Course Example #2

Brewster Summer Institute - 2003

An Introduction To The School Design Model at Brewster Academy

Presenter: Peter Hess

Course Description

In this course we will to take a detailed look at the School Design Model^™ (SDM,^™ Bain,1994) at Brewster Academy:

Our central question for the course:

“What is required for schools to reform so that they better meet the needs of individual learners and in doing so become professional learning communities?”

Background

First, the SDM^™ position on the Central Question—

“For schools to be more responsive to the needs of individual learners we must bring more clarity to what we mean by teaching, learning and the way schools are organized and managed. We believe a school should be thoughtfully planned around an interaction between good research on teaching, learning, management, leadership and technology combined with the experience of inspired knowledgeable practitioners. To make schools better places for everyone to learn we have to have a clearer sense of what we do.”

From our perspective what is missing are the tools, strategies, and methods required to bring the clarity of purpose and process necessary to design learning environments around effective practice. The School Design Model^™ (SDM^™) was created to provide the toolbox for better school design.

Learner Outcomes:

1. Given a presentation, website tour, and cooperative learning activities, participants will articulate myths of school reform and how a SDM^™ solutions address these myths.
2. Given a presentation, website tour, and cooperative learning activities, participants provide a correct description of the connections between elements of the SDM^™ and the rationale for these connections.
3. Given a presentation, website tour and readings participants will identify the qualities that make the SDM^™ unique in its approach to school reform.
4. Given a presentation, website tour, and cooperative learning activities participants will be able to correctly describe a rationale for the use of technology in schools.
5. Given a presentation, website tour, and cooperative learning activities, participants will be able to define a body of practice and the rationale for selecting these practices.
6. Given a presentation, website tour, and cooperative activities, participants will be able to formulate a response that answers the central question of this course.

Readings:

As a pre-reading activity, participants are asked to read pages 131-138 of Bain (2000). The School Design Model: Strategy for the Design of 21^st Century Schools. In C. Dimmock & A. Walker (Eds.), Future School Administration, Western and Asian Perspectives (pp.131-165). Hong Kong: The Chinese University Press and Hong Kong Institute of Educational Research.

The following are questions that should help focus you as you do the reading. Be prepared to discuss responses to these questions in our session.

1. What is the rationale for the creation of the School Design Model? What ‘problem’ is the SDM attempting to solve?
2. How is the addressing of ‘individual difference’ approached uniquely in the SDM?
3. What are meant by the concepts ‘loosely coupled’ and ‘tightly coupled’?

Activities:

Prior to this session, you will be asked to do readings that will provide you with an overview of the concept of the School Design Model as a rationale for school reform.

The session will start with a presentation on the SDM^™. You will learn about its rationale for addressing school reform, its 8 components, and the results of its implementation.

After this you will engage in two different cooperative learning activities to deepen your understanding of the SDM^™. You will become expert in certain areas and then teach others about your expertise. Likewise, you will learn from other experts in your group. You will then have a chance to work with your group to prepare for the assessment at the end. This will also include an opportunity for you to reflect on the day’s work and put you in position to address the central question of this course.

Assessment Component:

You will be asked to complete a written test to demonstrate your understanding of the SDM^™. The test will include objective questions as well as an essay that provides your response to the central question of the course. This assessment will constitute 100% of your grade.

Schedule of Activities

9:00: Welcome and Introduction to BSI

9:15: Presentation

10:30: Break

10:40 Presentation continued

11:15: Cooperative Learning Activity set up

11:20: Expert Group work

12:00: Lunch

12:45: Expert Groups (con’t)

1:15: Return to Teams for expert teaching

2:30: Break

2:45: Cooperative Team quiz preparation

3:30: Quiz