View in EDS HTML Full Text PDF Full Text

Empowering Ecuadorian Teachers through Network Improvement Communities

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Title:	Empowering Ecuadorian Teachers through Network Improvement Communities
Language:	English
Authors:	Burgin, Ximena D. (ORCID 0000-0002-3494-569X)
Source:	Teacher Development. 2022 26(4):550-566.
Availability:	Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed:	Y
Page Count:	17
Publication Date:	2022
Document Type:	Journal Articles Reports - Research
Descriptors:	Teacher Empowerment, Faculty Development, Barriers, Teacher Attitudes, Educational Improvement, Foreign Countries, Case Studies, Urban Schools, Teacher Workshops, Teacher Role, Social Networks, Communities of Practice, Educational Policy
Geographic Terms:	Ecuador
DOI:	10.1080/13664530.2022.2097734
ISSN:	1366-4530 1747-5120
Abstract:	This exploratory case study examined two approaches to school improvement with teachers from an urban area of Ecuador. An all-day workshop with elementary-level teachers focused on how to improve teaching utilizing network improvement communities (NICs) and the plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycle. Hands-on activities helped participants reflect on their role as educators and the quality of their interactions with other educational stakeholders. Qualitative data were collected through group discussions, focus groups, and open-ended questions before, during, and after the workshop. Results examined utilizing Ecuador's educational policies indicated that the teachers' recognition of external and internal barriers that impact academic improvement focused on the limited supports available from school administrators and parents. The participants became aware of the significant role of NICs and the PDSA cycle to improve schooling.
Abstractor:	As Provided
Entry Date:	2023
Accession Number:	EJ1367502
Database:	ERIC
Full text is not displayed to guests. Login for full access.

FullText	Links: – Type: pdflink Url: https://content.ebscohost.com/cds/retrieve?content=AQICAHj0k_4E0hTGH8RJwT4gCJyBsGNe_WN95AvKlDbXJGqwxwGci6e1Iw416fxDuT7RT_TLAAAA4zCB4AYJKoZIhvcNAQcGoIHSMIHPAgEAMIHJBgkqhkiG9w0BBwEwHgYJYIZIAWUDBAEuMBEEDD8hdXZrhD7cVyOePQIBEICBmxUGxjGrUVGoiIpN0UqeqHpmK2sHZhGkWip-OdRje9heXTW-Qn2Q7RwVEBtDao1BOpNEB4sGaQLNmvcoEuM_igJ9evDw4V3ursSjIPhOeHBpvFyvrQfiTENYDWg3rch2g0CTqVKM08j9SQN2t-TKAJzFnxc26fQ3PB7Fb13zVYVjwj1smiRtqCEtT_HfvixeWXRbZssJCXulsK0E Text: Availability: 1 Value: <anid>AN0159023159;ntd01aug.22;2022Sep13.01:57;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0159023159-1">Empowering Ecuadorian teachers through network improvement communities </title> <p>This exploratory case study examined two approaches to school improvement with teachers from an urban area of Ecuador. An all-day workshop with elementary-level teachers focused on how to improve teaching utilizing network improvement communities (NICs) and the plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycle. Hands-on activities helped participants reflect on their role as educators and the quality of their interactions with other educational stakeholders. Qualitative data were collected through group discussions, focus groups, and open-ended questions before, during, and after the workshop. Results examined utilizing Ecuador's educational policies indicated that the teachers' recognition of external and internal barriers that impact academic improvement focused on the limited supports available from school administrators and parents. The participants became aware of the significant role of NICs and the PDSA cycle to improve schooling.</p> <p>Keywords: Professional development; network improvement communities; PDSA cycle; Ecuador setting</p> <hd id="AN0159023159-2">Introduction</hd> <p>Ecuador has undertaken the improvement of education by reforming the infrastructure and teacher training to include classroom technology and intercultural education (Fajardo-Dack [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref1">25</reflink>]; Ley Orgánica de Educación Intercultural [LOEI] [<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref2">42</reflink>]; Martínez [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref3">44</reflink>]; Ministerio de Educación [Ministry of Education] [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref4">45</reflink>]; Schoder [<reflink idref="bib55" id="ref5">55</reflink>]; Villafuerte et al. [<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref6">64</reflink>]). According to Van Damme et al. ([<reflink idref="bib62" id="ref7">62</reflink>]), the new Ecuadorian educational system failed to establish the education system as a right of individuals and communities, to produce transformational change, to provide equity and quality for all students, and to enhance the teaching profession.</p> <p>Martínez ([<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref8">44</reflink>]) and the LOEI ([<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref9">42</reflink>]) stated that the intercultural bilingual system would be administered by the Ministry of Education mandating the study of at least one ancestral language in the curriculum to acknowledge the diversity of the Ecuadorian cultures and spoken languages (e.g., Cofán and Quechua) (Index Mundi [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref10">32</reflink>]) and meet the academic requirements for students with a mastery of indigenous languages transitioning to Spanish, the official academic language (Bialystok [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref11">5</reflink>]; Cummins [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref12">17</reflink>]; Garcia and Wei [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref13">28</reflink>]). However, the <emph>Plan Decenal Educativo</emph> (PDE) 2006–2015 (Ministerio de Educación [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref14">45</reflink>]), PDE 2016–2025 (Ministerio de Educación y Cultura del Ecuador [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref15">47</reflink>]), and LOEI ([<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref16">42</reflink>]) overlooked the roles of teacher preparation and professional development (PD) to embrace the challenges of educating all students (Antoine [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref17">3</reflink>]; Vegas and Petrow [<reflink idref="bib63" id="ref18">63</reflink>]; Wasonga [<reflink idref="bib65" id="ref19">65</reflink>]).</p> <p>The demands to comply with the enacted curriculum disempowered Ecuadorian teachers, leading to unequal access to learning new skills and negatively impacting students, families, and society (Jæger and Karlson [<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref20">33</reflink>]). Fajardo-Dack ([<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref21">25</reflink>]) stated that Ecuadorian teachers' knowledge and experience have not been recognized as human capital in the educational system. Teachers' acquired body of knowledge through traditional training accompanied with changes in the world have concrete consequences when teachers with different levels of experience come together to solve problems in the schools as they learn from and interact with each other (Dewey [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref22">20</reflink>]).</p> <p>As educational institutions work toward effectiveness, 'developing a community of practice may be the single most important way to improve a school' (Sergiovanni [<reflink idref="bib57" id="ref23">57</reflink>], 139). Therefore, this study introduced networked improvement communities (NICs) as an approach to allow for reflection of current practices and critically engage stakeholders to explore possible solutions (Bryk et al. [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref24">10</reflink>]; Ricón-Gallardo and Fullan [<reflink idref="bib52" id="ref25">52</reflink>]; Senechal [<reflink idref="bib56" id="ref26">56</reflink>]). The goal is to provide a highly structured process for promoting improvement through learning about interventions within and across organizational interactions (Bryk et al. [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref27">10</reflink>]; LeMahieu [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref28">39</reflink>]; LeMahieu et al. [<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref29">40</reflink>]; Russell et al. [<reflink idref="bib54" id="ref30">54</reflink>]) to create an environment for teachers to work together, develop flexibility in practices, and gain support from the administration (Cohen-Vogel et al. [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref31">14</reflink>]; Russell et al. [<reflink idref="bib54" id="ref32">54</reflink>]; Senechal [<reflink idref="bib56" id="ref33">56</reflink>]). NICs are guided by a focused aim, deep understandings, and rigorous approaches to the problem, and coordinated effort to assess interventions using a plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycle to pursue desired outcomes (Brodie [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref34">9</reflink>]; Bryk et al. [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref35">10</reflink>]; Cowans [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref36">15</reflink>]; Russell et al. [<reflink idref="bib54" id="ref37">54</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0159023159-3">Ecuadorian educational system</hd> <p>To address the low quality of education, insufficient infrastructure and equipment, and lack of equity (Ministerio de Educación [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref38">45</reflink>]), Ecuador developed the <emph>Plan Decenal Educativo</emph> (PDE) 2006–2015. The PDE included eight objectives focused on inclusiveness and equity for all children as well as on increasing the number of students attending school, eliminating illiteracy, improving the infrastructure, revalorizing the teaching profession, and increasing the government's investment in education. The Ministerio de Educación y Cultura del Ecuador ([<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref39">47</reflink>]) reported positive results from the 2006–15 objectives, paving the path for the PDE directives to be renewed from 2016 to 2025. According to Villafuerte et al. ([<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref40">64</reflink>]), the PDE and the Millennium Development Goals included a desire to build a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable society by 2030. The Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana ([<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref41">48</reflink>]) reported that Ecuador adopted the 17 goals from the United Nations General Assembly. They proposed to align the PDE and Millennium Development Goals to address extreme poverty and hunger, universal primary education, gender equality and empowerment of women, child mortality, and maternal health, as well as combat disease and promote environmental sustainability and a global partnership (United Nations [<reflink idref="bib61" id="ref42">61</reflink>]). Because innovative educational models (i.e., creativity, critical thinking, and production of knowledge) of transformation were not included, traditional teaching strategies (e.g., lectures, class discussions, group activities, and pedagogical strategies) are still the norm in classrooms (Chavez [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref43">12</reflink>]; López Pastor et al. [<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref44">43</reflink>]; Villafuerte et al. [<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref45">64</reflink>]).