PROject-Based SCHOOL Management

Final Report Public Part 142320-LLP-1-2008-1-TR-COMENIUS-CMP

Project information Project acronym: Project title: Project number: PRO-SCHOOL Project-Based School Management 142320-LLP-1-2008-1-TR-COMENIUS-CMP Sub-programme or KA: Project website: Comenius http://www.pro-school.eu/ Reporting period: From 01/12/2008 To 30/11/2010 Report version: 1 Date of preparation: 24/12/2010 Beneficiary organisation: MENDERES İLÇE MİLLİ EĞİTİM MÜDÜRLÜĞÜ Project coordinator: Mehmet Emin BAKAY Project coordinator organisation: Menderes İlçe Milli Eğitim Müdürlüğü Project coordinator telephone number: 00905052322992 Project coordinator email address: emin_bakay@yahoo.com This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This report reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. 2008 Copyright Education, Audiovisual & Culture Executive Agency. The document may be freely copied and distributed provided that no modifications are made, that the source is acknowledged and that this copyright notice is included. 142320-LLP-1-2008-1-TR-COMENIUS-CMP 2 / 16

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Executive Summary Schools have to change in order to adapt themselves in changing environment and to bring up students for knowledge based society. However some schools are losing students because they are considered unsuccessful by parents and society. It is a well known fact that school managers who are capable of adapting schools into changing environment and who are equipped with good leadership characteristics are the main components of an effective school. The PRO-SCHOOL project intended to provide tools to make schools better and more productive environments by developing a new school management methodology: project-based school management. The PRO-SCHOOL project started on 1 st of December 2008. The kick-off meeting took place in İzmir, Turkey. The aim of the project was to develop a new school management methodology for high schools based on the project based management method. The project partners are organizations that are directly related with school management and education. Menderes Town National Education Directorate and Brasov County School Inspectorate are regional and local educational authorities, National Agency for the Development of School Autonomy Regional Branch for Lombardy is experienced in teacher training and school management. Other partners are three respectable universities from different EU countries University of Peloponnhsos (GR), Transilvania University of Brasov (RO) and University College Ghent (BE). The project started with the research on school management approaches and effective school indicators in partner countries. Six national research reports and a comparative report both in English and in national languages prepared and made available for target groups through project web site. School managers in-service training needs are also investigated during this research phase. Partners prepared in-service training course content for school managers based on these research results. A book containing project-based school management methodology and training curriculum as well as training modules prepared and published both in English and in six national languages. These books are distributed to the target groups and used during the Comenius in-service training which took place in İzmir, between September 26 th through October 1 st. 142320-LLP-1-2008-1-TR-COMENIUS-CMP 4 / 16

Table of Contents 1. PROJECT OBJECTIVES... 6 2. PROJECT APPROACH... 7 3. PROJECT OUTCOMES & RESULTS... 9 4. PARTNERSHIPS... 11 5. PLANS FOR THE FUTURE... 13 6. CONTRIBUTION TO EU POLICIES... 14 142320-LLP-1-2008-1-TR-COMENIUS-CMP 5 / 16

1. Project Objectives The overall aim of the project was to develop a school management methodology which is applicable to high schools in all partner countries and to improve the effectiveness of schools according to demands of the knowledge based society. The specific objectives were: 1. To provide a new management methodology for school managers to improve their management skills and competences, 2. To develop innovative methods and materials for school management, 3. To contribute and support the implementation of in-service training methods and practices for school managers, 4. To highlight and disseminate examples of best practices in school management and the project s results across Europe. A series of activities are undertaken in order to achieve these objectives and to address the specific needs of the target groups. Partners conducted a research on indicators of effective schools according to school managers, parents and teachers. Second research has been conducted to investigate the in-service training needs of the school managers. Then a new school management method is developed integrating the results of the research. Educational materials developed during the project include a training curriculum for high schools managers and training methodology for project based school management. The educational materials developed are tested in national training sessions and total 154 school managers participated in local training activities conducted by the partners. In the end the results are exploited in a Comenius in-service training course involving 19 school managers from different European countries. Project s outputs are disseminated on local, regional and European level during the project, using internet channels, massmedia, personal contacts and participation in specific events. We believe that through these activities school managers and other managerial staffs management skills are improved and this will lead the improvement in schools success, consequently. 142320-LLP-1-2008-1-TR-COMENIUS-CMP 6 / 16

