Why is school reform sustained even after a project? A case study of Bac Giang Province, Vietnam
- 356 Downloads
- 14 Citations
Abstract
This paper reports on a case study of schools in Vietnam wherein teachers are engaged in school reform activities known as professional teacher meetings (PTMs), which is based on an approach called lesson study for learning community (LSLC). The PTMs under LSLC were introduced in 2006, but the teachers involved are still conducting the activities despite scarcity of resources, particularly technical ones. This study addresses the following research question: Why have teachers continued to organize PTMs after the project ended? Three aspects will help address the research question. First, teachers had faith in the effectiveness of the PTMs. Second, enthusiasm and support of seniors and authorities such as school principals could have also helped sustain the PTMs. Third, the need to maintain a respectable reputation before external parties could also be an important factor.
Keywords
Lesson study Lesson study for learning community Professional development School reform Sustainability VietnamReferences
- Bac Giang Statistics Office. (2009). Niên giám thống kê tỉnh Bắc Giang [Bac Giang statistical yearbook 2008]. Hanoi, Vietnam: Statistical Publishing House.Google Scholar
- Brookfield, S. D. (1993). Understanding consulting as an adult education process. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 58, 5–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Creswell, J. W. (1998). Qualitative inquiry and research design. London, UK: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
- Creswell, J. W. (2008). Educational research: Planning, conducting, and evaluating quantitative and qualitative research (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.Google Scholar
- Datnow, A. (2005). The sustainability of comprehensive school reform models in changing district and state contexts. Educational Administration Quarterly, 41(1), 121–153.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Drysdale, L., Goode, H., & Gurr, D. (2009). An Australian model of successful school leadership: Moving from success to sustainability. Journal of Educational Administration, 47(6), 697–708.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Dudley, P. (2007). Lessons for learning: Using lesson study to innovate, develop and transfer pedagogic approaches and metapedagogy. London, UK: TLRP. Retrieved from http://www.bera.ac.uk/lesson-study/.
- Fernandez, C., & Yoshida, M. (2004). Lesson study: A Japanese approach to improving mathematics, teaching and learning. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Google Scholar
- Gersten, R., Chard, D., & Baker, S. (2000). Factors enhancing sustained use of research-based instructional practices. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 33(5), 445–457.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Giles, C., & Hargreaves, A. (2006). The sustainability of innovative schools as learning organizations and professional learning communities during standardized reform. Educational Administration Quarterly, 42(1), 124–156.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Goodson, I., Moore, S., & Hargreaves, A. (2006). Teacher nostalgia and the sustainability of reform: The generation and degeneration of teachers’ missions, memory, and meaning. Educational Administration Quarterly, 42(1), 42–61.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Grimes, J., Kurns, S., Tilly, W. D., & II, I. (2006). Sustainability: An enduring commitment to success. School Psychology Review, 35(2), 224–244.Google Scholar
- Guhn, M. (2009). Insights from successful and unsuccessful implementations of school reform programs. Journal of Educational Change, 10, 337–363.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Hargreaves, A. (1998). The emotional practice of teaching. Teaching and Teacher Education, 14(8), 835–854.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Hargreaves, A. (2005). Educational change takes ages: Life, career and generational factors in teachers’ emotional responses to educational change. Teaching and Teacher Education, 21(8), 967–983.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Hargreaves, A., & Fink, D. (2003). Sustaining leadership. Phi Delta Kappan, 84(9), 693–700.Google Scholar
- Hargreaves, A., & Fink, D. (2006). Sustaining leadership. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.Google Scholar
- Hargreaves, A., & Goodson, I. (2006). Educational change over time? The sustainability and nonsustainability of three decades of secondary school change and continuity. Educational Administration Quarterly, 42(1), 3–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Harmon, H. L., Gordanier, J., Henry, L., & George, A. (2007). Changing teaching practices in rural schools. The Rural Educator, 28(2), 8–12.Google Scholar
- Huberman, A. M., & Miles, M. B. (1984). Innovation up close: How school improvement works. New York, NY: Plenum Press.Google Scholar
- Inagaki, T., & Sato, M. (1996). Jugyo kenkyu nyumon [Introduction to lesson study]. Tokyo, Japan: Iwanami Shoten.Google Scholar
- Inprasitha, M. (2008). Thailand’s experience in lesson study for enhancing quality in education. Paper presented at the First International Conference in Lesson Study, Bandung, Indonesia.Google Scholar
- Japan International Cooperation Agency. (2007a). Report of school-based activity in fiscal year 2006. Tokyo, Japan: Japan International Cooperation Agency.Google Scholar
- Japan International Cooperation Agency. (2007b). Syuuryouji hyoka chosa kekka yoyakuhyo [Summary Table of Final Evaluation]. Tokyo, Japan: Japan International Cooperation Agency. Retrieved from http://gwweb.jica.go.jp/km/ProjDoc027.nsf/VIEWJCSearchX/0586A09553560D00492576D300260A2A?OpenDocument&pv=VW02040105&pid=2B895195452D494C492575D100355289.
