Transforming the Turkish education system:

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Transforming the Turkish education system what
did we learn from the evaluation of
OPYEP? David Frost, Darleen Opfer and Ozgur
Bolat University of Cambridge Faculty of
Education, UK
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The focus of OPYEP Project Based
Learning Within the scope of the Project, 160
teachers have been trained on "Project Based
Learning". Project Based Learning, is a student
focused system aiming to increase the analytical
thinking skills of the students, giving them
skills to deal with problems. In this process the
students plan their personal learning processes
by developing projects, take on responsibility
and learn to cooperate with others. Training
programmes have been prepared with the leadership
of lecturers from Marmara University and Istanbul
University. 160 Technology Classrooms in 160
Schools 160 technology classrooms have been
built to run the project activities in an
effective way. Equipment sets consisting of
laptops, projectors, printers and smart boards
have been donated to the schools. (Vodaphone
Foundation web site)
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A story about reform
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• The context of the OPYEP initiative
• If Turkey wants to ensure that its citizens do
  not become the low-paid service workers of
  Europe, it must provide a high-quality education
  to all of its young people.
• (World Bank, 2005)
• The most critical area for education policy
  improvement in Turkey is teacher quality.
• (World Bank, 2005)
• Turkey is entering a critical year, in which its
  prospects for European Union (EU) membership are
  at make or break stage. Domestic crises over the
  past two years have slowed national reform,
  betrayed the promise of
• a new constitution and undermined the political
  will needed to pursue accession negotiations.
• (International Crisis Group report, 15th December
  2008)

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The challenge Low performing education
system Centralised and hierarchical system No
funding for schools to spend on innovation A
history of national projects that havent
penetrated Lack of training for school
leaders Lack of pedagogical expertise amongst
teachers
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The partners and their roles
Vodaphone Foundation Funding
Turkish Education Foundation (an NGO) Strategy,
organisation, project management
Ministry of Education Official sanction and
support
Universities of Marmara Istanbul Expertise on
constructivist learning
University of Cambridge Evaluation
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Outcomes 2,000 students / 450 projects 12 best
projects included The effect of polluted
water of the river Gediz on the environment and
people Producing electricity out of waste
Creating conditions friendly to the disabled
people Choosing the right field of study and
career Using correct Turkish in the MSN
world Informing public about the global
warming Creating the blood-types map of the
school Televised award ceremony in Ankara,
Minister of Education gives the prizes. Vodaphone
wins an award for their support.
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The strategy Schools to identify a lead teacher A
2 week residential summer school / induction /
training programme Provide laptops, smart
boards Provide materials for school based
seminars to be led by the lead teacher Lead
teachers plus volunteer colleagues to support
students in carrying out projects Teachers
invited to use web site to ask questions, post
accounts Prizes awarded for the best completed
projects
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The strategy Schools to identify a lead teacher A
2 week residential summer school / induction /
training programme Provide laptops, smart
boards Provide materials for school based
seminars to be led by the lead teacher Lead
teachers plus volunteer colleagues to support
students in carrying out projects Teachers
invited to use web site to ask questions, post
accounts Prizes awarded for the best completed
projects
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The lead teachers Science and some social
science / literature teachers Experienced
teachers but without administrative or
leadership experience A stipend / salary for
attending the summer school Points on the career
development system for taking the role
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The strategy Schools to identify a lead teacher A
2 week residential summer school / induction /
training programme Provide laptops, smart
boards Provide materials for school based
seminars to be led by the lead teacher Lead
teachers plus volunteer colleagues to support
students in carrying out projects Teachers
invited to use web site to ask questions, post
accounts Prizes awarded for the best completed
projects
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Induction programme A 2 week residential
programme Training the trainers
model Principles of project-based
learning Experiential approach Seminars about
constructivist models of learning A laptop
computer for each participant
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The strategy Schools to identify a lead teacher A
2 week residential summer school / induction /
training programme Provide laptops, smart
boards Provide materials for school based
seminars to be led by the lead teacher Lead
teachers plus volunteer colleagues to support
students in carrying out projects Teachers
invited to use web site to ask questions, post
accounts Prizes awarded for the best completed
projects
14
The strategy Schools to identify a lead teacher A
2 week residential summer school / induction /
training programme Provide laptops, smart
boards Provide materials for school based
seminars to be led by the lead teacher Lead
teachers plus volunteer colleagues to support
students in carrying out projects Teachers
invited to use web site to ask questions, post
accounts Prizes awarded for the best completed
projects
15
The strategy Schools to identify a lead teacher A
2 week residential summer school / induction /
training programme Provide laptops, smart
boards Provide materials for school based
seminars to be led by the lead teacher Lead
teachers plus volunteer colleagues to support
students in carrying out projects Teachers
invited to use web site to ask questions, post
accounts Prizes awarded for the best completed
projects
16
The strategy Schools to identify a lead teacher A
2 week residential summer school / induction /
training programme Provide laptops, smart
boards Provide materials for school based
seminars to be led by the lead teacher Lead
teachers plus volunteer colleagues to support
students in carrying out projects Teachers
invited to use web site to ask questions, post
accounts Prizes awarded for the best completed
projects
17
The strategy Schools to identify a lead teacher A
2 week residential summer school / induction /
training programme Provide laptops, smart
boards Provide materials for school based
seminars to be led by the lead teacher Lead
teachers plus volunteer colleagues to support
students in carrying out projects Teachers
invited to use web site to ask questions, post
accounts Prizes awarded for the best completed
projects
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Evaluation methodology The impact of the
induction programme? The extent of the
subsequent innovation in schools? A series of
questionnaires before the induction
at intervals following Site visits to six
schools - Istanbul, in May interviews with
the school principal, lead teacher, other
teachers students presentations and
displays by students
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What we wanted to know Teachers perceptions of
the induction programme The extent of
development of project-based learning in
schools ?arriers to the innovation Changes in
teachers beliefs and / or practices
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Outcomes 2,000 students / 450 projects 12 best
projects included The effect of polluted
water of the river Gediz on the environment and
people Producing electricity out of waste
Creating conditions friendly to the disabled
people Choosing the right field of study and
career Using correct Turkish in the MSN
world Informing public about the global
warming Creating the blood-types map of the
school Televised award ceremony in Ankara,
Minister of Education gives the prizes. Vodaphone
wins an award for their support.
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Follow-up plans
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Knowledge acquisition
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Coherence of training
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Impact on students Key skills to support national
curriculum goals eg analysis We always knew that
there is air pollution here, but this time we
proved that vegetables grown here are polluted
and have chemicals harmful to the body.
(Student) Interpersonal confidence I thought the
Mayor was someone no one can reach, someone I see
on TV, but I was able to sit with him in his room
and talk to him freely. It made me confident to
talk to him like that. (Student) We visited
parents and informed them about our project
global warning. I feel more confident now
talking to people and persuading them about
important issues. (Student) Self-direction /
independence I do not feel like teachers know
everything now. Before I go to teacher for
answers, I try to solve it myself. (Student) We
once had a problem during the project we decided
to solve it ourselves rather than going to the
teacher directly. (Student)
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More impact on students Project management
skills Collaboration / team work Social / civic
awareness We did not know that other students
have traditions very different from ours. Through
this project, we learnt more about them and their
culture. (Student) I feel embarrassed that I did
not know my friends who come from the east part
of Turkey before. (Student) Learning
capacity 57 of teachers reported significant to
great impacts on their students ability to
generate hypotheses, 57 also reported
significant to great impacts on students ability
to use information and 51 reported a significant
to great impact on students ability to apply
learning to new situations (Frost, Opfer and
Bolat, 2009) Motivation / commitment to school