</p> <p>Although the PDE and the framework from the Millennium Development Goals were established to improve academic outcomes, the Ecuadorian leadership at the Ministry of Education has ignored teachers' voices through limited opportunities for teachers to develop expertise as leaders (Leithwood et al. [<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref46">38</reflink>]). Revalorization of the teaching profession and ignoring teachers' voices contradict each other, leading to disempowerment of teachers owing to a vertical and technocratic system in which Ecuadorian teachers do not participate in decisions affecting schools, classrooms, and/or students (Fajardo-Dack [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref47">25</reflink>]). Fajardo-Dack also indicated that while Ecuadorian teachers are 'labeled lazy and unprofessional,' they have large classes and overload assignments without opportunities to develop solutions for academic problems. Teacher empowerment requires teachers to participate in setting school goals and policies as well as the development of the content of the curriculum and instructional design (Bolin [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref48">6</reflink>]). To date, reflective and evaluative opportunities such as inclusion in the decision-making processes to assess internal and external factors affecting their profession have not been provided for Ecuadorian teachers (Duffy [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref49">22</reflink>]; Duhon [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref50">24</reflink>]; Fajardo-Dack [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref51">25</reflink>]; Kimwarey, Chirure, and Omondi [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref52">36</reflink>]; Martínez [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref53">44</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0159023159-4">Theoretical framework</hd> <p>Dewey's theory of experience and improvement science served as the theoretical framework of the study. Dewey ([<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref54">20</reflink>]) wrote extensively about the close connection of education and experience, utilizing continuity and interaction as criteria to describe the value and significance of experience. Dewey ([<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref55">20</reflink>]) argued that educational experiences create opportunities for professional growth and involve the interaction between internal (an individual's feelings, dispositions, attitudes, desires, or needs) and external conditions (experiences from outside sources). The transactional processes of these criteria produce the integration of experiences longitudinally and laterally (Chiarelott [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref56">13</reflink>]). Further, the importance of reflection as a mode of learning and its connection to the experiential principles are described as 'experiencing, reflecting, thinking, and acting' (Yeganeh and Kolb [<reflink idref="bib67" id="ref57">67</reflink>], 15) for a transformative learning cycle (Dewey [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref58">18</reflink>]). Dewey contended that active learning is engaged in constant consideration of one's beliefs or knowledge by bringing individuals to select learning modes such as concrete experiences, abstract concepts, or a mixture of these (Williams [<reflink idref="bib66" id="ref59">66</reflink>]). Dewey also indicated that when a teacher learns something new, s/he may try to implement it, and in turn, teaching practices will change, leading to learning by experiencing the real world (Berding [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref60">4</reflink>]). Feinberg ([<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref61">26</reflink>]) contends that Dewey's theory refers to classroom instruction and the democratic consensus to improve the community and society through schooling. Feinberg argues that Dewey's theory does not recognize the complexity of structural and systematic inequalities within the education system affecting educational stakeholders owing to interrelated political, academic, and alternative solutions dimensions to reach a new progressive education.</p> <p>Improvement science resulted from the 1980s and 1990s revolution to incentivize productivity through more flexibility in the workplace to improve quality of products and the work environment (Junghans [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref62">34</reflink>]). Improvement science is a 'problem-solving approach centered on continuous inquiry and learning' (Regional Educational Laboratory Program. [REL] [<reflink idref="bib51" id="ref63">51</reflink>]) that requires two types of knowledge (Lewis [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref64">41</reflink>]). The first is <emph>subject matter knowledge</emph>, connected to the formal and informal education one receives solidified by field experiences. The second is a <emph>system of profound knowledge</emph> (Deming, cited in Langley et al. [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref65">37</reflink>], 75), which is deep knowledge of the organization. These types of knowledge overlap to support possible avenues for improvements (Langley et al. [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref66">37</reflink>]). Lewis ([<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref67">41</reflink>]) stated that the PDSA cycle is at the core of the improvement science framework. The Carnegie Foundation for Advancement of Teaching ([<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref68">11</reflink>]) stated that 'improvement science is explicitly designed to accelerate learning-by-doing,' as this design joins people's expertise to improve teaching and learning. This theory developed into a model of improvement, including the PDSA cycle as the underlying component for iteratively endeavoring for continuous improvement.</p> <hd id="AN0159023159-5">Improvement communities in education</hd> <p>The concepts of the NICs and the PDSA cycle are centered in the improvement science framework and those concepts have evolved from professional learning communities (PLCs). A PLC is characterized as 'a group of teachers sharing and critically interrogating their practice in ongoing, reflective, and collaborative ways' (Stoll and Louis [<reflink idref="bib60" id="ref69">60</reflink>], 2). In the mid-1990s, PLCs as a research-based strategy were implemented to utilize teachers' synergy when collaborating to solve academic issues (Anderson and Sivasubramaniam [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref70">2</reflink>]; Brodie [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref71">9</reflink>]; DuFour, Eaker, and DuFour [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref72">23</reflink>]; Hord [<reflink idref="bib31" id="ref73">31</reflink>]). PLCs transform educational practice by promoting teachers' stronger commitment to school goals and to the school's mission through collaborative work that empowers all stakeholders leading toward improving teaching, learning, teacher morale, and greater job satisfaction by transforming educational practices through collaborative work (Cowans [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref74">15</reflink>]). According to Anderson and Sivasubramaniam ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref75">2</reflink>]), PLCs and the professional learning networks (PLNs) are similar in that both serve to improve schools; however, they are different because the PLNs extend across multiple school sites. Professional networks have been studied in developed contexts, and there is an increasing interest in improving academic conditions in other settings; however, the variability that exists across education contexts does not allow a one-size-fits-all solution. Thus, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching (Kawar [<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref76">35</reflink>]) has focused on developing a model to address issues of the variability in education to improve the field of education using interconnected concepts: (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref77">1</reflink>) NICs, (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref78">2</reflink>) improvement science, and (<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref79">3</reflink>) PDSA cycles. NICs have four characteristics: clearly defined objectives, understanding possible solutions, rigorous methods of implementation, and coordinated implementation and testing of practices (LeMahieu [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref80">39</reflink>]). Improvement science is a 'problem-solving approach centered on continuous inquiry and learning' (Regional Educational Laboratory Program. [REL] [<reflink idref="bib51" id="ref81">51</reflink>], para. 2). The PDSA cycle is an approach to test possible solutions to generate results to rapidly adjust interventions. This rapid-cycle testing considers research methods, results of the intervention, and contextual conditions for the results (Cohen-Vogel et al. [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref82">14</reflink>]). NICs together with improvement science and PDSA aim to help stakeholders learn from practices in each context (American Institutes for Research [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref83">1</reflink>]). Bryk et al. ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref84">10</reflink>]) identified the importance of utilizing the PDSA cycle as a systematic approach for determining results of interventions implemented for specific problems based on the utilized interventions. Russell et al. ([<reflink idref="bib54" id="ref85">54</reflink>]) acknowledged the challenges of limited school infrastructure to move from promising ideas to implementation in the field by launching this process owing to the difficulties of an educational infrastructure. Ricón-Gallardo and Fullan ([<reflink idref="bib52" id="ref86">52</reflink>]) acknowledged the lack of evidence to connect collaborative work to the improvement of educational systems (e.g., schools and students' academics); however, they recognized the power of multiple people with a variety of perspectives coming together to positively change perspectives related to not only the problem to be solved but to the entire system.