Empowering Communities to Transform and Modernize Schools: Kosovo Basic Education Program (BEP) Classroom Makeovers
Now 15 years since its war with Serbia, Kosovo continues to rely on significant international aid to rebuild and modernize its infrastructure. As part of these efforts, USAID has funded FHI 360 to strengthen the Government of Kosovo’s institutional capacity in the education sector. At the inception of the Basic Education Program (BEP) in 2010, a majority of Kosovo schools were under-resourced and most classrooms consisted of little more than student desks arranged in rows. BEP’s Classroom Makeovers initiative involves a structured, school director-led process which emphasizes community participation and fosters the creation of classroom spaces designed to promote the use of learner-center pedagogical strategies focused on developing 21st century skills and competencies. To prime a makeover, BEP provides schools with basic, low cost materials and supplies as well as a guide for parents and teachers to follow. Communities have provided, on average, through the contribution of labor and additional materials, over 70% of the value of classroom renovations. In complement to these newly designed classrooms, BEP provides a professional development course for teachers so they learn pedagogical techniques appropriate to these new classrooms. As a means to promote and scale this initiative, BEP has established an innovative partnership with national television broadcaster RTK to design a series of Classroom Makeover television programs aired weekly across Kosovo. With each episode a new school classroom is transformed and unique student-centered learning activities are introduced across a range of subject areas. These activities, together with additional promotion through BEP’s active social media channels (Facebook, YouTube, and Flickr), have led to significant school and community engagement in municipalities throughout the country. While BEP has directly supported the transformation of 126 classrooms, an additional 235 classrooms have been transformed entirely by local communities. In notable reflection of community self-reliance and ownership, over 70% of classroom renovation costs have come directly from local schools and communities, leading former U.S. Ambassador to Kosovo, Christopher Dell, to describe this approach to community empowerment as a “model for development.” In addition to collecting evidence of cost-share contributions, BEP monitors and documents the impact of the Classroom Makeover initiative BEP by collecting survey information on attitudes of teachers, students, and parents. At one school in Prizren for example, teachers have reported that not only were students in the renovated classroom were more engaged with their lessons, but their parents demonstrated greater interest in their children’s education. BEP's approach to Classroom Makeovers and corresponding pedagogical training is a low-cost and scalable approach to modernizing schools and engaging communities that can easily be replicated in schools acros
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Empowering Communities to Transform and Modernize Schools: Kosovo Basic Education Program (BEP) Classroom Makeovers
- 1. Empowering Communities to Transform and Modernize Schools: Kosovo Basic Education Program (BEP) Classroom Makeovers Stephen D. Luke, Ed.D. CIES 2015
- 3. MEST EDUCATION STRATEGY • Revised curriculum framework that recognizes increased globalization, knowledge society • Relevant competencies aligned with emerging needs of 21st century interdependent global society • Competencies: – Communication & expression – Thinking & learning competencies – Life-, work-, and environment-related competencies – Personal competencies – Civic competencies Kosovo Basic Education Program flickr.com/stephen_d_luke
- 4. PROGRAM SNAPSHOT • OCT 2010 – JUL 2016 • USAID: 9.7 million USD • GoK: 5 million euros • Schools actively involved: 613 • Total trained to date: 20,885
- 5. PROGRAM COMPONENTS 1. School Management 2. Assessment for Learning 3. Teacher Professional Development Cross-cutting Themes: • Literacy • Gender & Equity • ICT
- 6. A BIT ABOUT GLOBAL LEARNING? The Kosovo Context
- 8. Declared independence from Serbia in 2008 discover-albania.tumblr.com/
- 9. Recognized by: • 108/193 UN member states • 23/28 EU member states flickr.com/geovien
- 10. • 1.8 Million residents • 75% of population below the age of 29 yrs flickr.com/hanming_huang
- 11. instagram.com/agron_beqiri • Youth Unemployment (15-24yrs): 60% • Global rate: 12.6% • Central & Southeastern Europe: 18% • GDP per capita: $3,579
- 13. MEST EDUCATION STRATEGY • Revised curriculum framework that recognizes increased globalization, knowledge society • Relevant competencies aligned with emerging needs of 21st century interdependent global society – Competencies: • Communication & expression • Thinking & learning competencies • Life-, work-, and environment-related competencies • Personal competencies • Civic competencies flickr.com/stephen_d_luke
- 15. flickr.com/bepkosovo Albanian EGRA & Literacy Programs flickr.com/bepkosovo
- 27. PROBLEMS ADDRESSED BY CLASSROOM MAKEOVERS • School renovations are costly • Motivate teachers and students • Transform learning and teaching • Inspire parental engagement & promote community ownership
- 28. INGREDIENTS OF A CLASSROOM MAKEOVER • Dedicated Staff & Partners • € 500/classroom – Paint – Table Tops of Different Shapes/Sizes – Low-cost Classroom Materials • Complementary Professional Development Courses • Do-It-Yourself Handbooks • Communications & Outreach
- 29. KOSOVO BASIC EDUCATION STAFF
- 31. Accredited Professional Development Courses • Project Based Learning in Sciences (595) • Design Challenge in Teaching & Learning Technology (362) • Environment Related Learning (709) • Applications of ICT for English Language Learning (318) • Technician Clubs (176) • Learner Centered Classroom (116) • Developing 21st Century Skills in Mathematics (1,416) • Developing Reading Skills in Early Grades (2,475) • Action Research (79) • Facilitation of Learning Standards Course (478) • Computer Programming (49) • Coordination of School- based Professional Development (41)
- 32. CLASSROOM MAKEOVER MANUAL 1. Overview of Manual
- 33. CLASSROOM MAKEOVER MANUAL 1. Overview of Manual
- 34. OUTREACH • Website: bep-ks.org • Facebook: facebook.com/BEPKosovo • YouTube: youtube.com/user/BEPKosovo • Twitter: twitter.com/BEPKosovo • Flickr: flickr.com/photos/stephen_d_luke/collec tions/72157626797017866/
- 35. PARTNERSHIP WITH RTK TELEVISION Classroom Makeover Series • 6 Episodes aired 2x/week
- 50. CLASSROOM MAKEOVER SNAPSHOT • BEP supported Makeovers: 126 • BEP contribution: € 63,000 (€ 500/classroom) • Community contribution: € 147,000 (€ 1,167/classroom) • 70% of Makeover costs supported by Schools & Community
- 51. CLASSROOM MAKEOVER SNAPSHOT • Additional school & community-led Makeovers: 235 • Conservative estimate € 137,000 • Total Community Contributions: € 284,000 ~84% of Makeover Costs
- 52. CLASSROOM MAKEOVER IMPACT • Improved student engagement • Increased commitment of teachers • Better alignment of teaching & learning with new curriculum • Greater parental involvement & community ownership
- 53. CONCLUSION BEP's approach to Classroom Makeovers and corresponding pedagogical training is a • low-cost • scalable approach to modernizing schools and engaging communities that can easily be replicated in schools and communities across the globe.