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Impact on teachers Participants engaged in
pedagogic discourse New skills and deeper
pedagogical knowledge Enhanced understanding of
leadership / change But low level of change in
practice and change in beliefs
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What was the model of intervention? Official
sanction and support Funding to support one year
of activity Impact on Teacher Training
schools Training the trainers Experiential
learning Incentives A website
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What was the model of intervention? Official
sanction and support Funding to support one year
of activity Impact on Teacher Training
schools Training the trainers Experiential
learning Incentives A website
29
What was the model of intervention? Official
sanction and support Funding to support one year
of activity Impact on Teacher Training
schools Training the trainers Experiential
learning Incentives A website
30
What was the model of intervention? Official
sanction and support Funding to support one year
of activity Impact on Teacher Training
schools Training the trainers Experiential
learning Incentives A website
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Teacher Training schools 154 secondary
schools No courses on pedagogy Ease of entry to
university for teacher training
programmes Assumption if students from these
schools experienced project-based learning hey
might use this when they become teachers thus
impacting on the whole system.
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What was the model of intervention? Official
sanction and support Funding to support one year
of activity Impact on Teacher Training
schools Training the trainers Experiential
learning Incentives A website
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Training the trainers A programme of seminars to
deliver in school No leadership
preparation Assumption that dissemination
transfers knowledge
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What was the model of intervention? Official
sanction and support Funding to support one year
of activity Impact on Teacher Training
schools Training the trainers Experiential
learning Incentives A website
35
What was the model of intervention? Official
sanction and support Funding to support one year
of activity Impact on Teacher Training
schools Training the trainers Experiential
learning Incentives A website
36
What was the model of intervention? Official
sanction and support Funding to support one year
of activity Impact on Teacher Training
schools Training the trainers Experiential
learning Incentives A website
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Issues for policy development The need to
consider sustainability The limitations of the
cascade model The need for strategies to achieve
voluntary participation The need to build
developmental cultures The need to support
teacher leadership The need for school based
evaluation The need to develop the conditions
for objective evaluation The need for in-depth
research and development
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The next project
Issues 50 schools? In-depth case studies? More
emphasis on visibility and networking? Principals
involved directly?