Capacity building and technology - A REMARKABLE TRANSFORMATION: UNION CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Article Reflection

http://www.edutopia.org/remarkable-transformation

Curtis. D. (2003). A Remarkable Transformation: Union City Public Schools.

            Edutopia. Available at http://www.edutopia.org. Accessed on June 7, 2011.

I decided to reflect upon this article because it examines how capacity building and technology, in other words, a move to a new story helped a New Jersey school district. The article outlines the means by which the teachers and community of a school district in New Jersey increased test scores and prevented the take over of their schools by the state.  The school district’s remarkable transformation is largely evident by the facts and figures: “Eight percent of the district’s students currently meet state standards, up from 30 percent.  Attendance at the 11-school, 11, 600-student school district increased, while the dropout rates and absence rates decreased; meanwhile, students clamoured to transfer into Union City Schools.  The numbers for the test scores speak for themselves: “eighth grade test scores jumped from 33 to 83 percent in reading, from 42 percent to 65 percent in writing, and from 50 to 84 percent in mathematics.”  This improvement in test performance largely occurred due to the school’s adoption of a new approach to curriculum, assessment, professional development, and technology.  Firstly, the teachers and community tried to add substance to the school’s philosophy of education, resulting in a specific vision for the school.  Secondly, the school leadership and faculty improved performance by raising expectations for the largely immigrant population which came from lower socio-economic backgrounds.  Thirdly, the teaching community adopted an approach which transformed students from passive learners to active ones with the help of technology such as software reading programs, Powerpoint, and the internet. Lastly, the teachers had a say in the education and the allocation of money for technology.

            I would strongly argue that this article reinforces the viewpoint that student success cannot be achieved without teacher input and decision making. I would strongly argue that the school district would not have achieved success if the teachers had not been empowered to determine its philosophy of education.  In my opinion, positive change cannot occur without the support of teachers because they are the ones who are in direct contact with students on an almost daily basis.  If strategies are imposed upon teachers, they will ultimately result in minimal success or may even end in failure. When teachers are empowered with the decision making process, they will be, in my view, more motivated to achieve successful results, benefitting all students.

According to Stoll (2009), top-down strategies are not sufficient enough to establish the internal commitment and agency that is needed to maintain improvement. From experience, I recognize that a policy or goal cannot be successful if teachers are not “on board”, feel that they have not had “a say”, or believe that they have not been treated as professionals.   I believe that the New Jersey school district improved its student performance because it combined all the elements of capacity building.  It incorporated the features of capacity building which include a focus on teaching and learning, high quality professional development, embedded with professional learning communities; leadership and community involvement, and external support (Stoll, 2009). In fact, a “combination of focused leadership, research-based overhaul of the system, technology, site-based decision-making” explains the turnaround of the school district.

            I also found this article to be insightful and relevant to our course of study because it presented a case whereby technology played a significant role in raising student achievement.  I have always maintained that students can achieve more success if they are active learners, as opposed to passive ones. In reading the article, I found a real-life example of technology helping to create active learners by allowing them to learn at their own pace, convey knowledge in a variety of ways, and access knowledge in a quick manner. From my own experiences, I support the view that students can acquire a greater understanding if they actively learn something on their own, as opposed to being ‘fed’ the information by the teacher. I strongly believe in the ability of technology to transform the learning process. Shirley (2011) argues that educators need to be in tune with the technological tools of their diverse and individual students, as technology can be used to customize and personalize education.  According to Shelley (2011), technology may help to modify and alleviate the problems our schools are experiencing today. It may introduce  play and creativity into education in ways very much attuned with Fourth Way principles” (p. 206).

Works referenced.

Shirley, D. (2011). The Fourth Way of technology and change.  Journal of Educational

             Change.  (12), 187-209.

Stoll, L. (2009). Capacity building for school improvement or creating capacity for

                           learning. Journal of Educational Change (10), 115-127.