- 54. THANK YOU! • sluke@fhi360.org • twitter.com/StephenLukeEdD • www.linkedin.com/in/stephenlukeflickr.com/bepkosovo
Editor's Notes
- We serve more than 70 countries around the globe, including the US Integrated approach: Health & nutrition, education, youth, gender, economic development, civil society & peace building, environment And do so in partnership with: Private sector Foundations Nonprofit organizations Educational institutions Multilateral organizations U.S. Government agencies National governments and governmental institutions
- Teachers, administrators, parents
- Part of former Yugoslavia
- EU 5: Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain do not recognize
- Globally, about 50% of population is below 30
- Global Youth unemployment rate: 12.6% Central and SouthEastern Europe: 18% International Labour Organization 60.2% Unemployment rate of youth (aged 15 to 24 years) http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/multimedia/maps-and-charts/WCMS_212430/lang--en/index.htm http://www.indexmundi.com/kosovo/economy_profile.html gross domestic product (at purchasing power parity) per capita, i.e. the purchasing power parity (PPP) value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given year, divided by the average (or mid-year) population for the same year.
- With support of UNESCO’s International Bureau of Education & UNICEF Kosovo Align with global and EU trends
- Susatainable innovations; Curricular design aligned with Kosovo curriculum
- Susatainable innovations; Curricular design aligned with Kosovo curriculum
- Susatainable innovations; Curricular design aligned with Kosovo curriculum
- Susatainable innovations; Curricular design aligned with Kosovo curriculum
- Susatainable innovations; Curricular design aligned with Kosovo curriculum
- Taking into consideration the fact that there is an enormous lack of funds to invest in school infrastructure in Kosovo, one very practical activity promoted by USAID’s Basic Education Program is to involve parents in creating a better learning environment for their kids in a cost effective way. This activity also includes the provision of basic materials with which teachers, parents and students can organize a “make-over” of one classroom in the school to create a “21st Century Classroom”. Prior to the classroom makeover, teachers from selected schools were trained in a ‘Learner–centered Classroom’ course, organized by our Teacher Professional Development Component, and were provided with a guidebook, to assist them in developing effective learning environments. All the materials provided by the project cost less than $500 per school, while in-kind contributions and voluntary financial contributions provided by the community, amounted to over 70% of the total value of the renovations.
- Green School, opened in 2011
- FHI 360 designed science labs; Microsoft Pathfinder School 2012, one of 65 schools recognized globally
- FHI 360 designed multi-media library Microsoft Pathfinder School 2012, one of 65 schools recognized globally
- parental involvement contributor to student success
- Classroom Makeovers complement 12 Accredited Professional Development Modules FHI 360 has created in partnership with MEST and the Kosova Education Center. Accredited courses include: Project Based Learning in Sciences (595) Design Challenge in Teaching & Learning Technology (362) Environment Related Learning (709) Applications of ICT for English Language Learning (318) Technician Clubs (176) Learner Centered Classroom (116) Developing 21st Century Skills in Mathematics (1,416) Developing Reading Skills in Early Grades (2,475) Action Research (79) Facilitation of Learning Standards Course (478) Computer Programming (49) Coordination of School-based Professional Development (41)
- parental involvement contributor to student success
- Each Program focused on activities to support student-centered learning in: Reading & Writing Math Science ICT etc
- Time and materials
- Taking into consideration the fact that there is an enormous lack of funds to invest in school infrastructure in Kosovo, one very practical activity promoted by USAID’s Basic Education Program is to involve parents in creating a better learning environment for their kids in a cost effective way. This activity also includes the provision of basic materials with which teachers, parents and students can organize a “make-over” of one classroom in the school to create a “21st Century Classroom”. Prior to the classroom makeover, teachers from selected schools were trained in a ‘Learner–centered Classroom’ course, organized by our Teacher Professional Development Component, and were provided with a guidebook, to assist them in developing effective learning environments. All the materials provided by the project cost less than $500 per school, while in-kind contributions and voluntary financial contributions provided by the community, amounted to over 70% of the total value of the renovations.
- Note the bright colors, some see as blue and orange, others see as white and gold or blue and black
- 70% of overall makeover costs supported by schools and community
- Schools & communities went on to initiate an additional 235 classroom makeovers Even a conservative estimate of ½ of the value contributed to the BEP-supported makeovers, totals an additional € 137,000, which when added to community contribution from previous slide € 284,000