary students 2010/2013

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

1 2 3 4 5 6

2010 (N=3507)

2013 (N=463)

Learning outcomes:Secondary students 2010/2013

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

2010 (N=2041)

2013 (N=421)

focus:

To what extent do the

students and teachers

show improved EL

competences?

method:

• one-to-one, face-to-face

interviews

• carried out by independent

assessors from Trinity

College

• a meaningful, authentic

exchange of information,

ideas and opinions, not a

formal question and answer

interview.

• begin at most basic level,

increasing linguistic

demand, until the candidate

reached limit of their

competency.

• Graded Examinations in

Spoken English (GESE)

scale

issues

• GESE maps onto CEFR

• CEFR more commonly

referred to, but coarser

discrimination (broad

grades)

• GESE less commonly

referred to, but much finer

discrimination between

grades

• Most skilled assessors can

discriminate further, to

GESE sub-grades

sample:

605 teachers

(246 primary,

286 secondary;

73 primary heads)

884 students

(463 primary;

421 secondary)

learning outcomes

English in Action (2014). English proficiency assessments of primary and secondary teachers and students

participating in english in action: Second cohort. Research report, English in Action.

www.eiabd.com/publications/

GESE interview video

Findings

teacher & student perceptions

English in Action (2014). Perceptions of english language learning and teaching among primary and secondary school

teachers and students participating in english in action: Second cohort (2013).

Research report, English in Action, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

www.eiabd.com/publications/

focus:

1. teachers’ views

(on ELT, practice,

students and the

programme)

2. students’ views

(of English and their

experience of English

lessons).

findings:

• Teachers report improved

competence (96%-99%)

and confidence (88-89%) in

using English.

• Most teachers (63-66%)

strongly agree has

impacted teaching practice.

• 89% of all teachers say

focus of lessons is now on

student communication and

interaction

• students report regularly

speaking in English (79%-

80%)

issues

• Strong residual attachment

to traditional practices: e.g.

primary students reported

enjoying learning grammar

rules (95%) and being

corrected by the teacher

(98%).

• Secondary teachers

perceive improvements in

own English competence,

not evidenced in

assessments.

• 2/3 of primary students, but

only 1/3 of secondary

students, report T talking

mostly in English.

sample:

269 primary teachers,

123 primary head

teachers and 143

secondary teachers.

376 primary and

457 secondary students.

focus:

To what extent do

teachers show improved

classroom practices,

particularly in relation

to the extent and

language of student talk

findings:

• student talk time increased

substantially (to 27%

primary; 24% secondary).

• student talk in target

language increased

substantially (to 91%

primary; 87% secondary).

• substantial increases in

observations of student talk

in pairs or groups (18%

primary; 28% secondary).

• teachers talked less (45-

48%) but used target

language more (76-87%)

issues

• Despite increases in pair

and group talk, primary

student talk was dominated

by choral work (46%), and

secondary students by

individual talk (53%)

• This quantitative study

doesn’t shed light on the

quality of student talk.

• Observations show

secondary teachers using

spoken English more than

primary teachers; student

perceptions are the

opposite.

sample:

401 lesson observations

(256 primary, and

145 secondary).

primary (61%) and

secondary (21%)

female teachers

classroom practices

English in Action (2014). Classroom practices of primary and secondary teachers participating in english in action: Second cohort (2013). Research report, English in Action, Dhaka, Bangaldesh.

www.eiabd.com/publications/

focus:

To what extent do the

students and teachers

show improved EL

competences?

findings:

• primary students:

improvement over baseline

(34% more Grade 1 or

above; 20% more Grade 2

or above)

• primary girls (74% pass)

higher than boys (65%

pass).

• secondary students:

improvement over baseline

(14% more Grade 2 and

above, and 11% more

Grade 1 and above)

issues

• Primary teachers improved

over baseline (7% more

Grade 2+; 3% more Grade

3+).

