Pilot Project Options
A three-month pilot project is planned to take place January through March of 2012. The current idea is to include 24 schools at all grade levels. This will necessitate the provision of professional development for approximately 800 teachers as well as ongoing on-site and online support and evaluation of classrooms in all 24 schools.
The purpose of the project is to demonstrate how education can be revamped in Malaysia in order to develop students’ thinking skills and to develop their skills as entrepreneurs and innovators. Students will need to learn thinking skills as well as learn how to become self-directed, independent and interdependent. This will require a shift from a teacher-centered classroom to a student-centered classroom.
The purpose of the project is to demonstrate how education can be revamped in Malaysia in order to develop students’ thinking skills and to develop their skills as entrepreneurs and innovators. Students will need to learn thinking skills as well as learn how to become self-directed, independent and interdependent. This will require a shift from a teacher-centered classroom to a student-centered classroom.
This transition can be accomplished by teaching the teachers and the students specific tools. Teachers will have to learn new ways to organize their classrooms and new ways to design and deliver their lessons. They will need to learn to utilize authentic assessments. Students will have to be taught how to be self-directed, independent and interdependent. They will also have to be provided with tools for various types of thinking. The Pilot Project will need to be designed down (or backwards) from the ultimate goal, and planning the Pilot Project will be guided by the following questions:
1. What is it that we want teachers and students to know, be able to do and to be like as a result of this pilot project?
2. What concepts and/or skills are we helping students, teachers and parents to develop?
3. What experiences can we provide to teachers and students which will enable them to develop these concepts and learn these skills?
4. How will we know that the teachers and students have accomplished these goals?
1. What is it that we want teachers and students to know, be able to do and to be like as a result of this pilot project?
2. What concepts and/or skills are we helping students, teachers and parents to develop?
3. What experiences can we provide to teachers and students which will enable them to develop these concepts and learn these skills?
4. How will we know that the teachers and students have accomplished these goals?
Possibilities/Recommendations for the Pilot
The pilot project can focus on one or both of the following items, each of which is possible within the constraints of the time provided – a three-month pilot project to begin in January of 2012.
· Web 2.0 Tools – students will utilize several Web 2.0 tools which will serve as the platform for research, collaboration (among their classmates as well as collaboration with students in other states or countries), critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving and innovation, 21st century skills and multiple literacies. These tools will also enable students to become self-directed, independent and interdependent.
· Mini-project – teachers will plan and implement a project to take place over a period of 2-6 weeks. This project will incorporate the development of skills required for success in the 21st century, including, but not limited to, specific thinking tools.
· Web 2.0 Tools – students will utilize several Web 2.0 tools which will serve as the platform for research, collaboration (among their classmates as well as collaboration with students in other states or countries), critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving and innovation, 21st century skills and multiple literacies. These tools will also enable students to become self-directed, independent and interdependent.
· Mini-project – teachers will plan and implement a project to take place over a period of 2-6 weeks. This project will incorporate the development of skills required for success in the 21st century, including, but not limited to, specific thinking tools.
Options
There are many possibilities for designing and implementing the pilot project. In addition to identifying what the teachers and students will be doing, i.e., learning Web 2.0 tools, participating in a mini-project, or other selection - we have options as to how many schools will be involved and how they will be involved. Below are three possibilities:
Option I – all teachers, 24 schools, 6 consultants, 6 months
Option II – teachers for 2 grade levels, 24 schools, ____ consultants (depends upon number of teachers – 1 consultant per 25 teachers), 5 months estimate
Option III - 6 schools – all teachers; 18 schools – develop knowledge base through expert study groups, then enter next round of professional development to expand upon what was done in the first 6 schools.
Option IV - incorporate virtual learning. This can be done in a number of ways, from live, online professional development (with or without video) to the use of collaborative online tools to the production of professional development videos which the teachers can access any time and as many times as they choose.
We recommend a "blended learning" experience, which is a combination on on-site and online learning.
Option I – all teachers, 24 schools, 6 consultants, 6 months
Option II – teachers for 2 grade levels, 24 schools, ____ consultants (depends upon number of teachers – 1 consultant per 25 teachers), 5 months estimate
Option III - 6 schools – all teachers; 18 schools – develop knowledge base through expert study groups, then enter next round of professional development to expand upon what was done in the first 6 schools.
Option IV - incorporate virtual learning. This can be done in a number of ways, from live, online professional development (with or without video) to the use of collaborative online tools to the production of professional development videos which the teachers can access any time and as many times as they choose.
We recommend a "blended learning" experience, which is a combination on on-site and online learning.
Implementing the Project
Professional Development – Professional development will be provided prior to actual implementation of the pilot project in the schools. Please see the agenda for the workshop, Designing the 21st Century Classroom. This workshop agenda is an example of designing down, or designing backwards from the desired outcomes.
