An Evaluation Study of the Affiliated Schools Program (ASP)

Internationally, creating effective school-university partnerships for sustainable school improvement has been a key policy focus across many countries in recent decades (Morrissey, 2020). Research has evidenced that an effective school-university partnership can play a key role in overcoming a theory-practice dichotomy in initial teacher education by providing more clinical teaching practices and on-site learning (Dinham, 2013; Education & Training, 2007; Korthagen et al., 2006; Korthagen, 2010; Mayer, 2014; Zeichner, 2010). Research has also documented that an effective school-university partnership can be instrumental for forming and sustaining teachers’ professional learning communities (PLCs) by providing a repertoire of research and learning experiences for practicing teachers (Korthagen et al., 2006; Morrissey, 2020; Zeichner, 2020) which, in turn, contributes to sustainable school improvement (Lee & Louis, 2019).

Reflecting on this international trend and research evidence of school-university partnerships, the Affiliated Schools Program (ASP) was launched in 2019, based on an extensive consultation and planning process involving the ACT Education Directorate and the UC Faculty of Education. The Affiliated Schools Program (ASP) aims to achieve “improved student learning outcomes” in the 26 selected public schools (i.e., Affiliated Schools) in ACT by implementing six inter-related program elements: 1) school-based teacher education clinics, 2) professional learning, 3) research programs, 4) school-based co-ordinator, 5) scholarship for masters, and 6) professional experience placements (ACT ED & UC, 2018).

This evaluation study aims to explore the impact of the ASP on the school improvement of the 26 Affiliated Schools with a focus on 1) organizational outcomes (e.g., student learning outcomes, teacher outcomes) and 2) program outcomes (e.g., professional experience placements of preservice teachers, research experiences of teachers, features of school-university partnership).

The evaluation study is an 18-month project (February 2022 to July 2023) that will employ multiple methods in response to the distinctive characteristics of each program element of the ASP. This approach will yield a series of datasets to examine the program’s impact on the school improvement of the Affiliated Schools. The project team consists of Prof. Moosung Lee, Associate Prof. Chris Morrissey, and Assistant Prof. Emily Hills. The estimated budget ($99,014), timeline, and dissemination plans are detailed in the following sections.