- 200 word description of the presentation
Making school-to-school partnerships work in the Philippines
Diosdado M. San Antonio, Department of Education Region IV-A CALABARZON, Philippines ;
*Agnes G. Rolle, Department of Education Region IV-A CALABARZON, Philippines ;
*Ann Geralyn T. Pelias, Department of Education Region IV-A CALABARZON, Philippines ;
*Marites L. Gloria, Department of Education Region IV-A CALABARZON, Philippines
*Presenting Authors
Trends around the world indicate that school improvement can be pursued by allowing schools to collaborate with one another in addressing common concerns (Chapman &Muijs, 2013; Jackson & Temperley, 2007; Muijs, 2015). This trend is also known as teacher collaboration (Gooddard, GoodardTschannen-Moran, 2007), inter-school networking (Muijs, West & Ainscow, 2010) and school networks (Smith & Wohlstetter, 2001). In the Philippines, a high performing school (lead school) works with a low performing partner school to face challenges that block school effectiveness.
This research explored the perceptions of 36 participants who volunteered to respond to an open-ended questionnaire on the usefulness of the initiative, the success factors, and other suggestions for sustaining successful school-to-school partnerships.
Analysis of qualitative data through consensual qualitative research revealed that all participants acknowledged the usefulness of allowing partnerships to catalyze school improvement. In addition, success factors identified included the willingness of participants to collaborate; the opportunity to benchmark best practices from the lead school; and the availability of funds to produce teacher-made learning materials. Finally, participants recommended the continuous monitoring and evaluation, institutionalized learning action cells, and the provision of incentives to effective implementers of the initiative as ways to ensure sustainable school-to-school partnerships.
- General Paper Version
Making school-to-school partnerships work in the Philippines
Diosdado M. San Antonio, Department of Education Region IV-A CALABARZON, Philippines ;
*Agnes G. Rolle, Department of Education Region IV-A CALABARZON, Philippines ;
*Ann Geralyn T. Pelias, Department of Education Region IV-A CALABARZON, Philippines ;
*Marites L. Gloria, Department of Education Region IV-A CALABARZON, Philippines
*Presenting Authors
Proposal type: General Paper
Subtheme: Partnering for Innovative Change
To which ICSEI network(s) does your proposal most closely relate? Educational Leadership Network
Trends around the world indicate that school improvement can be pursued by allowing schools to collaborate with one another in addressing common concerns (Chapman &Muijs, 2013; Jackson & Temperley, 2007; Muijs, 2015). This trend is also known as teacher collaboration (Gooddard, GoodardTschannen-Moran, 2007), inter-school networking (Muijs, West & Ainscow, 2010) and school networks (Smith & Wohlstetter, 2001). This phenomenon is significant because it allows community-based collaboration to prosper as well costs and knowledge to be shared (Smith and Wohlstetter, 2001).
In the Philippines, this was introduced via school-to-school partnerships where a high performing school (lead school) works with a low performing partner school to face challenges that block school effectiveness. This recent initiative allocates funds so that the lead school can assist the partner school in conceptualizing and designing projects for better outcomes.
This research explored the perceptions of 36 participants who volunteered to respond to an open-ended questionnaire on the usefulness of the implementing school-to-school partnerships. In addition, the researchers looked into the success factors and other suggestions for sustaining successful school-to-school partnerships.
Analysis of qualitative data through consensual qualitative research show that all participants acknowledged the usefulness of allowing partnerships to catalyze school improvement. Factors identified as critical in the success of the initiative include the following: the willingness of participants to collaborate; the opportunity to benchmark best practices from the lead school; and the availability of funds to produce teacher-made learning materials. These findings are similar to what Ainscow, Muijs and West (2006) have reported that factors associated with successful school-to-school cooperation include commitment to collaboration by participants, proximity of participating schools, trust among partners and well-defined protocols and expectations.
Finally, participants recommended activities and practices that will bring about sustainable and productive school-to-school partnerships. These recommendations consist of continuous monitoring and evaluation, institutionalized learning action cells, and provision of awards and incentives to effective implementers.
References:
Ainscow, M., Muijs, D & West, M. (2006). Collaboration as a strategy for improving schools in challenging circumstances. Improving Schools. 9 (3): 192-202.
Chapman, C & Muijs, D (2013). Collaborative School Turnaround: A Study of the Impact of School Federations on Student Outcomes. Leadership and Policy in Schools. 12 (3): 200-226.
DepEd Order No. 44, s 2016. Guidelines on the school-to-school partnerships for fiscal year 2016 retrieved from on 28 June 2017.
Gooddard, YL, Gooddard, RD & Tschannen-Moran M (2007). A Theoretical and Empirical Investigation of Teacher Collaboration for School Improvement and Student Achievement in Public Elementary Schools. Teachers College Record. 109 (4): 877–896.
Jackson, D & Temperley, J (2007). From professional learning community to networked learning community. In L. Stoll & K.S. Louis (eds), Professional learning communities: Divergence, depth and dilemmas. Maidenhead: Open University Press.
Muijs, D (2015). Improving schools through collaboration: a mixed methods study of school-to-school partnerships in the primary sector. Oxford Review of Education. 41 (5): 563-586.
Muijs, D, West, M & Ainscow, M (2010). Why network? Theoretical perspectives on networking. School Effectiveness and School Improvement. 21 (1): 5-26.
Smith, AK & Wohlstetter, P (2001). Reform through School Networks: A New Kind of Authority and Accountability. Educational Policy. 15 (4): 499–519