An outline of an educational research project conducted in Oman

2. SOLE-CPD
Paul McGreavy MSc
Al Takween for Educational Services
& Development

3. 1. To introduce an alternative approach to CPD;
2. To summarise research to date;
3. To recruit more pilot groups.

4. CPD
Continuing Professional Development
SOLE Self-Organised Learning Environment
MIE
Minimally Invasive Education
CoP
Community of Practice

5. Sugata
Mitra
Hole in the
Wall
Experiments

6. Children
taught
themselves:
To browse the Internet & use applications;
To read & type in English;
To speak English with a different accent;
To answer ‘big’ questions.

7. What else can
children teach
themselves?
What can be achieved with MIE?

8. MIE is a form of learning in which children
operate in unsupervised environments
Can MIE be applied
to Teacher CPD?

9. Al Issa and Al Bulushi note that many English Language
Teaching, (ELT), CPD projects in Oman have ‘failed to
meet the teachers’ needs, lacked new content and
hardly paid any attention to the teachers’ daily
problems’, (English language teaching reform in Sultanate of Oman: The case of
theory and practice disparity. (2011).

10. Where
we are
Where
we
should
be
(Adapted by the UK DfES (2004) from Hopkins, Harris, Singleton and Watts (2000) Creating the conditions for teaching and learning. Published in ‘Pedagogy and Practice: Teaching and
Learning in Secondary Schools. Leadership Guide’ DfES 2004)

11. SOLE-CPD
(MITE)
What might be achieved with
SOLE-CPD?

12. Communities of Practice
An identity defined by
a shared domain of
interest.
Members engage
in joint activities and
discussions, help each
other, and share
information.
Develop a shared
repertoire of resources,
experiences, stories,
tools & ways of
addressing recurring
problems.
Jean Lave & Etienne Wenger

13. Today’s SOLEs
Al Takween School,
Barka, (Nov 2013).
• Explaining to
children;
• Behaviour &
classroom
management;
• Getting children to
organise their own
learning.
Madinat Sultan
Qaboos Private
School, Muscat, (Feb
2014).
• Explaining to
children.

14. Define the
inquiry
Review &
consider
next steps
Analyse
data about
the change
Describe
the
situation
Action
Research
Cycle
Monitor
the change
Collect &
analyse
data
Review the
data
Introduce
change

15. Define the
inquiry
Define the
inquiry
Review &
consider
next steps
Review &
consider
next steps
Describe
the
situation
Analyse
data
about the
change
Collect &
analyse
data
Monitor
the
change
Review
the data
Introduce
change
Define the
inquiry
Describe
the
situation
Analyse
data
about the
change
Review &
consider
next steps
Collect &
analyse
data
Monitor
the
change
Review
the data
Introduce
change
Describe
the
situation
Analyse
data
about the
change
Collect &
analyse
data
Monitor
the
change
Review
the data
Introduce
change
• How do we ensure pupil progression in
English medium subjects?
• Which curriculum is best for our school?
• How can we better manage CPD in our
school?
• How do we plan & teach inclusive lessons?
• How can we teach large classes, (Indian
schools)?

16. 1. MITE – needs a significant amount of ‘i’, (intervention);
2. Should we structure the process for teachers?
3. Teacher SOLEs need to have more than Mitra’s 8 - 12 week
lifespan;
4. Teacher CoPs are developing strengths within the schools;
5. Teachers are becoming more informed about their CPD needs;
6. More ‘big’ questions about education are generated;
7. More research is required…….

17. You!
Contact:
paul.mcgreavy@altakween.com