MUltigrade School Education

The MUSE project: In service training for teachers in multigrade schools

Michail Orfanakis

Ellinogermaniki Agogi

12th EDEN ANNUAL CONFERENCE15-18 June 2003, Rhodes

Outline

Framework Consortium Definition Multigrade school reality The role of multigrade education Identified needs in multigrade schools Description of the MUSE project Project’s Objectives Training Framework Current Status

Framework

The ΜUSE project is co-financed by European Commission within the framework of the SOCRATES programme , action COMENIUS 2.1 (106231-CP-1-2002-1-GR-COMENIUS-C21/20024146)

Consortium

In addition the partnership consists of 4 multigrade schools in Finland, Greece and Spain.

These schools are going to be the pilot test sites of the training programme.

Definition

The multigrade class structure is known by various names in different countries; these include “composite” or “combination” classes, “double” classes, “split” classes, “mixed-age” classes and “vertically grouped” classes.

Multigrade schools can be defined as schools where groups of students of different grades are taught in a single classroom.

Multigrade schools are more than a reality in primary education in many regions of Europe and the rest of the world.

Multigrade school reality

• In Greece for the school year 2001-2002, 44% of the primary schools are multigrade while 15% of elementary education teachers teach in multigrade schools.

• In Finland multigrade schools represent the 30% total school number.

• In Great Britain 6,3% of the primary schools, based on 1997/98 data, are multigrade.

In Europe multigrade schools are part of the primary education system in most of the countries.

Vintturin Tastulan multigrade school

Multigrade school reality

In Latin America the educational reforms of the past years in many countries were focused on providing educational for all and reducing the drop out rates in primary education.

The portion of multigrade schools in most of the Latin America and Caribbean countries is very high (i.e. Chile 36%, Peru 96%, Argentina 78%, etc.)

Indeed many of the Latin America countries have paid attention to multigrade schools and large scale successful national or international programmes were initiated (Enlaces, Escuela Nueva etc.).

An Andean girl uses the internet at a rural school in Huancayo, east of Lima on April 5, 2002.

Multigrade school reality

In Asia, Africa the situation in multigrade education is more or less the same as in Latin America and some worth mentioned support efforts exist as well.

In Australia there are a lot of multigrade schools especially in the rural isolated of inner Australia. Successful supporting programmes both for the teachers and the students exist in national scale.

The role of multigrade education

Multigrade schools are considered to play an important role on providing access to education for all in remote, isolated and underdeveloped rural areas.

On the “World Declaration on Education for All” is indicated that much effort must be put on establishing the conditions everywhere, even in the most remote and almost uninhabited villages, so that local citizens have access at least to basic education.

Multigrade schools facilitate the accomplishment of such a goal, offering education to pupils who otherwise would have to decide whether to stay illiterate, study at home, or leave the place and go to the nearest town to be educated.

Identified needs in multigrade schools

Multigrade schoolteachers have a multidimensional educational task, which is more difficult than the one of their colleagues in monograde schools. Consisting of pupils of diverse grades, age, learning abilities and interests, these classes require specific knowledge, teaching abilities, skills and experiences.

• Multigrade schoolteachers have to develop a wide variety of initiatives and teaching strategies

• In their role of managing the school unit, they have to transform multigrade schools so that can provide an appropriate school environment for learners. This means that teachers in these schools should be able to manage resources, organise an attractive school life and communicate with other groups and individuals in the school community.

• Acting as promoters of multigrade schools’ social role, the teachers have to realise the importance of the school in the community. They should be able to create links, communicate efficiently with groups and individuals outside the school community and transform multigrade schools to centres of social development.

Description of the MUSE project

The project MUSE aims at the development of a new model of teacher’s training that assists teaching in multigrade schools.

The project is based on the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in school education and in the training of the staff working in multigrade schools.

Furthermore it encourages innovation in pedagogical methods and materials and promotes trans-national cooperation and communication between schools and teachers training establishments.

Project’s ObjectivesThe specific aims of the MUSE project seem to be exactly along with the aspects of multigrade education mentioned in the above paragraphs. In detail, these are:

•To develop an in-service specialised training programme for teachers in multigrade schools, aiming to meet the teachers’ needs.

•To enhance professional skills of multigrade schoolteachers and improve their abilities to develop plans according to the needs of the specific school environment.

•To develop a dedicated educational web platform which will support in service training and support of multigrade teachers.

•To conduct an intervention study in multigrade classrooms across Europe.

•To enhance communication among remote multigrade school teaching environment and outside educational community and initiate the formation of a European network on the multigrade school education.

•To make recommendations on multigrade teaching policy and practice.

Training FrameworkThe training programme is developing across three main axes:

• To provide in service training of teachers in multigrade teaching methodologies ( mixed age grouping, individual teaching etc.) as well as training on organizing and managing multigrade classrooms.

•To train teachers on the use of ICT and its usage for multigrade teaching. The use of ICT should focus on (a) upgrading quality of multigrade teaching, (b) supporting students learning and (c) fostering social development of the local community

•To train teachers to be able to design, implement and evaluate multidisciplinary learning activities which should require cooperation of groups of students of different ages, grades or schools.

Training Framework

Current Status

The MUSE project is a rather ambitious and extensive attempt to examine in a global way multigrade schools, which exist in many European regions, work under difficult conditions and form a neglected or ignored part of the educational system.

At the current stage of the project’s life the training curriculum is finalized while the training, educational and learning material is being developed and evaluated

In parallel, the development of the web educational platform continues while schools participating in the project, improve their infrastructure.

The final phase consists of two implementation cycles at schools with parallel evaluation phases. The final run of the project is scheduled to start at October 2003.

www.ellinogermaniki.gr/ep/muse