The Open Classroom 2005 – Learning Equity, Innovation & Quality for the 21st Century School

The Open Classroom 2005: Learning Equity, Innovation & Quality for the

21st century School

Carl Holmberg and Nikitas Kastis

Open Classroom Conference V

Teachers Professional Development: eLearning, Innovation & Quality in Schooling

CNED, Poitiers, October 2005

Alexander born June 2, 2005

The Open Classroom 2005: Learning Equity, Innovation & Quality for the 21st century SchoolCNED, Poitiers, October 2005

• Open Classroom– Open to differences between students

– Open to innovations

– Open to society


Open to – differences between students

• flexible learning, organisational changes

– innovations• evolving theories on learning, technology

enhanced learning

– society• societal relevant learning, European

dimensions, world of work


Learning at school - evolutionary trends

• Shift in emphasis from learning as a process of reproduction to one of transformative learningtransformative learning

• Linking education with other key policy agendas like employment, health and the environment - joined-up governmentjoined-up government


• Impressive increase of school education since 1950’sImpressive increase of school education since 1950’s, secondary education graduation rates jumped from ~50% to 72-97% (those born in 1950 & 1972, OECD, Education at a Glance, 2005).

• Primary education admission at the age of 5-6 yrs, compulsory education lasts 9-10 yrs and average school average school expectancy is 17 yrsexpectancy is 17 yrs.

• Apart from foreign languages, ICT & religion, Primary Primary Education curriculum present strong similaritiesEducation curriculum present strong similarities, the same holds for Secondary Education, with an even stronger Secondary Education, with an even stronger structure of teaching time allocationstructure of teaching time allocation between subjects.


Financial & Human Resources in School Education• Spending on Education increasesSpending on Education increases – reaching 6.1% of GDP, OECD

average -, with expenditure on staff corresponding to biggest budget heading. Thus, expenditure per student is largely expenditure per student is largely influenced by teachers salaries!influenced by teachers salaries!

• Increase of expenditure per student of more than 20% between Increase of expenditure per student of more than 20% between 1995 and 2002, in non-tertiary1995 and 2002, in non-tertiary education (tertiary education prevailing pattern of change differs, due to relative expansion).

• Expenditure per student rises with the education level, with secondary 1.3 times primary expenditure and tertiary reaching secondary 1.3 times primary expenditure and tertiary reaching over 4.5 times primaryover 4.5 times primary, representative of the established life-cycle representative of the established life-cycle (long) learning paradigm(long) learning paradigm.


Financial & Human Resources in School Education

• OECD countries’ average: 92% of total spending (in non-tertiary 92% of total spending (in non-tertiary education) on current expenditureeducation) on current expenditure (only 8% on capital).

• On average, only 5% of total spending on the same education only 5% of total spending on the same education level goes to subsidies for ancillary serviceslevel goes to subsidies for ancillary services (services to students, procurement of materials and other types of outsourcing).

• Teaching Staff: in general, the higher the education level the longer and more specialized teachers education (professional training accounts for a rather small proportion of total teacher education). Teaching profession with women in its majority, with Teaching profession with women in its majority, with most of teachers over 40 yrs oldmost of teachers over 40 yrs old.


Financial & Human Resources in School Education• Teachers in-service training considered compulsory/necessary for

career advancement and/or salary increase, but no relationship no relationship established between compulsory or optional type and teacher established between compulsory or optional type and teacher participationparticipation [(de-)motivation?]. Special support for new teachers support for new teachers not a prevailed practice yetnot a prevailed practice yet!

• In only 12 countries, school heads have to take special coursesIn only 12 countries, school heads have to take special courses on teaching, administration, financial and HR management.

• Trend towards increasing schools autonomyTrend towards increasing schools autonomy, with decisions about timetable, curriculum and teaching methods, textbooks & other learning resources, even recruiting taken by schools themselves.


Measuring Results & Assessing Impact• Some (OECD) countries considered “laggards”: 15-year-olds’ Some (OECD) countries considered “laggards”: 15-year-olds’

mathematical proficiencymathematical proficiency (over 25% below threshold) & problem-& problem-solving proficiencysolving proficiency (~60% incapable of reaching threshold, only ~30% for the “protagonists”).

• The group of “protagonists”group of “protagonists” (Finland, Korea, Canada, Japan, Sweden,…) present an interesting ‘present an interesting ‘school cohesion factor’school cohesion factor’, with school-results’ differences accountable to 5-17% of students’ mathematics performance variation (for “laggards” over 30%).

• Not any relationship established between expenditure per student and learning performance. Results suggest that spending on spending on education is a prerequisite of high-quality learning, but not sufficient education is a prerequisite of high-quality learning, but not sufficient to achieve high level outcomesto achieve high level outcomes. Education systems’ processes play systems’ processes play a strong part in learning effectivenessa strong part in learning effectiveness.


Measuring Results & Assessing Impact• In most OECD countries, males’ employability is affected by the males’ employability is affected by the

lack of upper secondary educationlack of upper secondary education (factor for social cohesion).

• Sound evidence relating economic output (GDP growth) to yrs Sound evidence relating economic output (GDP growth) to yrs spent in educationspent in education (3-6% increase corresponding to one-year increase in education). Impact on health and social cohesion Impact on health and social cohesion remain anecdotalremain anecdotal without reliable assessment.