</p> <hd id="AN0159023159-6">Methodology</hd> <p>A qualitative case study approach (Stake [<reflink idref="bib59" id="ref87">59</reflink>]) was utilized to explore the effect of an all-day workshop on teachers' collaborative practices to solve academic challenges in their classroom and institution. A case study is an 'in-depth study of a phenomenon in its natural context and from the perspective of the participants involved in the phenomenon' (Gall, Gall, and Borg [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref88">27</reflink>], 436). The study was performed with 20 elementary teachers in a private urban K–12 educational institution. The focus groups were a continuation of the PD that followed group discussions, which produced data from the NIC and PDSA hands-on activities to implement solutions to current classroom or institutional problems impacting students' academic achievement. The focus group data were collected using seven open-ended questions adapted from Langley et al. ([<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref89">37</reflink>]): (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref90">1</reflink>) How would a NIC work in your institution? (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref91">2</reflink>) How could the PDSA cycle be implemented in your institution? (<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref92">3</reflink>) What have you observed about the leadership in your school regarding your efforts to improve students' academics? (<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref93">4</reflink>) What have you observed about collaborative work with other teachers in your school regarding the improvement of students' academics? (<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref94">5</reflink>) What have you observed about the supportive environment in your school regarding the improvement of students' academics? (<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref95">6</reflink>) What have you observed about family involvement in your school regarding the improvement of students' academics? And (<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref96">7</reflink>) What have you observed about ambitious instruction in your school regarding improvement of students' academics? Each focus group included five in-service teachers who participated in a one-hour conversation after the workshop.</p> <p>The open-ended questions addressed the following research questions:</p> <p>Q.1: What challenges do teachers perceive when implementing NICs and PDSA to improve academic achievement?</p> <p>Q.2: What are the roles of educators in removing the identified challenges?</p> <hd id="AN0159023159-7">All-day workshop</hd> <p>The all-day PD program included NICs, PDSA cycle, and 5Whys strategy topics. The workshop was designed to identify academic problems and processes to improve educational outcomes in the classroom. A NIC was selected over the PLC format because the NIC is inclusive of different school stakeholders such as parents, administrators, and teachers who are pivotal in supporting the improvement process, while a PLC includes only teachers.</p> <p>Collaborations within a NIC or between NICs can empower teachers to improve academic issues by implementing new ideas across contexts. The PD instruction included forming a NIC, specifying the problem to be solved and the process for analyzing the specific problem, and identifying major contributors (Russell et al. [<reflink idref="bib54" id="ref97">54</reflink>]). Collaborations included strategies to engage members in pursuing solutions for the selected problem (Russell et al. [<reflink idref="bib54" id="ref98">54</reflink>]). Two case studies (teaching biology and reducing energy use in a school) from Langley et al. ([<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref99">37</reflink>]) were utilized to illustrate how formation of NICs occurs through scaffolding by starting with data to drive change by developing, evaluating, implementing, disseminating, and identifying the human factors necessary for change to happen.</p> <p>The second topic was the PDSA cycle. According to Russell et al. ([<reflink idref="bib54" id="ref100">54</reflink>]), PDSA provides an organized sequence of steps to test whether the intervention has achieved the desired change by performing mini-experiments to guide future steps. According to Cohen-Vogel et al. ([<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref101">14</reflink>]), rapid-cycle testing provides results about interventions in the contextual setting. Documentation generated through the PDSA allows the NIC to adapt strategies, evaluations, and instrumentation to continue searching for an intervention resulting in desired outputs, while ineffective interventions are documented as a lesson to be shared with other NICs.</p> <p>The third topic was the 5Whys strategy, which is an iterative technique to explore the root of the problem(s) by repeating the question 'Why.' 5Whys is defined as a problem-solving technique for quickly determining the root cause of a problem (Hibino, Noguchi, and Plenert [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref102">30</reflink>]). The process starts with the question of why a problem happened, and the questioning continues until at least five levels of cause and effect of the problem are exposed. This process was designed as a countermeasure to prevent the problems from recurring (Hibino, Noguchi, and Plenert [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref103">30</reflink>]).</p> <p>After the three topics were presented, the 20 participants formed four groups of five teachers who used the 5Whys technique to determine the root of the classroom issues they were encountering. Additionally, they prioritized the list of problems based on the group's perceptions regarding the importance of the issues. Then the groups generated their lists and shared their results with the other groups.</p> <hd id="AN0159023159-8">Participants and setting</hd> <p>The school, located in an urban city in Ecuador, is a private school that has been educating students for more than 60 years. Currently, the school serves about 800 students from kindergarten to high school. The institution has an infrastructure for kindergarteners, six classrooms for grades 1 to 6 (elementary level), and a building for high school students. The school has ample facilities for sports and play during recesses. The different groups of students do not share recesses, which allows the students recreational space that is supervised by teachers. It was observed that the children participated in group games such as tag, hung out with friends, and/or enjoyed a snack until it was time to return to their classroom. Elementary classrooms are equipped with a computer for the teacher, an LCD projector, desks for the children, maps, and other supplies for teaching. Additionally, it was informally shared by teachers that some students' behavior affects the academic achievement of the students in the classroom and the solution to behavioral issues poses challenges.</p> <p>Out of the 32 teachers at the elementary level, the principal selected 20 participants for the PD (13 female and 7 male) with classroom teaching experience from 5 to 26 years. These teachers taught music, physical education, English, French, technology, or all subjects as elementary teacher substitutes. Teachers excluded from the PD were either absent or assigned to teach during the PD session. The participating teachers gathered in a classroom, and during the first meeting, the researcher explained the purpose of the research and distributed the consent forms to comply with Institutional Review Board protocols. After the introductory session was completed, the principal divided the teachers into four focus groups based on the teaching schedule availability. The focus groups lasted one hour and were conducted in Spanish.</p> <hd id="AN0159023159-9">Data analysis</hd> <p>The qualitative data gathered from the four focus groups and the hands-on discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed utilizing the six-phase thematic analysis (TA), which are data familiarization, generation of initial codes, themes search, reviewing themes, defining themes, and reporting (Braun and Clarke [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref104">7</reflink>]). TA was selected as the data analysis method thanks to the flexibility to examine participants' views and perspectives about what they think, feel, or do (Braun and Clarke [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref105">7</reflink>]; Nowell et al. [<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref106">49</reflink>]). Other data utilized in the data analysis included researcher's field notes and reflexive notes and national education policies (Crabtree and Miller [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref107">16</reflink>]; Nowell et al. [<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref108">49</reflink>]). The first step of Braun and Clarke's ([<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref109">7</reflink>]) systematic approach is familiarization of the data by the researcher. The data analysis commenced when the researcher reviewed the transcribed responses to gather a sense of the information and find the meaning and the patterns that lead to the development of initial codes. In this study, after codes were developed, themes were generated to capture the richness of the data. Themes were then reviewed and refined to ensure that the extracted quotes fit the narrative of the themes presented in the results (Braun and Clarke [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref110">7</reflink>]). The codes that inductively appeared during the iterative process of analyzing the surface meaning of the data, facilitated an understanding of the social context of the participants (Braun and Clarke [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref111">7</reflink>]). Issues regarding the teachers' practice and challenges emerged during the analysis as the themes and patterns served to answer the research questions.</p> <hd id="AN0159023159-10">Results</hd> <p>Utilizing Braun and Clarke's ([<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref112">7</reflink>]) step-by-step thematic analysis protocols to analyze qualitative data, the initial codes were grouped into themes based on the phenomenon of interest. Through the iterative process of revisiting the data, the researcher was able to understand the challenges teachers faced for improving academic achievement. As the teachers critically explored school system issues hindering their efforts to improve academics in the classroom, two themes emerged from the codes: (<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref113">1</reflink>) teachers' external influences and (<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref114">2</reflink>) teachers' internal influences. The themes (Figure 1) were analyzed utilizing the LOEI ([<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref115">42</reflink>]) and the <emph>Código de Convivencia</emph> (CC) (Ministerio de Educación y Cultura del Ecuador [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref116">46</reflink>]) because the discussion revealed tensions among teachers and administrators, teachers and parents, and teachers' challenges to improving students' academics.