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Thursday, October 26, 2000
1:00 - 2:15 PM
The Three Dimensions of Educational Change
Dr. Andy Hargreaves,
Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Toronto
Most reform efforts presume that change is binary in nature, they try to conform bad into good, wrong into right, old into new. Change itself is deeper and more complex than this. Andy Hargreaves will draw on his extensive research on educational change, especially his new book, "Learning to Change: Teaching Beyond Subjects and Standards," to describe what he calls the three dimensions of educational change. These are: l Depth - does the new curriculum orthodoxy of standards, indicators, and new assessments address deep learning that will benefit all students intellectually, socially and emotionally; rather than simply promoting superficial test scores. l Length or duration - Will the changes and reforms last? Are they being implemented in a sustainable way that survives beyond the first flush of innovation? Do they put teachers in the vanguard of change, or make them passive victims? l Breadth - Will the changes benefit most students and most schools, and not just a few cases of success in model schools or pilot projects? Attendees of this session will see how deep sustainable change that benefits the most students does not depend on instant, binary reforms. Rather, deep change is achieved through long-term commitments to developing the capacities of teachers and leaders in our schools to work with change effectively over time, and on making teaching a more flexible and professionalized field rather than being the object for standardization.
Focus: All educators
Location: Mendota 8 Alliant Energy Center