OER4Schools: Outcomes of a Sustained Professional Development Intervention in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Sustaining educational initiatives beyond short-term pilot projects is highly challenging in low-income countries. We describe the outcomes and implications of our iterative Design-Based Implementation Research conducted in Zambia. This focused on a unique, school-based, peer-facilitated professional learning programme for primary teachers: OER4Schools integrates interactive pedagogy, open digital educational resources and mobile learning. Teacher interviews carried out 18 months after a year-long intervention showed that the programme became self-sustaining; earlier participants reported further development of their interactive teaching strategies and awareness of pupil progress; recent joiners developed similarly. Roles of teachers and pupils changed and a new classroom culture emerged. The study identifies the key mechanisms involved in sustainability, including culturally sensitive and participatory development and implementation, semi-structured multimedia materials, and supportive organisational structures for sustained professional learning. Our findings are hence framed by sociocultural influences as well as the wider policy context.

Supporting practitioner‐led inquiry into classroom dialogue with a research‐informed professional learning resource: A design‐based approach

“…It was run in 12 classes over a school year in one main primary school with limited remote support for the facilitator which faded over time (Hennessy et al, 2016a). A follow-up study 18 months later demonstrated sustainability of the new pedagogical practices without any support from the research team, plus spontaneous extension of the approach to the whole school by peer facilitators (Haßler et al, 2020). Key to the sustainability and further evolution were the balance between a structured programme and supporting teachers' agency to develop and implement classroom practices.…”

The Covid-19 Learning Crisis as a Challenge and an Opportunity for Schools: An Evidence Review and Conceptual Synthesis of Research-Based Tools for Sustainable Change

“…Opportunities to stay with such new surprising insights can be supported by fit-for-purpose assessment tools, structured peer facilitation (Hassler et al, 2018) and organisational routines that create regular spaces for self-reflection, working out changes in practice and stabilising those changes over time (Sherer & Spillane, 2011). In order to effectively facilitate generative dialogues and stabilisation of new practices, however, such organisational routines need to be enriched through collaboration and trialling tools (Dickens, 2021;Hassler et al, 2020;Marfan, 2021;Rainio & Hofmann, 2021). We next discuss some examples.…”