</p> <p>Graph: Figure 1. Representation of themes and codes.</p> <hd id="AN0159023159-11">Teachers' external influences on academic improvement</hd> <p>External influences on academic improvement were contextualized as tensions between the teachers and other school stakeholders regarding current practices and the need for effective solutions (Dewey [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref117">20</reflink>]). External influences included school administrators, parents, and personnel from the educational system. The administrators included the principal and assistant principal in charge of implementing the national education and institutional policies (LOEI [<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref118">42</reflink>]). The participants provided examples to demonstrate the negative influence of the school's leadership, and they discussed conversations about academic issues with administrators that did not efficiently address or solve issues. One teacher indicated,</p> <p>I have talked to the principal of the school requesting help because a student disrupts my teaching. I explained I have talked to the parent about the student; however, the parent insists on the need of patience until the student improves his/her behavior in the classroom. I approached the principal with this issue and I was told to solve it. How can I solve this problem by myself? I have tried different venues. I need help and I don't get it.</p> <p>When the teacher finished the story, the other teachers nodded in support. Several participants indicated, 'Yes, I have had the same problem and nobody helped me,' 'I know I am not going to get help so I don't ask for it,' 'I would like the principal and administrators to come to my classroom and experience the problems I have with the students.' The Ecuadorian educational system provides regulations for students, parents, teachers, and administrators to address students' behavioral issues in the school setting (Ministerio de Educación y Cultura del Ecuador [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref119">46</reflink>]), but there is a disconnect in the communication process regarding the established protocols for resolving behavioral issues, placing the responsibility on teachers' shoulders and not on administrators.</p> <p>As the conversation continued, one teacher stated that the 'administration is distant from the reality of the classroom; therefore, solving academic problems is difficult because they need to experience the issues.' Another teacher indicated, 'I don't want to bring to the administration any project because I know there would not be support for the idea,' and another added, 'wanting to lead and solve an academic problem with other teachers requires the school administration support; which we don't have.' Fajardo-Dack ([<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref120">25</reflink>]) stated that administrators 'ought to understand that the most important allies to achieve the desired [educational] transformation are the teachers.' Thus, teachers and administrators should work collaboratively to solve academic issues. The participants also identified an issue related to the limited time school administrators provide for teachers to meet, discuss, and share pedagogical successes/failures and discuss their role in leading improvement of the academic outcomes with other educators. The Ministry of Education (LOEI [<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref121">42</reflink>]) policies did not include a provision for teachers to come together to discuss academic issues. This is an issue left for the institution to allow as needed.</p> <p>The participants also provided examples about how parents do not partner with teachers to educate the student: 'parents did not support teachers regarding discipline,' and 'parents do not talk to their children about respecting teachers.' Another issue related to learning was about formalizing the need for individualized lesson plans through medical forms or formal documentation allowing the teacher to tailor instruction for the students. Without the proper documentation, teachers must continue using the same lesson plans with all students. Teachers indicated, 'I have to continue teaching my lesson plans and the child is not learning,' 'my work gets behind,' 'I have to make time before the school day ends to provide extra teaching time,' and 'this issue affects all the teachers serving that child.' A teacher stated, 'I can't help the student if the parent does not want to help me with the education process.'</p> <p>The CC describes the collaborative work between teachers and parents to support students' academic achievement; however, the general mandates need to be operationalized at the institutional level to clearly address students' needs collaboratively. The participants indicated that 'parents do not spend time doing homework with their children and when asked about it, the parent says my son/daughter does not want to do it so what can I do?' Other teachers reinforced the challenges through comments such as 'parents do not want to do their part at home,' 'we [teachers] can't do it all,' and 'we [teachers] need parents' help to provide a holistic education for our students.' The discussion revealed communication issues between teachers and parents hindering the desired academic results. Palomares Cuadros et al. ([<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref122">50</reflink>]) and Villafuerte et al. ([<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref123">64</reflink>]) explained the importance of stating the value of education and communicating expectations to parents to strengthen the partnerships and solve classroom issues. The CC lays out parents' participation in extracurricular activities; however, collaboration between parents and teachers is not prescribed in the CC or LOEI documents. Parents may need more information or may need to participate in the classroom activities to have a better understanding of what teachers are requesting and/or expecting. However, parents' participation requires the involvement of the school administration to ensure the process would lead to desired outcomes.</p> <p>Concerning the education system, the participants identified limited flexibility to implement changes. The educational system prescribed materials, lesson plans, and other curricular materials to ensure that students at the same grades are receiving the same instruction leaving teachers with the assessment of students' knowledge progress. Some participants indicated that 'I can't change the lesson plan or the pace of the instruction so I just assess learning outcomes based on tests.' However, teachers utilized strategies such as homework and Internet to provide academic support for students that are lagging behind. Teachers indicated, 'I used additional homework with students that are academically behind,' and 'I have had students who have not progressed academically after implementing different types of strategies such using the Internet.' Several teachers supported the statement by nodding. It was also added that 'educational system [policies] does not solve the issue, it just creates more work for me and puts my teaching behind.' The Ecuadorian educational system does not include teacher participation in the decision-making process, which has created a vertical hierarchical system in which initiatives are given and enacted by two different groups of people (Fajardo-Dack [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref124">25</reflink>]; Kimwarey, Chirure, and Omondi [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref125">36</reflink>]).</p> <p>The teachers expressed that the limited support from school administrators is inadequate for finding academic solutions for issues in the classroom. Equally, the limited support from parents seems to indicate gaps in the parent–teacher partnerships to support students' academic needs. During conversations with the teachers, the participants realized that of the three categories (administrators, parents, and education system), they could influence two of them (administrators and parents) by generating a list of educational problems to collaboratively create an action plan, establish a timeline, and form teams to resolve issues despite limited support from the LOEI ([<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref126">42</reflink>]) and CC (Ministerio de Educación y Cultura del Ecuador [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref127">46</reflink>]) policies. The participants acknowledged that to solve school issues and improve academics, school administrators and parents should be involved in the process. The conversations reflected the importance of administrators' and parents' engagement in the process of solving/improving issues by stating 'leadership should have participated in this workshop,' 'parents need to be educated about what teachers do and our challenges,' 'the [NIC] process would be very beneficial if other teachers had attended the workshop,' and 'we can't implement this [NIC/PDSA] ... a person should lead the process.' These comments reflect an emerging issue in which disconnected stakeholders need to be part of solving academic issues since they are not exclusively for teachers but for the school community and could be guided by internal policy mechanisms for school stakeholders to come together to solve issues.