Browsing by Author "Saar, Candace"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    Focus on Inquiry Final Report
    (2015) Freisen, Sharon; Jacobsen, Michele; Brown, Barb; Saar, Candace; Hampshire, Anthony
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    NEIL Leading and Learning Cycles
    (University of Calgary, 2016-05) Brandon, Jim; Saar, Candace; Friesen, Sharon; Werklund School of Education
    Design-based professional learning and collaborative inquiry have mobilized shared instructional leadership to advance pedagogical practices that support the success of all students in Canadian Rockies Public Schools through the NEIL initiative. We report on current year focus on reciprocal learning cycles. Leaders support teacher learning through reflective questioning based on classroom evidence. They also enhance their leadership practice by (a) deepening their understanding of specific research informed teaching through collective consideration of the same classroom evidence and through (b) reflective questioning from leadership peers, based on their interactions with the teachers in pre and post visit conversations.
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    Nurturing Excellence in Instruction and Leadership
    (University of Calgary, 2014-05) Brandon, Jim; Saar, Candace; Werklund School of Education
    This paper reports on the implementation of the Professional Practice Competencies for School Leaders in Alberta through the lens of Inspiring Education in Canadian Rockies Schools. Evidence of the ways in which system and school leader collaborative inquiry and professional learning are mobilizing evidence-based teaching and instructional leadership to support students to become engaged, ethical, and entrepreneurial citizens is presented. With nearly half of the school system’s educators engaged in one of three overlapping leadership teams, several indicators of leadership and teaching growth are evident. Early findings indicate that this innovative leadership learning initiative is beginning to have an impact.
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    Pedagogical Leadership Teams: Magnifying and Spreading Impact
    (University of Calgary, 2016-05) Brandon, Jim; Saar, Candace; Friesen, Sharon; Brown, Barbara; Yee, Dianne; Werklund School of Education
    This paper contributes to the emerging conceptualization of pedagogical leadership teaming as a foundation for our ongoing study of leadership, teaching, and learning in the Area III of the Calgary Board of Education. Pedagogical leadership teaming is rooted in five strands of research: (a) effective teaching, (b) shared instructional leadership, (c) professional learning, (d) evidence, relational trust and reflective discourse, and (e) learning focused district leadership. In our further inquiry based on this research informed image we seek to illustrate various ways that pedagogical leadership teams magnify and spread impact of teacher and leader learning on student success.
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    Raise your fist in anger: re-forming the work of secondary schools
    (2004) Saar, Candace; Goddard, Tim J.
    This study was conducted to examine more closely what has become one of the biggest challenges in secondary schools; the growing apathy of students who view curriculum as uninteresting and irrelevant. Qualitative approaches including case, narrative and design research were employed to examine this issue through the experiences of four different cohorts of students from two different schools and school divisions. The goal of this study was to better understand students' experiences of learning when educators changed fundamental aspects of the work that students in secondary schools have been asked to undertake. It is the contention of this thesis that significant progress can be made towards making schools more engaging places for learners when educators deliberately design learning experiences for students that are meaningful and relevant.
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    Supporting Pedagogical Leadership in Area III
    (University of Calgary, 2014-05) Brandon, Jim; Saar, Candace; Friesen, Sharon; Alonso, Gabriela; Preciado Babb, Paulino; Werklund School of Education
    This case study examined district efforts to strengthen instructional leadership practices in Area III of the Calgary Board of Education during three years. Building on research informed conceptions of teaching, instructional leadership, professional learning, and district leadership our research focused on the development of pedagogical leadership that requires school leaders to be leaders of teacher learning. Data included individual and focus group interviews, provincial achievement tests, student engagement surveys, documents, field notes and participant observations. Our findings indicate that district leaders and consultants have effectively mobilized evidence-based professional learning to strengthen instructional leadership, teaching, and student learning.