School quality related models

["Martin F. G. Schaffernicht"]

Hi,

I am preparing for a project that aims intervening in schools (in Chile)
in order to help directors. The basic goal is to help them define what
"quality of education" is in their case and how in-school agents or
factors influence it, such as to identify leverage points for improving
this very quality.

Are there models and/or articles about this subject? Is someone
interested in discussing this theme?

"Saludos" from the south of our spaceship,


Martin Schaffernicht
From: "Martin F. G. Schaffernicht" <martin@utalca.cl>
Facultad de Ciencias Empresariales
Universidad de Talca

http://dig.utalca.cl/carpeta/Martin_Schaffernicht

[GBHirsch@aol.com]

Dear Martin,

A paper I wrote on education reform in the US deals with several aspects of
quality of education. Its entitled "Can Education Reform Get in the Way of
Reforming Education?: A Simulator for Exploring Reform Strategies" and can be
found on the Creative Learning Exchanges web site at
http://www.clexchange.org/ftp/conferenc ... Hirsch.pdf

The paper describes the difficulties facing schools as they try to improve
the quality and effectiveness of their teaching while simultaneously responding
to the accountability mechanisms imposed by various education "reforms".

Gary Hirsch
GBHirsch@attbi.com

["Dan Goldner"]

Martin,
You may already be aware of the k-12 mailing list (http://www.clexchange.org)
discussing SD in schools. Last summer, a long-term plan for SD in schools
was developed, including a sketch of the overall goals of the program. That
sketch could be interpreted as one definition of educational quality - for
more information, see http://www.clexchange.org/ftp/newsletter/CLEx12.1.pdf.
Unfortunately I have no other materials to suggest to you, but I am indeed
interested in continuing the conversation.

With best wishes,
Dan Goldner
From: "Dan Goldner" <dan@vensim.com>

[Gordon Kubanek]

Hi Martin,

Yes there models specific to school systems & how they operate.
The best they I know are by John Heinbokel & jeff potash of Vermont.
They can be contacted at Vermont Commons School @

heinbokel@vtcommonsschool.org
jeffpotash@vtcommonsschool.org

However they & I would say that using recipe models is a poor idea,
except to inspire you and give a direction for your efforts. I
recommend seeing how learning works in your system and link to
performance measures that are balanced & dynamic using something
like the balanced scorecard [kaplan & norton] as a framework to work
within.

Sincerely,
Gordon Kubanek
gordon_kubanek@ocdsb.edu.on.ca
Ottawa, Canada

[Alan Graham]

In the 1970s, Richard Foster at MIT did extensive modeling of school quality
as it interacted with a larger urban system. The work extended the Urban
Dynamics model with what I recollect to be a substantial elaboration with
respect to school quality.

With luck, this research is still available from the D-files at MIT.

cheers,

alan

Alan K. Graham, Ph.D.
PA Consulting Group

Alan.Graham@PAConsulting.com
One Memorial Drive, Cambridge, Mass. 02142 USA
Direct phone (US) 617 - 252 - 0384
Main number (US) 617 - 225 - 2700
Mobile (US) 617 - 413 - 7801
Fax (US) 617 - 225 - 2631
Home office (US) 978 - 263 - 8719
Home fax (US) 978 - 263 - 6861

["Martin F. G. Schaffernicht"]

Hi Dan,

thanks for the info! Ill be involved in a project that aims at helping school
directors improve quality by (somehow) transferring the understanding of the
"experts" who design echool quality assessment in the ministry of education.

The idea is that if one can elaborate a (SD) model that is valid for the known
behavior of school quality in general, each school can "custimize" it to its own
situation and start reflecting and deciding based on its use. If this is done
in cycles, it should lead to the mutual (iterative) improvement of action, effect
(quality) and the model (understanding) itself. Well, this is the general idea,
and we are just starting talking about it.

If you remain interested, I would be pleased to continue dialogue about it.

"Saludos" from Chile,

Martin
From: "Martin F. G. Schaffernicht" <martin@utalca.cl>


--
Martin F. G. Schaffernicht
Facultad de Ciencias Empresariales
Universidad de Talca

http://dig.utalca.cl/carpeta/Martin_Schaffernicht