2. Project Approach The strategy of the project is based on the logic of adapting Project Based Management Approach and tools to school management. In the first year of the project partners conducted a research on the perception of parents, teachers and managers related to effective school indicators and on the training needs of school managers. The results of the research phase offered a general picture of school effectiveness criteria and in-service training needs of school managers in partner countries. The situation of in-service training needs of school managers also constituted the starting point for the definition of basic specifications for the elaboration of the educational materials. Target groups continued to be involved in the elaboration phase also, as they are invited in the second year of the project to test and evaluate the intermediary versions of the educational materials, during local seminars. The results of those tests are further integrated into the materials, to address as close as possible the training needs of the managers. Project outputs are exploited inside the consortium of the project, as the research reports resulting from the first phase of the project constituted the base for defining the specifications and for the development of a series of educational materials. The exploitation of project results are realized in this way: the research reports are disseminated to the largest possible number of people educational professionals, researchers in the field of education, decision makers of local and national level, European networks and associations of professionals. 142320-LLP-1-2008-1-TR-COMENIUS-CMP 7 / 16

Internet was an important channel for dissemination and the main tool, without being the only one, is the project website, where information about project activities are regularly published and visitors have access to project outputs. The project website will be maintained by coordinating organization after the project is finalized. Another way of ensuring the sustainability of project outputs was to gather them in one publication, so that target groups to have access to materials both in electronic format and hard copies. The materials are prepared in English and also translated in the national languages of partner organizations. Presentation of project objectives and outputs in local and international events dedicated to educational managers took place within the project. In the last project phase the results are exploited in a Comenius in-service training involving 19 school managers from different European countries. The Comenius course held in Izmir, Turkey. 142320-LLP-1-2008-1-TR-COMENIUS-CMP 8 / 16

3. Project Outcomes & Results First outcomes of this project were national research reports by the project partners conducted at local, regional or national level. The qualitative part of the research provides information about national education systems and effective school indicators according to national laws and regulations. During the quantitative part of the research a collective list of school effectiveness indicators presented to the parents, teachers and school managers and asked their opinions about the importance of these indicators. The second outcome was a comparative report on effective school indicators and in-service training needs of school managers which is intended to give the possibility to compare the contexts from 6 countries - Turkey, Italy, Greece, Belgium, Romania and Czech Republic. The research involved secondary schools in partner countries. The final research report has been successfully delivered with the participation of 683 people. A list of indicators for school effectiveness and a set of issues that could be used to prepare an international in-service training course for school managers included in questionnaire. School managers of partner countries consider that education and training is the area that they need to be trained in; so they think this is the most important mission of the school. The next thematic areas they mentioned as relevant were school management and planning and financial aspects. The aspects connected with social life, physical conditions of the schools and relations with environment were considered less relevant by school managers for their training. (These reports are available in project web site: www.proschool.eu ) Another outcome includes Project-Based School Management Methodology and a training curriculum prepared to be used during the in-service trainings of school managers. The partners have developed several modules for training curriculum which includes: Lifecycle of the project 142320-LLP-1-2008-1-TR-COMENIUS-CMP 9 / 16

Tools for Project Based School Management Management Theories and School Management Styles Methods of Quality Management in Schools Evaluation of School Effectiveness School Managers and Learning Achievements The final form of training curriculum is available on project web site. Partners translated al modules into their national language. The fourth outcome of the project is the implementation of these training modules at Comenius in-service training. Total 19 school managers from different European countries participated in this training. Another outcome is project website (www.pro-school.eu) which is prepared in English and in national languages of partner countries. Project website provides access to the outcomes of the project and information about project activities. Partners also prepared leaflets about the project and distributed to the target groups to promote project. 142320-LLP-1-2008-1-TR-COMENIUS-CMP 10 / 16

