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Developing an Inclusive Mindset in School Leaders, Education Stakeholders and OER Design: Lessons from Researching Networked Improvement Communities in South Asian Contexts
Abstract
Despite inclusion policies, stark inequalities for disadvantaged groups persist in schools, with limited research on school leaders (SLs) as change agents in the global South.
This paper discusses implications of GPE-KIX funded research (2021 -2024) in Pakistan, Nepal and Afghan refugee contexts. The focus is developing SLs to bring about school changes addressing local inequalities in access and learning through practice-based learning in professional learning communities and stakeholder engagement.
The model comprises: open resources (co-created with local stakeholders), peer networked improvement communities (NIC) with facilitator-support for SLs working collaboratively on tackling micro-challenges.
Initial field testing established levels of digital expertise, current inclusive practice and policy contexts, which informed the second phase of co-creation of localised open course resources in local languages. Empirical field work in the third implementation phase explored how SLs collaborated, exercised agency and their changes in attitudes and understandings of inclusion. To inform policy, stakeholders were involved throughout.
Findings suggest SLs demonstrated an underexplored capacity for engaging with local inclusion issues, taking ownership, responding to activities in the OER and developing professional capital to reduce the policy-practice gap. Recommendations for developing an inclusive mindset are significant for OER design; developing school leaders at scale, and education policymakers.
PCF11 Sub-Theme: Changing Mindsets for Inclusive Open Education
Paper ID: 1170
Subject
Country
Pakistan
Region
Asia
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Date
2025-09
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ORCID
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Publisher
Commonwealth of Learning (COL)