May 26, INAP Conference, Beijing 2011

1. Teachers’ networking patterns in the context of vocational and professional higher education refroms Networks as agents of innovation Presentation has been prepared and accomplished within the research project funded by the Estonian Research Council “Education Change as Social Innovation” (SF0130018s09) led by senior researcher, Head of Center of Educational Research of Tallinn University Krista Loogma Krista Loogma, Külliki Tafel-Viia Tallinn University, Centre of Educational Research Kick-off in Oslo, 4.03-6.03 May 26, INAP Conference, Beijing 2011

2. problem: _ adoption of top-down educational changes _ linear approach to change process _ teachers as instruments _ few attention on interaction mechanisms in educational change studies and teachers networking in particular focus: _How networking influences teachers’ perception of educational changes? _How can networking facilitate the process of educational reform?

3. Why to apply the concept of social innovationto analysing educational change? • Social character of process_emphasizing the importance of interaction (networking) and the multilevel character of innovation process – not only the regulations, but also social practices and meanings have to change • Social character of outcome_not only economic, but also social performance has to improve: increase in social capital, improving the situation of undeprivileged groups, etc.

4. two approaches to social innovation • institutionalisation of new idea • SI as co-developmental or accompanying process, induced by technological-economical or other structural changes • SI as distinct kind of innovation which has specific social goals and which develops from the grassroots level initiatives • changes in social practices

5. Estonian VET and professional HE reforms • _context: radical socio-economical changes due to the collapse of the Soviet system • _beginning of 1990s: transformation from highly centralized system to decentralizsed school based system • _1998 state-managed VET reform (influenced also professional HE education): • restructuring VET schools network • development and implementation of national qualification system and vocational/professional standards • creation and establishment of outcome-based national curricula

6. The survey • Innovation and collaboration in VET and professional HE schools and colleges

7. Sample, method, focus • _Quantitative survey among teachers in VET and professional HE schools • _Internet-based questionnaire, personal e-mails • _Total sample of over 500 teachers – 228 respondents (45% of return rate) • _April – September 2010 • _30 questions • 1_educational changes taken place in the school • 2_cooperation and partners • 3_teachers’ networks related to educational changes and their characteristics (based on social network perspective)

8. Sector networks 48.6% _networking with sector organisations _new info comes outside school _dominantly bottom-up _network has leader, but coordination is dispersed Intra-school networks International networks _networking with colleagues, management, students _school is main source for info _dominantly top-down _closest ties with members _loose structure _range of actors most diverse _most diverse sources for getting new info _dominantly bottom-up _centralized with hierarchial structure 5 typesof teachers’ educational change networks 7.3% 11.8% Reform-related networks Inter-sectoral networks _networks established in the frame of state reform – diverse range of actors _dominantly top-down _network has leader, but coordination is dispersed _various co-operations _new info mainly from public sector and school _dominantly bottom-up _structure most centralized 16,0% 16,3%

9. Relationship between different educational changes and 5 types of networks Changes in school infrastructure intra-school networks inter-sectoral networks sector networks international networks reform-related networks Changes in cooperation and partners Changes in involvement and development of teachers Changes related to education process: teaching methods, extracurricular activities, etc. intraorganizational (intra-school) changes: changes in school management, culture Changes in education content Structural changes: merging of educational institutions, emergence of new organizations

10. Relationship between 5 types of networks and teachers’ attitude towards the outcomes of educational changes intra-school networks inter-sectoral networks sector networks international networks reform-related networks Students’ perspectives in the labor market and in continuing with studies School role (in the region), cooperation with local governent, enterprises Teaching quality: choices of subjects, quality of educational services, accessability to education Satisfaction with school (organization) and school’s reputation Amount of students

11. 1 • Networks with most diverse range of actors reckognize and attach value to more different educational changes Perception of educational changes is influenced by the type of network • Networks with most diverse range of actors had also most diverse sources for learning 2 Networks are instruments for positively stimulating teachers’ perception of educational changes • Teachers pointing out reform-related networks among their most important networks • Networks as ‘bridge-builders’ between regulative and normative, cultural-cognitive levels • Concept of SI: top-down reforms have not stayed on regulative level, but touched also normative level 3 Teachers reckognized majority of key issues in the reform • Reforms themselves contain SI phenomena: changes in cooperation patterns, teachers everyday practices (e.g. teaching methods), structural changes

12. Thank you! krista.loogma@tlu.ee; ktafel@tlu.ee