4. Partnerships The partnership consists of the following institutions: 1. Menderes Town Education Directorate (Menderes İlçe Milli Eğitim Müdürlüğü) Menderes Town Education Directorate is responsible for all educational activities in Menderes Town/Izmir/Turkey. There are 650 teachers and 10650 students registered kindergarten, primary, secondary and vocational secondary schools. There are 40 Public schools in Town. Menderes Town Education Directorate has an Adult Education Centre where 300 different types of courses provided for public. Directorate has curriculum department, in-service training department, adult education department, computer and research department, culture and projects department. Population of Menderes Town is 76000. Organization has regular inservice training courses for management staff. 2. County School Inspectorate (Inspectoratul Scolar al Judetului Brasov) The County School Inspectorate Brasov is a district authority headed by an inspector general. The ISJ Brasov recommends the county school network to the Ministry of Education. It provides the appropriate teaching staff and personnel for the educational institutions; it organizes in-service training courses for teachers, coordinates the entrance exams for pupils, degree examinations for teachers, monitors the educational system in subordinate institutions. It also co-ordinates the activities of The Teachers Resource Centre in Brasov county there are 250 head teachers and 87 deputy head teachers. The management activity of human resources county has to cope with, national curriculum to be implemented in all schools, problems with qualified human resources in rural areas, reorganization of the annual school network, periodic changes of legislation, level of salaries, and capacity of respond of school managers to meet the requirements of education. 3. National Agency for the Development of School Autonomy Regional Branch for Lombardy (Agenzia Nazionale per lo Sviluppo Autonomia Scolastica) ANSAS is a public national Agency that supports schools in their autonomy process. It is one of the public bodies which form the education and training systems in Italy. The actual partner in the project will be the Regional branch in Lombardy. Both at national and regional level the agency organizes in service teachers training for all levels of schools. Furthermore it researches in different fields of education. The Regional branch for Lombardy employs 37 people including researchers and administration staff. The Regional branch for Lombardy has a long experience both in the development and in the management of European projects. Under the former name of IRRE Lombardia, it took part in several projects within Socrates, Leonardo and other projects financed by the European Social Fund. Of course it runs national projects in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and cooperates both with schools and local / regional authorities in educational and research projects. 4. Transilvania University of Brasov (Universitatea Transilvania din Brasov) Transilvania University of Brasov has a broad experience in developing partnership able to promote lifelong learning at national and EU level. In the past 5 years, there were coordinated 2 Comenius 2.1. Projects, 5 Leonardo da Vinci projects. All these, 142320-LLP-1-2008-1-TR-COMENIUS-CMP 11 / 16

partnerships, allowed the development of working methodologies adapted to inservice training and lifelong learning. The university has a Department for Projects Management that provides consultancy services also to high schools by promoting and running national and EU projects. 5. University Of Peloponnhsos (Πανεπιστηµιο Πελοποννησου) The Department of Social and Educational Policy of Peloponnisos was established with the Presidential Degree and is part of the Faculty of Social Sciences located in Corinth. The Department of Social and Educational Policy works on promote social sciences in the fields of social and educational policy, using academic teaching and applied research, school management and continuous education. 6. University of Zaragoza Partner decided to withdrawn from project at the 6th month of project. 7. University College Ghent (Hogeschool Gent) The Faculty of Teacher Training graduates students after 3 years of study. The faculty has over 1000 students who either study: 1) Preschool (Kindergarten) teacher training; 2) Primary school teacher training; 3) Secondary school Teacher training. University College Ghent is the largest university college in the largest student town (roughly 50 000 students) in the country. University College Ghent has a strong technological tradition in the fields of research and service that is being broadened by economics, life sciences, linguistics, health care and the practice and development of the arts. It has been involved as coordinator and participant in many European projects because of its widest range of subjects compiled in 24 professional bachelor programmes, 14 academic bachelor programmes and 22 master programmes. 8. Czech University Of Life Sciences Prague Institute of Education and Communication (Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze Institut vzdělávání a poradenství) Czech University of Life Sciences joined the project as a replacing partner after partner 6 withdrawn from the project. The Institute of Education and Communication is an all university teaching, science and research institution of the Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague providing teachers' training for specialised subjects in the fields of agriculture, forestry and allied branches and further education of teachers concerning their professional development. The Institute of Education and Communication is authorized by the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague to be in charge of the Quality Assessment of all educational activities within all University Faculties and Institutes, and it consists of evaluation of educational processes. 142320-LLP-1-2008-1-TR-COMENIUS-CMP 12 / 16

