Schoolled

Schoolled is a term used in education discourse to describe a school-led approach to implementing new teaching tools and technologies within a school or district. The term typically connotes decisions and execution carried out by educators and school administrators rather than imposed by central authorities. Etymology: the word blends school and led, and is commonly written as one word, though some sources use school-led to reflect the original hyphenation.

Definition and scope: In a schoolled model, professional development, selection of software, data governance, and instructional design are driven locally. Proponents argue that schoolled strategies can increase relevance to local curricula, improve buy-in, and adapt to classroom contexts.

Applications: Common elements include teacher-led evaluation of edtech tools, peer collaboration, and iterative cycles of implementation with local measurements of student outcomes. It can apply to hardware procurement, learning management systems, and assessment platforms, but prioritizes alignment with school goals and teacher autonomy.

Differences from others: Unlike district-led or top-down initiatives, schoolled emphasizes decentralized decision-making and capacity-building at the school level. It may complement district policy by allowing schools to tailor solutions to their students.

Criticisms: Critics warn that schoolled approaches can exacerbate inequities if some schools lack resources for professional development or access to high-quality tools. Data privacy, interoperability, and sustainability are common concerns.

See also: educational technology, professional development for teachers, school improvement initiatives.