A model for improving teacher quality through School-Based Teacher Development (SBTD)
COL’s model for School-Based Teacher Development (SBTD) involves capacity-building and resource development using OER and appropriate technologies, to improve institutional effectiveness in leveraging ODL. The goal is to strengthen teacher educator capacity, as well as teacher quality and learner experience in school clusters supported by the teacher education institution (TEI). Peer collaboration among teacher educators and teachers is achieved through Communities of Practice (CoP), which presents an important learning opportunity for the teachers.
Description
COL recognizes the central role of teachers in maximising learner performance and opportunity, leading to longer term outcomes such as attainment of better transition rates to tertiary education, more opportunities for employment and livelihood, as well as an ability in learners to interrogate and address environmental issues and social inclusion. This aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4).
The campus-based teacher training has not responded to the scale of teacher need in Sub-Saharan Africa and many other developing country contexts. COL’s priority in teacher education is, therefore, in developing scalable technology-enabled models for school-based professional development.
COL’s ‘Teacher Futures’ is an integrated programme aimed at improving teacher quality through a technology-enabled school-based teacher development model. With this model, COL aims to build the capacity of teachers towards transformative teaching using OER, eLearning and microlearning, for improved learning outcomes.
Under this programme, COL works with partner Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) in adapting various technologies to support teacher professional development where in-service teachers can learn on-the-go and engage with peers in both local and international networks and Communities of Practice, without displacing them from school. The model aims to build evidence on training approaches that not only support teachers in improving their instructional practice for quality teaching but also enhance the lifelong learning skills that they need for the dynamic and constantly changing learning environment.
TEIs offer contextualised school-based training to teachers in specific cluster schools in partner countries. Appropriate research, monitoring and evaluation tools have been developed and can be used to ensure effective project coordination and determine project impact.
Current Partners
- Jamaica: Joint Board of Teacher Education (JBTE) 35 schools
- Kenya: Kenya Institute of Special Education 35 schools*
- Nigeria: National Teachers’ Institute (NTI, Kaduna) 50 schools
- Sierra Leone: Freetown Teachers College 40 schools*
- Sri Lanka: National Colleges of Education (NCoEs) 375 schools*
Resources for school-based teacher development
- Blueprint and Toolkit for School-Based Teacher Development
- Implementation Guide – Pilot Phase – A Blueprint and Toolkit for School-Based Teacher Development: Secondary
- Versioning Guidelines – A Blueprint and Toolkit for School-Based Teacher Development: Secondary
- Key Resources – A Blueprint and Toolkit for School-Based Teacher Development: Secondary
