MESHGuides

This first section in this Guide puts a case for a change in traditional thinking and working in schools. In today’s fast changing world, education needs thinking that is creative and critical. It needs problem-solving and decision-making, all to prepare students to be lifelong learners and enterprising citizens. Traditional models of schooling and conventional approaches to teaching and classroom organisation are inadequate for delivering 21st century learning agendas, especially for the most disadvantaged students (Schleicher, 2012).

Schools as learning organisations (SLOs) are undergoing a resurgence for Primary and Secondary schools seeking long term change and improvement. Such schools replace ‘schooling’ for learning. They embrace learning, not only for students but all staff.  They create cultures, systems and structures that support “learning to learn” on a whole-school basis. These schools bring together shared values where everyone works toward a goal of sustained excellence in learning. They reflect on what they are doing and adapt accordingly. They are flexible to change. They do not stand still.

The Learning Metrics Task Force (UNESCO Institute of Statistics, 2012) proposed competencies for learning outcomes for Early Childhood, Primary, and Post-Primary schooling to improve learning opportunities and outcomes for children and youth. Their framework defined Competencies: (knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values that are learned or developed), Domains( broad categories of learning outcomes), Sub-domains ( specific categories of learning outcomes) and Illustrative outcomes (examples of how competencies are demonstrated).

We are not aware of any online networks of professionals working in this field. If you know of any,  please let us know via editorialteam@meshguides.org.

This guide provides a model for the elimination of illiteracy where there is national will. 

This approach has been tested and found successful. Any similar programmes will need to evaluate their success. 

The ideas here were adapted from the successful Cuban drive to eliminate illiteracy and will need adaption for each context.

The evidence that this approach works is strong.

Constructive feedback/formative assessment  from a teacher provides the stepping stones for learners, giving them confidence they are progressing. The principles for this,  we suggest, apply across cultures, settings, ages and phases.

Formative feedback is one of the basic tools in a teacher’s toolkit - a positive word from a teacher, praising work done and constructively showing how a child can improve their work, may be remembered for a lifetime. Negative unconstructive feedback can damage self belief and motivation in some learners.