How can action research support educational reform?

1. How can action research support educational reform? Jadambaa B, Narantsetseg D, Batdelger J, Baigalmaa Ch, Altangoo,O (MSUE)

2. Goalsfor Content of Presentation • Our Own MSUE Question ResponseisHow hasAR supported educational reform in Mongolia over past 2 decades? • Three Stages of Reform • Main Projects for Implementation • Collaboration with European partner Universities • Collaboration with New Mexico State University in MSUE School of Preschool Education with introduction of AR led by Dr. Candace Kaye • Impact of AR activities on local level • Identification of Future Activity

3. Educational Reform Stages: Overview

4. First Stage of the Reform • 1990-2000 – Period of confusing and unconscious imitation from others • How to begin to select an area of focus • How to start transformation from the teacher centered approach to learner centered education • How to examine the situation with the staff’s professional knowledge and ability (above 50 % were educated in former Russia) • How to find a partner University from abroad to invite and start our reform

5. Second Stage of the Reform • 2000-2010 – Period of understanding a negative impacts of teacher centered learning and looking for creative reforms which started in this period • Found a partner, University from Denmark and have been working under the ECP project by DANIDA • Identified the problem to be addressed • Selected 80 schools to introduce AR methodology • Formed a team with different participants • Provided capital support & provided methodological assistance

6. Comparison • Educational reform of Mongolia made in the period of developing from 1st stage into 2nd and from 2nd into 3rd was conducted within an action research process • Our main aim in the AR process is to develop professional skills of teachers in all educational stages

7. Outcome of DANIDA Project • Professional development of the MSUE staff: ‘teacher of teacher development’ • AR started on selected 80 schools of provinces with about 1000 participants • They developed their professional skills gaining AR methodology and learnt AR in their working place • This process made quality changes in teachers, administrators, methodologists, parents and community members cooperation. This community participation allowed schools to become the Center for studying and developing cooperative work of local people together

8. AR development cycle

9. Action Research Community of MSUE & their purpose • AR Community has a 40 lecture team set up since 2000 Systematically contributes to the theory & knowledge base and enhances professional practice • Supports professional skills development • Recruits of MA & PhD students to AR • Helps them identify problems & seek solutions systematically • Builds a collegial networking system • Is beginning to use a Rubric test of evaluation

10. AR Local Communities • AR local community set up in province schools • 80 secondary school transformed to learner centered training, team work model set up • Around 1000 local teachers involved to AR project and each school have skills to provide AR as well as they have AR Data on solving present problems • There have been direct changes made for implementation of school reform ideas that teachers and school administrators can use in their actual situations in terms of empirical research, ‘community wisdom’ and ability to make decisions together • Builds a collegial networking system

11. … continuation: • Teachers continuously develop and change their curriculum and methodology according to school and province tradition, culture and real living environment • Each classroom training has become a place to learn creatively together based on research, i.e. students view action research study not only to gain knowledge for action but to gain understanding of a scientific process

12. … continuation: • They tend to make changes and reform not from top to down, but they have tended to immediately initiate constantly developing bottom up • During more than 10 years project implementing schools’ teachers, school administrators and project administrators team have been providing action research together and found out what our nomadic ancestors created and we pass on the great cultural base which was made in order to meet their needs to live and adapt to nature, making action researchstudy as a process to recognize the action of humanizing

13. AR Local community in Mongolian provinces

14. Third stage Divided for 2 Parts • 2010 to Present – Creative period began upgrading based on research practices, traditions and culture, which is real managed adapted period • 1. We started the action research firstly to develop a professional skills of teachers in all educational stages • 2. 2010-2012 MSUE School of Preschool Education activity: Impact of ‘Green Apple’ project implementation

15. 1. OUTREACH project aims: Teacher training on workplace

16. Framework of the Design

17. 2. Action research project at the MSUE School of Preschool Education • Goals: • Because of Action research project students can become a learning community • Transition from teacher centered training to learner centered • Give a opportunity to implement the theoretical knowledge on AR • Develop BA & MA modules on AR

19. Sample of Research Topics formulated by our BA students for AR Projects • How to wash hands children in kindergarten? • Reasons forschool drop out in countryside • Why students are coming to school late? • Parent’s Influence for social development of children • Parent’s blame for children’s behavior in schoola • How to work with disabled children? • How four year’s children are learning new vocabulary in classroom? • Lesson and playing: what is dominating in classroom? • Equal communication of teacher to each child • Difficulties facing overloaded classroom • What kind of toy materials more playful for children? • How teachers are involving in in-service training?

20. “Researcher -Student” Club Initiated2014 • The club consists of 12 students who are in different year grades, from difference provinces • Club lead by and Dr. Jigmed and Javzandulam. • Every week, students meet and work together and exchange ideas and information online as well. • Goals of the club are: • To support students who are interested in research and academic work by collaborative activities and flourish their motivation. • Every member of the club is conducting his or her own research and they will discuss and present in Students’ Research conference. • As a group, they are studying English language intensively because it is one of main skills of researcher.

21. Action Research concepts

22. Skills development

23. Conclusion: Try to identify what AR mean and should to support Educational reform in Mongolia Action research • … is dynamic power of teachers, school administrators’ professional development • … is the most powerful equipment for continuous development of teachers and school administrators through “action training process” • … is the main way in the continuous development of its education reform by interested groups to work cooperatively together

24. …continuation: Action research • … is the most effective and efficient basic tool forschool, its teachers and administrators’ educational development and reform management matters by their traditions, culture and real business sides • … is enabler and creator of new concepts and trends of education

25. …continuation: Action research • … is a promoter, contributing to the undertaking of any attempt to make educational changes from the “top” to the “bottom” • … is not educational reform “supporter”, it is initiator, catalyst and doer • … is nomadic people’s living and working basic tools

26. Thank you for your attention!