The symposium draws focus on school-based development strategies to initiate and implement sustainable school improvement and enable teachers for professional and collaborative learning. The papers will show special approaches for improvement on school and classroom level, based on a theoretical framework and knowledge base considering three perspectives:

1)          Design-based school improvement with regard to theoretical concepts and interventions for systematic school and teaching improvement that enable schools zo build capacity for problem-solving and organizational change (Mintrop 2016; Spillane & Coldrane 2011).

2)          Evidence-based school improvement with regard to empirical analyses based on a school quality framework, data-driven development designs, school networks (Chapman 2008) and cooperation of research groups, administration and schools for knowledge transfer (Gräsel 2010). Such systematic concepts could foster external initiatives for sustainable school improvement by enhancing internal potentials for organizational learning and teaching practice, especially for schools in challenging circumstances (Muijs et al. 2004; Harris et al. 2006).

3)          Instructional development on classroom level and specific approaches to enable teachers for professional learning, to improve teaching practice and to foster successful student learning. The presented examples are related to approaches of teacher learning in networks (Berkemeyer et al. 2015) and entrepreneurial learning (European Commission, Enterprise and Industry 2010).

Research results presented by four papers contain quantitative and qualitative data of recent projects. The discussion will take into account the complexity of external factors of school areas (student body composition, lack of parental support etc.), the learning environment inside school (leadership patterns, cooperation, teaching quality etc.), collaborative learning of teachers based on systematic school policy strategies, development plans and concepts for teaching. All papers deliver specific contributions with regard to the three theoretical perspectives:

Mintrop et al. will lay out a theoretical framework with principles of design-based school improvement as a systematic and disciplined form of innovative problem solving. The contribution is focusing on perspective 1 and will show practical examples and research results from two studies about leadership attitudes concerning change and teachers’ acting in school development that was driven by external interventions.

Holtappels et al. will present a systematic design-based concept for improvement of schools in challenging circumstances. It draws focus on using an evidence-based approach to identify school profiles based on data of process quality, context conditions and outcomes. Research findings are used to build school-to-school networks, initiate school development work for collaborative learning and problem-orientated development support from external services. The paper relates to perspectives 2 and 3.

Bremm & Manitius will draw focus on the alignment of school development processes, considering potentials of collaboration between schools, science and administration. Qualitative data concerning regional policy makers show conducive bottom-up strategies to ensure effective support for schools and knowledge transfer. This paper is suitable to perspective 2.    

Otterborg is focusing on potentials of entrepreneurial learning as an effective approach to motivate students by participation in projects and finding solutions based on principles of entrepreneurship. Related to perspective 3 the approach is an example for innovative teaching and supporting students for successful learning. Qualitative results will show different individuals’ perceptions.

The presented concepts and results give answers to overarching questions:

1)      Can we identify profiles or types of schools and teachers with regard to professional development work and effective learning of teachers and students?

2)      What kind of key factors on system, school and teacher level have to be considered for successful and sustainable  improvement of schools and teaching in classrooms?

The issues are able to inspire international discussion on school improvement and pedagogical practice and to contribute to a broad knowledge base for systematic school development in European countries.  

Berkemeyer, N., Bos, W., Järvinen, H., Manitius, V. & Van Holt, N. (2015). Netzwerke. In T. Bohl, W. Helsper, H. G. Holtappels & C. Schelle (Hrsg.), Handbuch Schulentwicklung (S. 302-306). Bad Heilbrunn: Klinkhardt. Chapman, C. (2008). Towards a framework for school-to-school networking in challenging circumstances. Educational Research, 50(4), 403–420. European Commission, Enterprise and Industry. (2010). Best Procedure Project: Final Report of the Expert Group. Gräsel, C. (2010). Stichwort: Transfer und Transferforschung im Bildungsbereich. Zeitschrift für Erziehungswissenschaft 13, 7-20. Harris, A., James, S., Gunray, J. & Clarke, P. (2006). Improving Schools In Exceptionally Challenging Context. Tales From The Frontline. London: Continuum. Mintrop, R. with Baral, M., Hall, J., & Zumpe, E. (2016). Design-based school improvement: A practical guide for education leaders. Boston, MA: Harvard Education Press. Muijs, D., Harris, A., Chapman, C., Stoll, L. & Russ, J. (2004). Improving Schools in Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Areas – A Review of Research Evidence. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 15 (2), 149–175. Spillane, J. P., & Coldren, A. F. (2011). Diagnosis and design for school improvement: Using a distributed perspective to lead and manage change. Teachers College Press.