- Kilbane, J. F., Jr. (2009). Factors in sustaining professional learning community. NASSP Bulletin, 93(3), 184–205.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Lai, M. K., McNaughton, S., Timperley, H., & Hsiao, S. (2009). Sustaining continued acceleration in reading comprehension achievement following an intervention. Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability, 21(1), 81–100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Lewis, C., Perry, R., & Hurd, J. (2004). A deeper look at lesson study. Educational Leadership, 61(5), 18–22.Google Scholar
- Lim, C. S., White, A. L., & Chiew, C. M. (2005, November). Promoting mathematics teacher collaboration through lesson study: What can we learn from two countries’ experience? Paper presented at the Mathematics Education into the 21st Century Project, Johor Bahru, Malaysia.Google Scholar
- Main, K., & Bryer, F. (2007). A framework for research into Australian middle school practice. The Australian Educational Researcher, 34(2), 91–105.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- McIntyre, E., & Kyle, D. (2006). The success and failure of one mandated reform for young children. Teaching and Teacher Education, 22, 1130–1144.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Ministry of Education and Training. (2008). Chỉ thị về việc phát động phong trào thi đua “Xây dựng trường học thân thiện, học sinh tích cực” trong các trường phổ thông giai đoạn 2008–2013 [Directive on the launch of the movement “Creating friendly schools with active children” in general education schools from 2008–2013] (Reference No. 40/2008/CT-BGDĐT). Hanoi, Vietnam: Author.Google Scholar
- Ministry of Education and Training. (2009). Quyết định về việc ban hành khung kế hoạch thời gian năm học 2009–2010 của giáo dục mầm non, giáo dục phổ thông và giáo dục thường xuyên [Decision on the issue of the timeframe for the academic year of 2009–2010 for preschool, general, and regular education] (Reference No. 4385/QĐ-BGDĐT). Hanoi, Vietnam: Author.Google Scholar
- Ose, T., & Sato, M. (2000). Gakko wo tsukuri [Establishing a school]. Tokyo, Japan: Shogakkan.Google Scholar
- Ose, T., & Sato, M. (2003). Gakko wo kaeru [Changing a school]. Tokyo, Japan: Shogakkan.Google Scholar
- Plan Vietnam Office. (2010). Tài liệu hướng dẫn sinh hoạt chuyên môn [Guidelines on professional teachers’ meetings]. Hanoi, Vietnam: Author.Google Scholar
- Ruthven, K. (2005). Improving the development and warranting of good practice in teaching. Cambridge Journal of Education, 35(3), 407–426.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Saito, E., Do, T. H., & Khong, T. D. H. (2010). Echoing with the voices of victims: Reflection on Vietnamese lessons on the Japanese experiences of atomic bombs. Improving Schools, 13(3), 221–234.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Saito, E., Harun, I., Kuboki, I., & Sumar, H. (2007). A study on the partnership between school and university to improve mathematics and science education in Indonesia. International Journal of Educational Development, 27(2), 194–204.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Saito, E., Harun, I., Kuboki, I., & Tachibana, H. (2006a). Indonesian lesson study in practice: Case study of Indonesian mathematics science teacher education project. Journal of In-service Education, 32(2), 171–184.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Saito, E., Sumar, H., Harun, I., Ibrohim, K. I., & Tachibana, H. (2006b). Development of school-based in-service training under an Indonesian mathematics and science teacher education project. Improving Schools, 9(1), 47–59.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Saito, E., & Tsukui, A. (2008). Challenging common sense: Cases of school reform for learning community under an international cooperation project in Bac Giang Province, Vietnam. International Journal of Educational Development, 28(5), 571–584.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Saito, E., Tsukui, A., & Tanaka, Y. (2008). Problems on professional development of primary teachers in Vietnam: Case of Bac Giang Province. International Journal of Educational Development, 28(1), 89–103.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Sato, M. (2006a). Gakko no choseusen [Challenges faced by schools]. Tokyo, Japan: Shogakkan.Google Scholar