</p> <hd id="AN0159023159-12">Teachers' internal influences for academic improvement</hd> <p>The second theme, teachers' internal influences for academic improvement, refers to relationships with other teachers that impede or support the work teachers perform to improve students' academic success. Dewey ([<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref128">20</reflink>]) indicated that the interactions among teachers relate to the philosophy of teaching and the philosophy of experience to solve a new set of problems. The participants expressed the importance of working with other teachers to improve their pedagogical strategies; however, time to interact with other teachers either formally or informally was limited. The teachers said they would like to establish formal collaboration with other teachers; however, teachers from different subject matters meet twice a year to discuss students' academics. One teacher said, 'If we want [academic] achievements, meetings should be held by areas and blocks, monthly and quarterly ... these meetings would help to discuss and identify students with learning difficulties, but they are not happening.' Another teacher continued, 'we [teachers] realized that troubled students have been noticed by all teachers teaching this student.' Another comment provided information that 'we [teachers] discuss the issues surrounding the student and we share teaching strategies implemented within the group.' Nevertheless, there is no follow-up on the classroom strategies or results of the implemented strategies as a group, although special/elective subject teachers share results with the core classroom teacher. The conversation led the teachers to recognize 'working with other teachers would help to manage student's behavioral issues' and the advantage of interdisciplinary work with 'teachers from different subjects areas working together to help students.' Another participant indicated that 'meetings will improve communication to participate in the strategies implemented by other teachers' and suggested the need to 'plan teacher meetings to do group activities and improve interpersonal relationships and motivation.' The participants also explained the synergy when collaboration happened: 'planning with teachers in complementary areas so everyone can talk about the same problems, support each other and seek a common goal.' Other issues mentioned were the 'lack of interdisciplinary work' and 'no systematic approach to solve academic problems ... teachers solve them [problems] on their own.' These problems seem to indicate that the teachers value collaborations with teachers who can contribute knowledge, skills, and experience to solve a particular academic problem. The LOEI and CC documents do not provide guidelines about collaborative work time; thus, these activities are left to the discretion of the institution's leadership. Through the discussions, the teachers realized they could address classroom issues by working with their colleagues, such as 'lesson plans [being] developed by the core teachers without the input of special/elective teachers when preparing lessons for children with learning difficulties.'</p> <p>The participants also shared their perceptions about limitations to the use of technology in the classroom: 'My students [know] more than I know about computers.' The teachers described limited access to PD about technology (software and hardware) to help them improve their teaching: 'I don't want to look bad with my students while using technology.' They expressed that the school administrators have not provided opportunities or resources to improve their technical skills; therefore, they did not feel comfortable integrating technology into their lessons (Chavez [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref129">12</reflink>]) and preferred using traditional strategies (e.g., lecture and work groups). As the conversations continued, one teacher indicated that 'creating chat rooms for teachers to share their academic experiences would be a good way to be able to receive advice about new classroom strategies.' Another added: 'subject areas could share ideas about how to integrate other subjects into lesson plans such as art into math.' The LOEI and the CC policies do not provide guidelines to engage in interdisciplinary work, but PD is encouraged for teachers. Thus, it is not evident by the data collected or the policies examined why the participants are not being provided with the necessary PD.</p> <p>External and internal influences keep teachers from focusing on improving academic achievement; however, moving from the problem to a possible solution requires resources the school does not have, such as a teacher to lead the initiative and/or the time commitment to pursue the initiative (Russell et al. [<reflink idref="bib54" id="ref130">54</reflink>]). Thus, the implementation of a NIC in the school utilizing the PDSA cycle would be helpful for the school stakeholders to resolve issues across levels (Brodie [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref131">9</reflink>]; Bryk et al. [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref132">10</reflink>]; Cowans [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref133">15</reflink>]; Palomares Cuadros et al. [<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref134">50</reflink>]; Russell et al. [<reflink idref="bib54" id="ref135">54</reflink>]; Villafuerte et al. [<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref136">64</reflink>]). Moreover, as issues are improved, the role of educators as advocates for students can be voiced (Duffy [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref137">22</reflink>]; Fajardo-Dack [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref138">25</reflink>]; Kimwarey, Chirure, and Omondi [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref139">36</reflink>]; Leithwood et al. [<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref140">38</reflink>]; Martínez [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref141">44</reflink>]). However, the status quo would have to change from what teachers have been experiencing to teachers initiating the process as an academic need.</p> <hd id="AN0159023159-13">Discussion</hd> <p>Participants revealed information about daily issues impacting transformative practices and the distribution of leadership, decision-making, dialogue, and building teacher collaborations for student learning (Zmuda, Kuklis, and Kline [<reflink idref="bib68" id="ref142">68</reflink>]). Following Dewey's ([<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref143">18</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref144">20</reflink>]) theory of experience and reflection process, teachers utilized their professional experiences during the PD to create opportunities for professional growth across school subjects by identifying academic issues due to the 'organic connection between education and personal experience' (Dewey [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref145">19</reflink>], 25). The reflection process during the PD allowed the participants to reflect as a community about the needs and values of each participant to grow as a teacher (Rodgers [<reflink idref="bib53" id="ref146">53</reflink>]). The systematic reflection permitted teachers to utilize their experiences to move to a deeper understanding of their relationships with school stakeholders and their connections with other experiences producing a learning continuum (Dewey [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref147">20</reflink>]; Rodgers [<reflink idref="bib53" id="ref148">53</reflink>]). The teachers determined issues requiring the principal's assistance and issues to be solved in collaboration with colleagues. The external issues prevented teachers from improving students' academic achievement owing to limited support from school administrators and parents, leaving teachers isolated instead of working collaboratively. Participants also identified limited collaboration with other teachers as internal issues impacting academics.</p> <p>Williams ([<reflink idref="bib66" id="ref149">66</reflink>]) argued that evidence of Dewey's theories in the classroom is scarce; however, the importance of adapting technology for use in the classroom creates opportunities for professional growth and changing attitudes about adopting new pedagogies (Chiarelott [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref150">13</reflink>]). Moreover, Feinberg ([<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref151">26</reflink>]) contended that a progressive education would consider diversity and inequalities within the academic system. Although Ley Orgánica de Educación Intercultural (LOEI) ([<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref152">42</reflink>]) and CC (Ministerio de Educación y Cultura del Ecuador [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref153">46</reflink>]) policies indicated general guidelines for students, parents, teachers, and administrators, the study shows existent stakeholder interaction gaps within the school community. The intertwined relationship of political, academic, and creative dimensions where all stakeholders partake to promote academic achievement and equitable distribution of power takes place would lead to a progressive educational model (Feinberg [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref154">26</reflink>]). Fajardo-Dack ([<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref155">25</reflink>]) and Dionne et al. ([<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref156">21</reflink>]) indicated that administrators should influence teachers' performance by listening to them and providing feedback (Servage [<reflink idref="bib58" id="ref157">58</reflink>]). The teachers noted they encountered difficulty teaching students whose parents did not support teachers' endeavors, and without administrative support, the teachers could not enforce educational policies or regulations.</p> <p>According to Palomares Cuadros et al. ([<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref158">50</reflink>]) and Villafuerte et al. ([<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref159">64</reflink>]), a well-developed communication process is important for establishing a school's educational expectations and stakeholder requirements for students. The participants reflected on the complexity of their relationships with partners and the importance and challenges posed by multiple perspectives (e.g., students, teachers, and administrators) for finding solutions that fit all issues or contexts (Hannan et al. [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref160">29</reflink>]). The impact of this realization parallels Lewis's ([<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref161">41</reflink>]) and Bryk et al.'s ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref162">10</reflink>]) findings that self-study facilitates improvement in the school context in that these participants identified internal and external factors impacting academics and used NICs and PDSA processes to diagnose and categorize paths for finding solutions (Brodie [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref163">9</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0159023159-14">Conclusion</hd> <p>As Ecuador attempts to provide quality education for all children, efforts must be collaboratively enacted by teachers, parents, and school leadership. Teachers have not been provided professional learning opportunities to build collaborations benefitting their pedagogy or students' academic outcomes, leaving the teachers with the perception that the status quo within the school is difficult to change. Utilizing Dewey's ([<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref164">20</reflink>]) criteria, the PD in this study provided the teachers new knowledge and an opportunity to reflect on the current educational situation to resolve classroom problems and identify possible changes for the future (Langley et al. [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref165">37</reflink>]; REL [<reflink idref="bib51" id="ref166">51</reflink>]). The teachers critically engaged in the process of understanding the Ecuadorian educational framework and systematically determining issues to be improved. They recognized the complexity of the intertwined relationships of external and internal factors impacting teachers and ultimately students' academics. Langley et al. ([<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref167">37</reflink>]), Hannan et al. ([<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref168">29</reflink>]), and Senechal ([<reflink idref="bib56" id="ref169">56</reflink>]) found that improvement within institutions happens when strong leadership supports initiatives and strategic efforts to produce change by trial and learning, which happen during the PDSA cycle. Senechal ([<reflink idref="bib56" id="ref170">56</reflink>]) identified the importance of leaders who champion working in groups to influence the participation of different stakeholders for solving academic issues (Hannan et al. [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref171">29</reflink>]). Teamwork utilizes participants' knowledge, skills, and experiences to select a possible solution to improve the educational problem (Lewis [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref172">41</reflink>]).