Galileo Educational Network – Inspiring a Passionate Commitment to Learning
Author(s): Dr. Sharon Friesen, Dr. Michele Jacobsen, Dr. Barb Brown & Dr. Gabriela Alonso-Yanez
Presented at: Partner Research Schools Conference, University of Calgary
High schools across Alberta have been involved in various initiatives as part of Alberta’s High School Completion Strategic Framework. Integral to these initiatives has been research to determine program elements that may be transferrable to other high schools across Alberta. Using a mixed methods convergent parallel design, this study examined the conditions that existed within seven high schools in six school jurisdictions in Alberta. Of particular interest were the ways in which principals supported teacher professional learning and the ways district leaders supported principals’ learning in order to determine whether the initiatives undertaken within the five strategic areas built system adaptive capacity; that is, learning throughout the various layers within the system. Study findings provide a deeper understanding of the conditions that impact iterative change and the leadership and pedagogy required to create adaptive learning systems in high schools.
Friesen, S., Jacobsen, M., Brown, B., & Alonso, G. (2016). Highly Adaptive Learning Systems: Research in Alberta’s Redesigned High Schools. Partner Research Schools Conference, Werklund School of Education, August 17 – 19, University of Calgary, Calgary AB.