- Sato, M. (2006b). Gakko saisei no tetsugaku [Philosophy for school restoration]. Gendai Shisou [Review of Modern Thoughts], 35(5), 93–105.Google Scholar
- Sato, M., & Sato, M. (2003). Kouritsu cyugakkou no chousen [Challenge of a public junior high school]. Tokyo, Japan: Gyousei.Google Scholar
- Sindelar, P. T., Shearer, D. K., Yendol-Hoppey, D., & Liebert, T. W. (2006). The sustainability of inclusive school reform. Exceptional Children, 72(3), 317–331.Google Scholar
- Socialist Republic of Vietnam. (2005). Quyết định của Thủ tướng Chính phủ về việc phê duyệt đề án “Xây dựng, nâng cao chất lượng đội ngũ nhà giáo và cán bộ quản lý giáo dục giai đoạn 2005–2010” [Decision by the prime minister on the approval of the project “Develop and improve the quality of teachers, school managers, and local educational authorities from 2005–2010”] (Reference No. 09/2005/QĐ-TTg). Hanoi, Vietnam: Author.Google Scholar
- Stevens, R. J. (2004). Why do educational innovations come and go? What do we know? What can we do? Teaching and Teacher Education, 20, 389–396.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Stigler, J. W., & Hiebert, J. (1999). The teaching gap: Best ideas from the world’s teachers for improving education in the classroom. New York, NY: Free Press.Google Scholar
- Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
- Stringfield, S., Reynolds, D., & Schaffer, E. C. (2008). Improving secondary students’ academic achievement through a focus on reform reliability: 4- and 9-year findings from the High Reliability Schools Project. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 19(4), 409–428.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Taylor, J. E. (2006). The struggle to survive: Examining the sustainability of schools’ comprehensive school reform efforts. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, 11(3/4), 331–352.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Thuy, N. T., Dekker, R., & Goedhart, M. J. (2008). Preparing Vietnamese student teachers for teaching with a student-centered approach. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 11(1), 61–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Wheeler, C. W., Bui, L. C., Phung, T. N.-H., & Ho, T. T. H. (2011, February). Lesson study in Vietnam: A country report. Paper presented at the 23rd UNESCO-APEID Hiroshima Seminar on Innovation and Reform in Teacher Education in the Asia-Pacific Region, Hiroshima, Japan.Google Scholar
- Wheeler, C. W., Phung, T. N-H., Bui, L. C., & Ho, T. T. H. (2007, November). Lesson, Vietnamese style: Bringing meaning to a hollow shell. Paper presented at the International Conference of the World Association of Lesson Studies, Hong Kong, China.Google Scholar
- White, L., & Southwell, B. (2003). Lesson study project: Evaluation report. New South Wales, Australia: NSW Department of Education and Training.Google Scholar
- Wood, D. (2007). Teachers’ learning communities: Catalyst for change or a new infrastructure for the status quo? Teachers College Record, 109(3), 699–739.Google Scholar
- Wood, K., & Mohd Tuah, G. (2008). The impact of lesson study on teachers in Brunei Darussalam. Paper presented at the International Conference of the World Association of Lesson Studies, Hong Kong, China.Google Scholar