Implementation in the Classrooms- Ongoing support and assessment during the pilot project.
Evaluation – pre, post, and ongoing evaluations.
Implementation in the Classrooms- Ongoing support and assessment during the pilot project.
Evaluation – pre, post, and ongoing evaluations.
Proposed Schedule - Option I
Now to November 1 –
· Finalize contract between AIM and 21st Century Schools for Phase II, the Pilot Project.
· Finalize location and date of professional development for each school.
· Finalize consultants to provide training, ongoing support and evaluations
· Finalize consultants’ schedules
· Arrange for waivers from regular school schedule as needed in participating schools
· Arrange for relieving participating teachers from duties other than teaching and learning. Arrange for at least 1 hour per day for lesson planning for each teacher.
· Plan professional development details, then have necessary materials printed, and necessary technology tools in place, including access to Internet.
· Generate support among parents and the communities through media as well as regional introductory meetings. Bring them on board!
· Arrange for support from MoE, industries, nonprofits, organizations, universities and the media.
November 7 – consultants travel to Malaysia, then have 2 days to rest from the journey.
November 10-11 – meetings among consultants and with AIM
November 12 -13 – consultants break;
November 13 – travel to site of first professional development session.
November 14 – begin professional development with teachers. 160 teachers per week receive 3-5 days of professional development, including time for developing lesson plans for the pilot project. Best ratio of consultants to teachers is 1:25 for optimal success. Five to six trainers needed for five weeks of training.
November 14 – December 16 – professional development for participating schools.
Teachers/schools will be organized into five groups; each group will receive one week of professional development in one location. So we will need five regional locations to which teachers will travel to attend the week of professional development. The facility should be able to provide space for whole group sessions as well as 5 simultaneous small group sessions.
Sleeping rooms should be provided for attending teachers as well as daily food/beverage services for a continental breakfast, mid-morning break, lunch and a mid-afternoon break. Workshops will run each day from 8:00 a.m. to no later than 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Friday evening the consultants will travel to the next location, then have Saturday and Sunday for rest and preparation for the coming week.
Dec. 16 – January 2 – break for consultants
January 2 – March 31 – Pilot Project – consultants provide ongoing support on-site and online. Ongoing gathering of data on how project is progressing. Provide additional professional development as needed. Each consultant will be assigned to 4 schools and will visit these schools weekly to assess progress and provide support.
April 1-30 – Analyze data gathered during pilot project, including pre and post-assessments; report to MoE and AIM. Make recommendations for next steps based on results.
· Finalize contract between AIM and 21st Century Schools for Phase II, the Pilot Project.
· Finalize location and date of professional development for each school.
· Finalize consultants to provide training, ongoing support and evaluations
· Finalize consultants’ schedules
· Arrange for waivers from regular school schedule as needed in participating schools
· Arrange for relieving participating teachers from duties other than teaching and learning. Arrange for at least 1 hour per day for lesson planning for each teacher.
· Plan professional development details, then have necessary materials printed, and necessary technology tools in place, including access to Internet.
· Generate support among parents and the communities through media as well as regional introductory meetings. Bring them on board!
· Arrange for support from MoE, industries, nonprofits, organizations, universities and the media.
November 7 – consultants travel to Malaysia, then have 2 days to rest from the journey.
November 10-11 – meetings among consultants and with AIM
November 12 -13 – consultants break;
November 13 – travel to site of first professional development session.
November 14 – begin professional development with teachers. 160 teachers per week receive 3-5 days of professional development, including time for developing lesson plans for the pilot project. Best ratio of consultants to teachers is 1:25 for optimal success. Five to six trainers needed for five weeks of training.
November 14 – December 16 – professional development for participating schools.
Teachers/schools will be organized into five groups; each group will receive one week of professional development in one location. So we will need five regional locations to which teachers will travel to attend the week of professional development. The facility should be able to provide space for whole group sessions as well as 5 simultaneous small group sessions.
Sleeping rooms should be provided for attending teachers as well as daily food/beverage services for a continental breakfast, mid-morning break, lunch and a mid-afternoon break. Workshops will run each day from 8:00 a.m. to no later than 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Friday evening the consultants will travel to the next location, then have Saturday and Sunday for rest and preparation for the coming week.
Dec. 16 – January 2 – break for consultants
January 2 – March 31 – Pilot Project – consultants provide ongoing support on-site and online. Ongoing gathering of data on how project is progressing. Provide additional professional development as needed. Each consultant will be assigned to 4 schools and will visit these schools weekly to assess progress and provide support.
April 1-30 – Analyze data gathered during pilot project, including pre and post-assessments; report to MoE and AIM. Make recommendations for next steps based on results.