• Finally, learning outside classroomlearning outside classroom is (a) increasing (from 2000 to 2003) and (b) varying in both time allocated and type & quality –yet not measurable impact on learning outcomes.


Expansion of education/learning borders: sharing cost and benefits equitably!

• Relation between educational provision, performance and social Relation between educational provision, performance and social inclusion is extremely complexinclusion is extremely complex.

• Learning outcomes are associated with variables like motivation, Learning outcomes are associated with variables like motivation, self-belief and learning strategiesself-belief and learning strategies, therefore likely to be linked to levels of social cohesion, quality and relevance of learning environment, the relationship with ‘life chances’!

• Seems that cognitive & cultural factors shape how poverty and exclusion relate to identity and ‘learning’; some thinkers talking about “chronic, inherited poverty” and “exclusion inheritance…, “chronic, inherited poverty” and “exclusion inheritance…, passed over to generations”…, through education!passed over to generations”…, through education!



• These considerations give rise to ideas about emerging knowledge emerging knowledge building patternsbuilding patterns, with ‘exclusion’ being defined as lack of access to opportunities to realise creativity and potential; the process of the process of knowledge formationknowledge formation – using weblogs and other forms of digital communications - to some extent re-directing control of knowledge re-directing control of knowledge from ‘experts’ and more towards ‘ordinary people’from ‘experts’ and more towards ‘ordinary people’

• The dominant learning paradigm resembles to a ‘clockwork’ modeldominant learning paradigm resembles to a ‘clockwork’ model, with school curriculum shaped by notions of time-bounded chunks of learning (St. Marshall). Learning in the ‘post-modern’ society should respond to calls for alternative ‘societal’ pedagogic modelscalls for alternative ‘societal’ pedagogic models that can accommodate the ‘reflexivity’ of the Knowledge Society.



• It follows that Lifelong(-cycle) Learning and by extension e-learning Lifelong(-cycle) Learning and by extension e-learning – seen as the learning in the 21– seen as the learning in the 21stst century - should be conceived of century - should be conceived of as an ‘adaptive system’ rather than a ‘clockwork mechanism’as an ‘adaptive system’ rather than a ‘clockwork mechanism’.

• Facing the prevailing differences between ethnic, linguistic/cultural groups and regions as well as the increasing new type of “exclusion risk”, we need to pose the question as to which extent the question as to which extent the emerging “technical” infrastructure is about to facilitate a positive emerging “technical” infrastructure is about to facilitate a positive impact on education outcomes, as measured in terms of both impact on education outcomes, as measured in terms of both growth and social cohesion or, perhaps, increase differences!growth and social cohesion or, perhaps, increase differences!


Borderless & inclusive learning and “Technical Coding”• What are the ‘typical’ aspects of ‘technical coding’‘typical’ aspects of ‘technical coding’ in the beginning

of the century: A limitless potential of on-line applications serving content limitless potential of on-line applications serving content

creation, sharing, reusability and thus knowledge formationcreation, sharing, reusability and thus knowledge formation (from weblogging to web tagging/mashing etc.)

Set of maturing communication protocolsmaturing communication protocols, that could cater with interoperabilities between communication networks and seamless seamless global coverage of regionsglobal coverage of regions.

• Is this ‘technical coding’ leading to equitable development of ‘technical coding’ leading to equitable development of education offer & knowledgeeducation offer & knowledge – or they can increase risks of exclusion and ‘fragmentation’?


Challenges in order to facilitate the facilitate the evolutionevolution of the Open Classroom Open Classroom?

• How can we How can we – change learning at schoolchange learning at school?– change school organizationchange school organization?– support the School Teachersupport the School Teacher?

•What our children need to learnWhat our children need to learn in order to aspire to these emerging societal paradigms?


Dare to give some answers…Dare to give some answers…Start with Primary Ed, decentralize, establish

new Literacy paradigms, sharing of learning resources and knowledge formation mechanism;

Provide with adequate initial training, competence development and career planning for teachers

Build collaborative European TeacherOccupation Profiles


The School Teacher of the 21st CenturyDigitally literate – assimilated in the digital wordCollaborative workerAdaptive to varying learning profiles/patternsKnowledge builder & communicatorAnimator & School-based researcherMotivated & with career perspectives


Harnessing our Foresight to Education

All times Classic!


Quality & Equity served by Innovation: the Quality & Equity served by Innovation: the Open ClassroomOpen Classroom Agenda Agenda

• Research & piloting towards New LiteraciesNew Literacies – not only ‘digital literacy’ but ‘life skills’‘life skills’ are more significant Flexible competency-based skills classification systemsFlexible competency-based skills classification systems, linked to learning

supply and teachers training policies ‘‘First Chance’ schoolsFirst Chance’ schools – making the school system less reactive and more pro-school system less reactive and more pro-

activeactive in providing ‘education for all’ Development of ‘affordable technologies’ for Learning‘affordable technologies’ for Learning New forms of Knowledge building and sharingNew forms of Knowledge building and sharing Learning patrimoniesLearning patrimonies and their effects on the production of cultural and scientific production of cultural and scientific

knowledgeknowledge

• Strengthening Education Research & Innovation, in order to harness our Foresight to Education Systems & Changes