The Cascade Model

1. The Cascade Model ‘the multiplier approach’

2. Nieto on CPD • Excellent teachers do not emerge full blown at graduation . . . . Instead, teachers are always in the process of ‘becoming.’ Given the dynamics of their work, they need to continuously rediscover who they are and what they stand for … through deep reflection about their craft. (Nieto, 2003, p. 395-396)

3. Hiebert, Gallimore and Stigler (2003) • To achieve small and continuing improvement in the average classroom requires a major shift in the educators’ thinking-from teachers to teaching. Rather than focusingonly on evaluating the quality of teachers, the education community must begin examining the quality of teaching. (p. 56)

4. Teacher education • “the least prestigious unit on campus” (Lehman, 2003, p. 36)

5. The point is that this process involves practical reasoning, interpretation, understanding, association and judgement, which a technocratic approach does not always account for.

6. Eraut’s Learning Contexts • Eraut (1994) shows that in a practical context theoretical knowledge has to be adapted to suit the particular demands of each practice situation. The argument is that theories, even those deriving from empirical facts, are not suited to provide immediate guidance for activity and always require transformation before they can provide orientation for practical activity (BrommeandTillema 1995)

7. Cascading.. • Often used to transmit knowledge or information from upper to lower groups of teachers. According to More (2004) • Development of training material – the design of materials such as guides. This training material is designed to provide systematic direction of the training process • Training at different levels – the unfolding • of the actual training by facilitators

8. Still cascading… • Follow up training-training that is meant to close the gaps left by the initial training; this type of training is used for consolidation purposes.

9. Popular approach • In many developing countries, the cascade approach is popular because it reaches a great many participants in a short period of time (Leu 2004).

10. Prescott 2000 • The School-Attuned Project-a small number of teachers were taught, through case studies, how to identify and diagnose eight areas of brain functioning. his conclusion, Prescott contends that these teachers, in turn, taught their colleagues to complete the same assessment

11. Pros and cons • Encourages practioner reflection • Context-based learning can be achieved (theoretically) • Peer-teaching and liaison • Use existing staff, using teachers as trainers, proving cost-effective • Information can be disseminated quickly

12. Pros and cons • Cascade model doesn’t take into account the proper context, instead focuses on the product rather than the process • Cascade model focuses on the knowledge rather than the context (no teaching is universally applicable) • Favours a more technical approach, creating a more structured method of CPD • Communities of practice

13. Adapting to a new curriculum • The chances of misinterpretation from the higher to lower levels are high (Fiske • and Ladd 2004) “watering down and/or misinterpretation of crucial information” (Fiske and Ladd 2004:162)(in regards to adapting to a new curriculum, with misunderstandings)

14. Short-term? • South Africa. Robinson (2002) argues that this model offers training, but little or no follow-up support structures for teachers who have to deal with the long-term implementation of the new reforms

15. References • Funmi A. Amobi-online resource • Preserving Reflection in the Preparation of “Highly Qualified” Teachers-http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ795204.pdf • Lynne Rutter-online resource • ‘Theory’ and ‘practice’ within HE professional education courses – integration of academic knowledge and experiential knowledge.