5. Plans for the Future Project partners will continue the exploitation of project outputs and also will look for opportunities to continue the collaboration with the groups of professionals that were targeted in the project. Also they will look for possibilities to continue to present the outputs, to make them known and used by professionals from the field of education at both local and international level. The project s website, where outputs are available in all language versions and can be downloaded for free, it is going to be maintained and updated for another two years. Partners are exploring the possibility to create in the future more training opportunities on the subject of project-based school management at international level. Moreover the dissemination and exploitation activities will continue from the point of view of promotion and dissemination, project partners will continue to use their own network and professional affiliations to make known and attract more users for the project outputs. Significant in this purpose are going to be presentation of project results in the framework of events organized by project partners. 142320-LLP-1-2008-1-TR-COMENIUS-CMP 13 / 16

6. Contribution to EU policies We believe that PRO-SCHOOL project is first attempt to apply project based management approach to school management. Therefore it contributes to the improvement of schools in Europe. The project also contributes to the EU policies in number of ways by: Promoting co-operation in quality assurance in all sectors of education and training in Europe: By focusing on improvement of school management, the project increases the quality of education and training in partner countries and develops a common frame, based on join European experience. Participation of organizations from 6 countries ensures the diversity of perspectives and the quality of the educational products of the project. The project also contributes cooperation indifferent sectors of education with its diverse consortium. Developing knowledge and understanding among young people and educational staff of the diversity of European cultures and languages and its value: Partnership contributes development on the diversity of European cultures, especially related to the culture of quality, languages and European values. Educational staff had chance to interact with other countries educational staff and developed a better knowledge and reciprocal understanding. This is particularly interesting in this partnership with a high degree of diversity in terms of geographical position, culture, religion, and degree of social and economical development. Supporting improvements in pedagogical approaches and school management: By adapting Project Based Management approach to school management, the project contributes the development of a new methodology in school management. The participant organizations expertise contributes to improvement of school management. Outputs of the project also support the improvement of school management, with direct echo in increasing the interest for school and education. Improving the quality and increasing the volume of mobility involving pupils and educational staff in different Member States: 19 school managers and other managerial staff participated in Comenius in-service training course, 105 international motilities are realized throughout the project lifetime by staff of partnership as they participated in the international training session or took part in project s activities related with research, preparation of educational materials and training delivery. Over 173 persons directly benefited from trainings during the project, all of them integrated into school management. These persons will act as multipliers and will use the knowledge and skills acquired through the training sessions to improve the quality of the school management. Enhancing the quality and European dimension of teacher training: The interaction during seminars and in-service training courses is helped both people and their institutions to know each other and increase cooperation, mutual trust and recognition. The knowledge and cooperation is part of the European dimension of education and in the frame of this project gives a real opportunity to use, expand and innovate in a field which has not a definite solution yet: how to build up the school of tomorrow? School Management: Target groups of the project were school managers. By increasing school managers personal and managerial skills, the project contributes 142320-LLP-1-2008-1-TR-COMENIUS-CMP 14 / 16

enhancement of school attractiveness, provides better education and finally, fulfills their fundamental aim: to answer the society needs for development. Outputs of the project directly contribute to the improvement of school management and are flexible designed to be able to adapt to different particular requirements. Supporting 'transversal' key competences: School managers transversal key competences such as cultural awareness and expression, sense of initiative and entrepreneurship are addressed in the project by increasing their personal and managerial skills and by giving them to interact with an international group of colleagues. Learning to Learn: School managers are able to learn how to develop strategies for effective school management. This is provided by the trainings which can increase their ability to understand the needs and specific requirements of their schools. This ability will be sustainable and adaptable according to their learning needs in school management. Equal opportunities between men and women: School managers are generally male but in this project a special priority is given to female school managers. Gender equality was a special priority in all project activities. Research and development: In the project there was an international comparative analysis of school management and a report is prepared. Project based-learning is a paradigm with many applications and, its correct approach is still a subject of intensive research. The novel methodology proposed, tested and optimized throughout the project exploits the already existent knowledge in this field and expands it based on the results of different analysis and surveys developed. 142320-LLP-1-2008-1-TR-COMENIUS-CMP 15 / 16