</p> <p>The participants mentioned limited time to collaborate because the teachers only met by subject area once a month to discuss student issues and by grade level twice a year to approve grades. The teachers need opportunities to exchange and combine their synergies to support each other (Chavez [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref173">12</reflink>]; Fajardo-Dack [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref174">25</reflink>]; Martínez [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref175">44</reflink>]; Schoder [<reflink idref="bib55" id="ref176">55</reflink>]; Villafuerte et al. [<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref177">64</reflink>]). The teachers acknowledged the importance of the improvement science framework and the process offered by creating NICs and using the PDSA cycle to address classroom issues, student needs, and common issues such as parents not supporting teachers (Lewis [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref178">41</reflink>]). Teachers need to come together to facilitate learning to benefit the collective aim (LeMahieu et al. [<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref179">40</reflink>]). The PD activity provided tools for the teachers to collectively imagine possibilities to resolve academic issues and develop a structure for school improvement not previously afforded (Broadley, Martin, and Curtis [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref180">8</reflink>]; Fajardo-Dack [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref181">25</reflink>]; Servage [<reflink idref="bib58" id="ref182">58</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0159023159-15">Limitations and future research</hd> <p>This study has limitations regarding time constraints for data collection and implementation. The researcher had limited time to implement the PD and conduct focus groups, which did not allow for a sustained discussion beyond the challenges of a lack of support from the administrators and parents and restricted the implementation of the NICs and PDSA cycle. However, the exploration exposed issues in the classroom and the school setting that could be used to study the implementation process of the NIC at the elementary level and the formation of other NICs at other school levels (e.g., middle and high school) and in other institutions. Responses to the open-ended questions from the focus groups can be used to investigate interactions among the NICs and processes toward the resolution of academic issues, which would provide valuable information to benefit the participants of the NICs to discover deficiencies in the implementation while using the PDSA cycle to test solutions and determine their plausibility as a long-term strategy.</p> <hd id="AN0159023159-16">Acknowledgments</hd> <p>This project was supported by the CREATE Center at Northern Illinois University.</p> <hd id="AN0159023159-17">Disclosure statement</hd> <p>No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).</p> <ref id="AN0159023159-18"> <title> References </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref77" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> American Institutes for Research. 2017. Establishing and Sustaining Networked Improvement Communities: Lessons from Michigan and Minnesota. April. Accessed 13 October 2019. https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/midwest/pdf/REL_2017264.pdf</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib2" idref="ref70" type="bt">2</bibl> <bibtext> Anderson, S., and M. Sivasubramaniam. 2017. " Comparative Perspectives on School Improvement." In Comparative and International Education Issues for Educators, edited by K. Bickmore, R. Hayhoo, C. Manion, K. Mundy, and R. Read, 119 – 151. 2nd ed. Toronto : Canadian Scholars' Press.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib3" idref="ref17" type="bt">3</bibl> <bibtext> Antoine, D. R. 2015. " The Correlation between Parental Involvement and Student Academic Achievement." LSU Master's Theses. Accessed 10 October 2019. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/185</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib4" idref="ref60" type="bt">4</bibl> <bibtext> Berding, J. W. A. 1997. " Toward a Flexible Curriculum: John Dewey's Theory of Experience and Learning." Education and Culture 16 (1): 24 – 31.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib5" idref="ref11" type="bt">5</bibl> <bibtext> Bialystok, E. 2011. " Reshaping the Mind: The Benefits of Bilingualism." Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology 65 (4): 229 – 235. doi: 10.1037/a0025406.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib6" idref="ref48" type="bt">6</bibl> <bibtext> Bolin, F. S. 1989. " Empowering Leadership." Teachers College Record 91 (1): 81 – 96. doi: 10.1177/016146818909100104.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib7" idref="ref96" type="bt">7</bibl> <bibtext> Braun, V., and V. Clarke. 2006. " Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology." Qualitative Research in Psychology 3 (2): 77 – 101. doi: 10.1191/1478088706qp063oa.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib8" idref="ref180" type="bt">8</bibl> <bibtext> Broadley, T., R. Martin, and E. Curtis. 2019. " Rethinking Professional Experience through a Learning Community Model: Toward a Culture Change." Frontiers in Education 4 (22): 1 – 22. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2019.00022.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib9" idref="ref34" type="bt">9</bibl> <bibtext> Brodie, K. 2013. " The Power of Professional Learning Communities." Education as Change 17 (1): 5 – 18. doi: 10.1080/16823206.2013.773929.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Bryk, A. S., L. M. Gomez, A. Grunow, and P. G. LeMahieu. 2015. Learning to Improve: How America's Schools Can Get Better at Getting Better. Cambridge, MA : Harvard Education Press.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. n.d. " Our Ideas. Using Improvement Science to Accelerate Learning and Address Problems of Practice." Accessed 12 October 2019. https://<ulink href="http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/our-ideas/">www.carnegiefoundation.org/our-ideas/</ulink></bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Chavez, A. A. 2016. " Citizenship Education in Ecuador: Perceptions of Students and Teachers." International Education Studies 9 (12): 206 – 218. doi: 10.5539/ies.v9n12p206.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Chiarelott, L. 1978. " John Dewey's Theory of Experience as a Base for Developing Citizenship Education Curricula." Educational Technology 18 (12): 18 – 24.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Cohen-Vogel, L., M. Cannata, S. A. Rutledge, and A. R. Socol. 2016. " A Model of Continuous Improvement in High Schools: A Process for Research, Innovation Design, Implementation, and Scale." Teachers College Record 118 (13): 1 – 26. doi: 10.1177/016146811611801301.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Cowans, J. 2005. " The Professional Learning Community. And This Shall Pass? " Education Forum: Magazine of Secondary School Professionals 31 (2): 16 – 19.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Crabtree, B., and W. Miller. 1999. " Using Codes and Code Manuals: A Template for Organizing Style of Interpretation." In Doing Qualitative Research, edited by B. Crabtree and W. Miller, 163 – 178. 2nd ed. Newbury Park, CA : Sage.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Cummins, J. 1991. " Language Development and Academic Learning." In Language, Culture, and Cognition, edited by L. Malavé and G. Duquette, 161 – 175. Clevedon : Multilingual Matters.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Dewey, J. 1933. How We Think. Buffalo, NY : Prometheus Books. Original work published 1910</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Dewey, J. 1938. Experience and Education. Kappa Delta Pi Lecture Series. New York: Collier Books.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Dewey, J. 1986. " Experience and Education." The Educational Forum 50 (3): 241 – 252. doi: 10.1080/00131728609335764.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Dionne, S. D., F. J. Yammarino, L. E. Atwater, and W. D. Spangler. 2004. " Transformational Leadership and Team Performance." Journal of Organizational Change Management 17 (2): 177 – 193. doi: 10.1108/09534810410530601.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Duffy, G. G. 1994. " Professional Development Schools and the Disempowerment of Teachers and Professors." The Phi Delta Kappa 75 (8): 596 – 600.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> DuFour, R., R. Eaker, and R. DuFour, eds. 2005. On Common Ground: The Power of Professional Learning Communities. Bloomington, IN : Solution Tree Press.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Duhon, G. M. 1999. " Teacher Empowerment: Definitions, Implementation, and Strategies for Personal Renewal." Accessed 12 October 2019. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED433329</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Fajardo-Dack, T. M. 2016. " Teacher Disempowerment in the Education System of Ecuador." World Journal of Education 5 (3): 82 – 89.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Feinberg, W. 2018. Dewey and Education. New York : Routledge Taylor &amp; Francis Group.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Gall, M. D., J. P. Gall, and W. R. Borg. 2006. Education Research: An Introduction. 8th ed. Allyn &amp; Bacon : Boston, MA.