5th iNet International Conference, 26 28 November 2008

Edited by David Hopkins

In October 2006 a group of 100 outstanding school principals met in Beijing for the iNet international workshop for school principals. The purpose of the conference was to share and develop ideas on transforming education for the globalised world.

This book highlights the experiences and views of these principals and to extend the benefits of this unique gathering to a broader audience. It aims to:

• Summarise current education reform efforts in various parts of the world 
• Analyse the experiences of school leaders and their views on the reforms they have undertaken
• Identify successful and effective policies, strategies, and practices

The book provides a remarkable testimony to the commitment and passion of our contemporary educational leaders, as well as an agenda for transformation. The book is no mere collection of conference papers; it presents a compelling vision for all our educational futures.

• Read the first chapter
• Download a copy (iNet and SSAT members only)
• Buy a copy in our e-shop
• Read the communique published at the end of the principals' workshop

Contents

Issues in global school transformation

Four key trends in global education provide a context for discussions of the prospect for school transformation:

• A paradox of change: education reforms in the east and west
• Use of data in innovation and transformation in schools and school systems
• The personalisation of learning
• Realising the potential of system leadership

Global context of school leadership

Overview of the trends in school age education in the 14 countries represented at the workshop.

Re-imagining schooling: leadership voices

Analysis of the hundreds of hours of conversation between the school leaders during the international workshop for school principals; emerging themes that reflected the challenge of globalisation; followed by a selection of national school case studies.

A manifesto for the future of schooling

The communiqué prepared by the principals at the end of the workshop, expressing the vision of a group of the world’s leading educators and setting out an ambitious but realisable agenda for global action.