• Secondary teachers no

statistically significant

difference to baseline.

• Secondary teachers self-

reporting of improvement

very similar to primary

teachers.

• Secondary students still

improved, but not as much

as primary.

sample:

605 teachers

(246 primary,

286 secondary;

73 primary heads)

884 students

(463 primary;

421 secondary)

learning outcomes

English in Action (2014). English proficiency assessments of primary and secondary teachers and students

participating in english in action: Second cohort. Research report, English in Action.

www.eiabd.com/publications/

Learning outcomes:Primary students 2010/2013

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

1 2 3 4 5 6

2010 (N=3507)

2013 (N=463)

Learning outcomes:Secondary students 2010/2013

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

2010 (N=2041)

2013 (N=421)

Comparison with Reviews

of International Evidence

DFID / EPPI Literature Review:

…Teacher Education in Developing Countries

• pedagogy, curriculum, teaching practices and

teacher edu- cation in developing countries

• 2000 articles > 489 through appraisal > 54 on TE >

11 provide evidence

• “With few exceptions [studies did not holistically

look at] changes in teachers’ attitudes and beliefs,

their knowledge (both content and PCK) and their

practices…

• …Even here, students’ learning outcomes as a

result of ITE or CPD were often not obtained for

reasons of scale and feasibility. Thus, evidence on

the impact of training was only partially captured in

most studies, highlighting a need for more holistic

and robust evaluations of teacher education

initiatives” (p31)

Westbrook et al., 2013Westbrook, J., Durrani, N., Brown, R., Orr, D., Pryor, J., Boddy,

J., and Salvi, F. (2013). Pedagogy, curriculum, teaching practices

and teacher education in developing countries: final report.

Education rigorous literature review, EPPI-Centre, Social Science

Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London.

https://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/cms/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=E93CRI7ONw

A%3D&tabid=3433

• Tatto:

Poor outcome measures; no educational theory of

change; economist driven evaluations

“field lacked a well-developed research

infrastructure to adequately study teacher

education trajectories” (p3)

• Cordingley:

• 14 studies;11 used; 6 had data on student

outcomes.

• Most had qualitative observational data;

variety of approaches limit comparability.

• evidence is mostly from the USA; one study

(Namibia) from LEDC.

Tatto, 2013Tatto, M. (2013). The role of research in

international policy and practice in

teacher education. Research and teacher

education: the BERA-RSA inquiry,

BERA.

http://www.bera.ac.uk/wp-

content/uploads/2014/02/BERA-Paper-2-

International-Policy-and-Practice-in-

Teacher-Education.pdf

Cordingley, 2013Cordingley, P. (2013). The contribution of

research to teachers’ professional

learning and development. Research and

teacher education: the BERA-RSA

inquiry, BERA, London.

http://www.bera.ac.uk/wp-

content/uploads/2013/12/BERA-RSA-

Research-Teaching-Profession-FULL-

REPORT-for-web.pdf

BERA Reviews:

The role of research in international policy and practice:

in initial teacher education; in CPD

DFID review: Educational Technology

in low to lower-middle income countries

• Review of over 80 studies (45 research documents; 20 literature reviews; 18 grey literature reports) of Educational Technology use in schools, for teaching and learning, in low to lower-middle income countries.

• Many studies present no evidence of classroom practice or learning outcomes

• Only 3 studies present quantitative evidence on classroom practice

• IRI, Mali: (Ho & Thukral 2009, p.32)

• Bridge IT, India: (Wennerstan et al, 2012)

• English in Action, Bangladesh: (EIA 2011, 2012, 2014)

Power et al., 2014Power, T., Gater, R., Grant, C., and Winters, N. (2014). Educational

technology. Topic guide, Health and Education Advice and Resource

Team, Department for International Development, London, UK

discussion

• Questions on the EIA studies presented?

• Implications for research in BD?

• Emerging issues that IER might like to research

further?