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Garcia, O., and L. Wei. 2014. Translanguaging: Language, Bilingualism, and Education. London : Palgrave MacMillan.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Hannan, M., J. L. Russell, S. Takahashi, and S. Park. 2015. " Using Improvement Science to Better Support Beginning Teachers: The Case of the Building a Teaching Effectiveness Network." Journal of Teacher Education 66 (5): 494 – 508. doi: 10.1177/0022487115602126.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Hibino, S., K. Noguchi, and G. Plenert. 2018. Toyota's Global Marketing Strategy: Innovation through Breakthrough Thinking and Kaizen. Boca Raton, FL : Taylor &amp; Francis Group.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Hord, S. 1997. Professional Learning Communities: Communities of Continuous Inquiry and Improvement. Austin, TX : Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Index Mundi. 2020. " Ecuador Demographics Profile." Accessed 27 August 2021. https://<ulink href="http://www.indexmundi.com/ecuador/demographics%5fprofile.html">www.indexmundi.com/ecuador/demographics%5fprofile.html</ulink></bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Jæger, M. M., and K. Karlson. 2018. " Cultural Capital and Educational Inequality: A Counterfactual Analysis." Sociological Science 5 : 775 – 795. doi: 10.15195/v5.a33.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Junghans, T. 2018. " 'Don't Mind the Gap!' Reflections on Improvement Science as a Paradigm." Health Care Analysis: HCA: Journal of Health Philosophy and Policy 26 (2): 124 – 139. doi: 10.1007/s107.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Kawar, A. 2016. " Integrating Collaboration, Learning Systems, and Empowerment to Accelerate Improvement in Education – The Promise of NICs." Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, May 18. Accessed 12 October 2019. https://<ulink href="http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/blog/the-promise-of-nics/">www.carnegiefoundation.org/blog/the-promise-of-nics/</ulink></bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Kimwarey, M., H.N. Chirure, and M. Omondi. 2014. " Teacher Empowerment in Education Practice: Strategies, Constraints and Suggestions." Journal of Research &amp; Method in Education 4 (2): 51 – 56.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Langley, G. J., R. D. Moen, K. M. Nolan, T. W. Nolan, C. L. Norman, and L. P. Provost. 2009. The Improvement Guide: A Practical Approach to Enhancing Organizational Performance. 2nd ed. San Francisco, CA : Jossey-Bass.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Leithwood, K., K. S. Louis, S. Anderson, and K. Wahlstrom. 2004. " How Leadership Influences Student Learning." The Wallace Foundation. Accessed 13 October 2019. https://<ulink href="http://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/documents/how-leadership-influences-student-learning.pdf">www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/documents/how-leadership-influences-student-learning.pdf</ulink></bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> LeMahieu, P. 2015. "Why a NIC?" Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, August 15. Accessed 10 October 2019. https://<ulink href="http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/blog/why-a-nic/">www.carnegiefoundation.org/blog/why-a-nic/</ulink></bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> LeMahieu, P. G., A. Grunow, L. Baker, L. E. Nordstrum, and L. M. Gomez. 2017. " Network Improvement Communities: The Discipline of Improvement Science Meets the Power of Networks." Quality Assurance in Education 25 (1): 5 – 25. doi: 10.1108/QAE-12-2016-0084.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Lewis, C. 2015. " What Is Improvement Science? Do We Need It in Education? " Educational Researcher 44 (1): 54 – 61. doi: 10.3102/0013189X15570388.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Ley Orgánica de Educación Intercultural (LOEI). 2016. " Ministerio de Educación del Ecuador." Accessed 12 October 2019. https://educacion.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2017/05/Ley-Organica-Educacion-Intercultural-Codificado.pdf</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> López Pastor, V. M., Brunicardi, D. P., Manrrique Arribas, J. C., &amp; Monjas Aguado, R. 2016. " Los Retos de la Educación Física en el Siglo XXI [Challenges of Physical Education in XXI Century]." Retos 29 (29): 182 – 187. doi: 10.47197/retos.v0i29.42552.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Martínez, C. 2014. " Managing Diversity in Postneoliberal Ecuador." Journal of Latin America and Caribbean Anthropology 19 (1): 103 – 125. doi: 10.1111/jlca.12062.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Ministerio de Educación [Ministry of Education]. 2006. "Hacia el Plan Decenal de Educación del Ecuador (2006–2015) [Towards the Decennial Education Plan of Ecuador (2006–2015)]." Ecuador: Consejo Nacional de Educación. Accessed 12 October 2019. https://educacion.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2012/08/Rendicion_2007.pdf</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Ministerio de Educación y Cultura del Ecuador. 2013. " Código de Convivencia Institucional." Accessed 27 August 2021. https://educacion.gob.ec/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2013/09/ACUERDO_332-13.pdf</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Ministerio de Educación y Cultura del Ecuador. 2018. " Propuesta de la comunidad educativa para el plan nacional de educación 2016–2025." Accessed 27 August 2021. https://<ulink href="http://www.siteal.iiep.unesco.org/sites/default/files/sit%5faccion%5ffiles/siteal%5fecuador%5f0240.pdf">www.siteal.iiep.unesco.org/sites/default/files/sit%5faccion%5ffiles/siteal%5fecuador%5f0240.pdf</ulink></bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Movilidad Humana. 2019. " Ecuador Meets Millennium Development Goals and Works on Referred Calendar until 2030." November 17. Accessed 12 October 2019. https://<ulink href="http://www.cancilleria.gob.ec/ecuador-meets-millennium-development-goals-and-works-on-referred-calendar-until-2030/">www.cancilleria.gob.ec/ecuador-meets-millennium-development-goals-and-works-on-referred-calendar-until-2030/</ulink></bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Nowell, L., J. Norris, D. White, and N. Moules. 2017. " Thematic Analysis: Striving to Meet the Trustworthiness Criteria." International Journal of Qualitative Methods 16 (1): 1 – 13. doi: 10.1177/1609406917733847.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Palomares Cuadros, J., J. Cimarro Urbano, M. Cepero González, B. Torres Campos, M. Estévez Díaz, and R. M. Martinez Pérez. 2014. " Entre la teoría y la realidad: Opiniones y creencias del profesorado sobre la transmisión y fomento de hábitos saludables, a través del deporte y el juego, en la compleja relación escuela–familia." Profesorado. Revista de Currículum y Formación de Profesorado 18 (2): 135 – 151.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Regional Educational Laboratory Program. (REL). 2017. Introduction to Improvement Science. Accessed 12 October 2019. https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/regions/west/Blogs/Details/2</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Ricón-Gallardo, S., and M. Fullan. 2016. " Essential Features of Effective Networks in Education." Journal of Professional Capital and Community 1 (1): 5 – 22. doi: 10.1108/JPPC-09-2015-0007.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Rodgers, C. 2002. " Defining Reflection: Another Look at John Dewey and Reflective Thinking." Teachers College Record 104 (4): 842 – 866. doi: 10.1111/1467-9620.00181.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Russell, J. L., A. S. Bryk, J. Dolle, L. M. Gomez, P. G. LeMahieu, and A. Grunow. 2017. " A Framework for the Initiation of Networked Improvement Communities." Teachers College Record 119 (5): 1 – 36. doi: 10.1177/016146811711900501.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Schoder, B. 2008. " Developing Intercultural Science Education in Ecuador." Diaspora, Indigenous, and Minority Education 2 (1): 25 – 43. doi: 10.1080/15595690701752500.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Senechal, J. 2015. " Rethinking School Improvement: The Case for Network Improvement Communities." Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium. Accessed 12 October 2019. https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1004&amp;context=merc_pubs</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Sergiovanni, T. 2000. The Lifeworld of Leadership: Creating Culture, Community, and Personal Meaning in Our Schools. San Francisco : Jossey Bass.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Servage, L. 2008. " Critical and Transformative Practices in Professional Learning Communities." Teacher Education Quarterly 35 (1): 63 – 77.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Stake, R. E. 2000. " Case Studies." In Handbook of Qualitative Research, edited by N. K. Denzin and Y. S. Lincoln, 435 – 454. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA : Sage.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Stoll, L., and K. S. Louis. 2007. Professional Learning Communities: Divergence, Depth and Dilemmas: Divergence, Depth and Dilemmas. New York, NY : Open University Press.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> United Nations. 2015. " The Millennium Development Goals Report 2015." Accessed 12 October 2019. https://<ulink href="http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/2015%5fMDG%5fReport/pdf/MDG%202015%20rev%20(July%201).pdf">www.un.org/millenniumgoals/2015%5fMDG%5fReport/pdf/MDG%202015%20rev%20(July%201).pdf</ulink></bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Van Damme, W., I. Aguerrondo, C. C. Burgos, and M. R. Campos. 2013. " A Story of Change: How Ecuador Seeks to Sustain Its Development Agenda through Large Scale Educational Reform." Paper presented at UKFIET International Conference on Education and Development – Education and Development post 2015 : Reflecting, Reviewing, Re-visioning, Oxford, UK.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Vegas, E., and J. Petrow. 2008. Raising Student Learning in Latin America: The Challenge for the 21st Century. Washington, DC : World Bank.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Villafuerte, J., L. Perez, E. Boyes, L. Mena, J. Pinoargote, A. Riera, E. Solesdispa, and Delgado, D. 2018. " Challenges of the Basic Education System in Ecuador: The Voices of the Future Teachers." Art Human Open Access Journal 2 (4): 217‒224. doi: 10.15406/ahoaj.2018.02.00061.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Wasonga. T, A. 2013. " Towards Understanding Ambivalence in Educational Policy in Kenya." Journal of East African Studies 7 (1): 21 – 39. doi: 10.1080/17531055.2012.755313.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Williams, M. K. 2017. " John Dewey in the 21st Century." Journal of Inquiry &amp; Action in Education 9 (1): 91 – 102.</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Yeganeh, B., and D. Kolb. 2009. " Mindfulness and Experiential Learning." OD Practitioner 41 (3): 13 – 18. <ulink href="http://www.bumc.bu.edu/medsci/files/2018/11/Mindfulness%5f%5fExperiential%5fLearning%5f-%5fYeganeh%5f%5fKolb.pdf">http://www.bumc.bu.edu/medsci/files/2018/11/Mindfulness%5f%5fExperiential%5fLearning%5f-%5fYeganeh%5f%5fKolb.pdf</ulink></bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibtext> Zmuda, A., R. Kuklis, and E. Kline. 2004. Transforming Schools: Creating a Culture of Continuous Improvement. Alexandria, VA : Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.</bibtext> </blist> </ref> <aug> <p>By Ximena D. Burgin</p> <p>Reported by Author</p> <p></p> <p>Ximena D. Burgin's current research focuses on culturally responsive classroom to understand in-service teachers' utilization of contextual classroom as conduits to adjust classroom practices.</p> </aug> <nolink nlid="nl1" bibid="bib25" firstref="ref1"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl2" bibid="bib42" firstref="ref2"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl3" bibid="bib44" firstref="ref3"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl4" bibid="bib45" firstref="ref4"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl5" bibid="bib55" firstref="ref5"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl6" bibid="bib64" firstref="ref6"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl7" bibid="bib62" firstref="ref7"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl8" bibid="bib32" firstref="ref10"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl9" bibid="bib17" firstref="ref12"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl10" bibid="bib28" firstref="ref13"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl11" bibid="bib47" firstref="ref15"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl12" bibid="bib63" firstref="ref18"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl13" bibid="bib65" firstref="ref19"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl14" bibid="bib33" firstref="ref20"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl15" bibid="bib20" firstref="ref22"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl16" bibid="bib57" firstref="ref23"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl17" bibid="bib10" firstref="ref24"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl18" bibid="bib52" firstref="ref25"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl19" bibid="bib56" firstref="ref26"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl20" bibid="bib39" firstref="ref28"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl21" bibid="bib40" firstref="ref29"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl22" bibid="bib54" firstref="ref30"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl23" bibid="bib14" firstref="ref31"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl24" bibid="bib15" firstref="ref36"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl25" bibid="bib48" firstref="ref41"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl26" bibid="bib61" firstref="ref42"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl27" bibid="bib12" firstref="ref43"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl28" bibid="bib43" firstref="ref44"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl29" bibid="bib38" firstref="ref46"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl30" bibid="bib22" firstref="ref49"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl31" bibid="bib24" firstref="ref50"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl32" bibid="bib36" firstref="ref52"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl33" bibid="bib13" firstref="ref56"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl34" bibid="bib67" firstref="ref57"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl35" bibid="bib18" firstref="ref58"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl36" bibid="bib66" firstref="ref59"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl37" bibid="bib26" firstref="ref61"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl38" bibid="bib34" firstref="ref62"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl39" bibid="bib51" firstref="ref63"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl40" bibid="bib41" firstref="ref64"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl41" bibid="bib37" firstref="ref65"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl42" bibid="bib11" firstref="ref68"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl43" bibid="bib60" firstref="ref69"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl44" bibid="bib23" firstref="ref72"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl45" bibid="bib31" firstref="ref73"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl46" bibid="bib35" firstref="ref76"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl47" bibid="bib59" firstref="ref87"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl48" bibid="bib27" firstref="ref88"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl49" bibid="bib30" firstref="ref102"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl50" bibid="bib49" firstref="ref106"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl51" bibid="bib16" firstref="ref107"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl52" bibid="bib46" firstref="ref116"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl53" bibid="bib50" firstref="ref122"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl54" bibid="bib68" firstref="ref142"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl55" bibid="bib19" firstref="ref145"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl56" bibid="bib53" firstref="ref146"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl57" bibid="bib21" firstref="ref156"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl58" bibid="bib58" firstref="ref157"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl59" bibid="bib29" firstref="ref160"></nolink>
Header	DbId: eric DbLabel: ERIC An: EJ1367502 AccessLevel: 3 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items	– Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Empowering Ecuadorian Teachers through Network Improvement Communities – Name: Language Label: Language Group: Lang Data: English – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Burgin%2C+Ximena+D%2E%22">Burgin, Ximena D.</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3494-569X">0000-0002-3494-569X</externalLink>) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Teacher+Development%22"><i>Teacher Development</i></searchLink>. 2022 26(4):550-566. – Name: Avail Label: Availability Group: Avail Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals – Name: PeerReviewed Label: Peer Reviewed Group: SrcInfo Data: Y – Name: Pages Label: Page Count Group: Src Data: 17 – Name: DatePubCY Label: Publication Date Group: Date Data: 2022 – Name: TypeDocument Label: Document Type Group: TypDoc Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research – Name: Subject Label: Descriptors Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Empowerment%22">Teacher Empowerment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Faculty+Development%22">Faculty Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Attitudes%22">Teacher Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Improvement%22">Educational Improvement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Case+Studies%22">Case Studies</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Urban+Schools%22">Urban Schools</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Workshops%22">Teacher Workshops</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Teacher+Role%22">Teacher Role</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Networks%22">Social Networks</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Communities+of+Practice%22">Communities of Practice</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Policy%22">Educational Policy</searchLink> – Name: Subject Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ecuador%22">Ecuador</searchLink> – Name: DOI Label: DOI Group: ID Data: 10.1080/13664530.2022.2097734 – Name: ISSN Label: ISSN Group: ISSN Data: 1366-4530<br />1747-5120 – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: This exploratory case study examined two approaches to school improvement with teachers from an urban area of Ecuador. An all-day workshop with elementary-level teachers focused on how to improve teaching utilizing network improvement communities (NICs) and the plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycle. Hands-on activities helped participants reflect on their role as educators and the quality of their interactions with other educational stakeholders. Qualitative data were collected through group discussions, focus groups, and open-ended questions before, during, and after the workshop. Results examined utilizing Ecuador's educational policies indicated that the teachers' recognition of external and internal barriers that impact academic improvement focused on the limited supports available from school administrators and parents. The participants became aware of the significant role of NICs and the PDSA cycle to improve schooling. – Name: AbstractInfo Label: Abstractor Group: Ab Data: As Provided – Name: DateEntry Label: Entry Date Group: Date Data: 2023 – Name: AN Label: Accession Number Group: ID Data: EJ1367502
PLink	https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1367502
RecordInfo	BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1080/13664530.2022.2097734 Languages: – Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 17 StartPage: 550 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Teacher Empowerment Type: general – SubjectFull: Faculty Development Type: general – SubjectFull: Barriers Type: general – SubjectFull: Teacher Attitudes Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational Improvement Type: general – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries Type: general – SubjectFull: Case Studies Type: general – SubjectFull: Urban Schools Type: general – SubjectFull: Teacher Workshops Type: general – SubjectFull: Teacher Role Type: general – SubjectFull: Social Networks Type: general – SubjectFull: Communities of Practice Type: general – SubjectFull: Educational Policy Type: general – SubjectFull: Ecuador Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Empowering Ecuadorian Teachers through Network Improvement Communities Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Burgin, Ximena D. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 01 Type: published Y: 2022 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 1366-4530 – Type: issn-electronic Value: 1747-5120 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 26 – Type: issue Value: 4 Titles: – TitleFull: Teacher Development Type: main
ResultId	1