PBL NY: Bringing PBL to Scale

Bringing PBL to Scale

Michael McDowell, Ed.D.

Our Story

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8r4wFV-jSk&feature=youtu.be

Connections

• @mmcdowell13– Hashtag #pblny– Edmovers.wordpress.com

My story

Driving Question

• How do we bring problem and project based learning to scale within a school or educational system to substantially increase transfer of learning?

Success Criteria

• Understand the key research findings on developing deeper learning (near and far transfer) in students

• Understand the strengths and challenges of PBL Implementation in the classroom to ensure deeper learning.

• Understand the 5 key components of bringing PBL to scale • Relate the 5 key components of bringing PBL to scale to the

development of deeper learning.• Relate leadership practices at the governance, site,

department, and classroom level to ensure deeper learning is occurring across an educational system.

Assumption

• Participants understand how to design problems and projects

• The 8 essential elements of a project (as defined by BIE)

Know Need to Know

Work Together

• Role: https://www.polleverywhere.com/multiple_choice_polls/sjpa7FjyXJyQYrv

• Inquiry: https://todaysmeet.com/2scale

• Prior Knowledge: http://mmcdowell13.polldaddy.com/s/effects-on-student-learning-survey-2

https://www.polleverywhere.com/multiple_choice_polls/sjpa7FjyXJyQYrv




https://todaysmeet.com/2scale



http://mmcdowell13.polldaddy.com/s/effects-on-student-learning-survey-2




Structure of Presentation

• Presentation Launch (20 min.)• Workshops (90 min)

• Workshop I: Research on Deeper Learning and Teaching Methodology• Workshop II: Systematic Design Elements for Implementing PBL across a system• Workshop III: Approaching implementation as a teacher and administrator

• Know/Need to Know Review (10 min)

Khan

• What are the key findings from the following research?

• What inferences/assumptions emerge for you? (Learning, Teaching, and Professional Development)

• What are the implications from the research to the field?

• What do you see are next steps in relation to the inferences drawn?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVtCO84MDj8

Know Need to Know

This is a common reaction to professional development that does not provide teachers with sufficient opportunities to study the difference between their current practice and the alternative that is being proposed by the professional development provider. Robinson, Viviane (2011-06-24)

Expectations

McDowell, Ed.D.

• “Its unbelievable how much you don’t know about the game you’ve been playing all your life”

- Mantle

Few points of reference

- 915 Meta-analysis - 60,155 studies- 245 million students- 159,570 effect sizes reported- This data set is for the purpose of

discussion- There are moderators

Why?

An example

• Homework- effect size = .29• Rank 88th

• Number of Meta-analysis 5• Number of studies 161• Number of effects 295• Number of people 105,282

• Exploring each variable-

• High school twice as large• Short time periods are important• Direct parent involvement had a negative

effect• Lack of monitoring• Difficulty• Prescribing homework does not help in time management skills

What’s the story?

• Teachers are among the most powerful influences on learning

Teachers need to be directive, influential, caring, and actively engaged in the passion of teaching and learning

“Teachers don’t teach.” – They

• Teachers need to be aware of what each and every student is thinking and knowing, to construct meaning and meaningful experiences in light of this knowledge, and have proficient knowledge and understanding of their content to provide meaningful and appropriate feedback such that each student moves progressively through the curriculum levels

• Teachers and students need to know

Where are we going?, How are you going, and what’s next?

• Teachers need to move from the single idea to multiple ideas, and to relate and then extend these ideas such that learners construct and reconstruct knowledge and ideas. It is not the knowledge or ideas, but the learner’s construction of this knowledge and these ideas that is critical.

• School leaders and teachers need to create school, staffroom, and classroom environments where error is welcomed as a learning opportunity, where discarding incorrect knowledge and understandings is welcomed, and where participants can feel safe to learn, re-learn, and explore knowledge and understanding.

Factor influence on achievement (Hattie, 2009)Birth weight (.54)Lack of Illness (.23)Diet (.12)Drug interventions (.33)Exercise (.28)Socioeconomic status (.57)Family structure (.17)Home environment (.57)Parental involvement (.51)

teacher student relationships (.72)P.D. (.62)teacher clarity (.75)microteaching (.88)feedback (.73)Goals (.56)Mastery Learning (.58)Providing formative evaluation (.90)Spaced vs. Massed Practice (.71)

Effect sizes from teaching or working conditionsQuality of Teaching (.77)Reciprocal Teaching (.74)Teacher-Student relationships (.72)Providing Feedback (.72)Meta-cognition strategies (.67)Direct Instruction (.59)Mastery Learning (.57)

Ave (.68)

Within class grouping (.28)Adding more finances (.23)Reducing class size (.21)Ability grouping (.11)Multi-grade/age (.04)Open v. trad (. 01)summer vacation (-.09)Retention (-.16)

Ave (.08)

Effect sizes for teacher as activator and teacher as facilitator

Reciprocal Teaching (.74)Feedback (.72)Direct Instruction (.59)Problem Solving teaching (.61)Mastery Learning (.57)Goals-Challenging (.56)

Average activator (.63)

Simulations and gaming (.32)Inquiry-based teaching (.31)Individualized instruction (.20)PBL (.15)Web-based learning (.09)Whole language-reading (.06)

Average facilitator (.17)

Effect sizes for teacher as activator and teacher as facilitator

Reciprocal Teaching (.74)Feedback (.72)Direct Instruction (.59)Problem Solving teaching (.61)Mastery Learning (.57)Goals-Challenging (.56)

Average activator (.63)

Simulations and gaming (.32)Inquiry-based teaching (.31)Individualized instruction (.20)PBL (.15)Web-based learning (.09)Whole language-reading (.06)

Average facilitator (.17)

What are the key difference between these methods?The key is the role of the teacher…We go back to the story

Variables that don’t have a substantial impact- THE POLITICS OF DISTRACTION

• Attributes of students have a low effect on student learning (gender, parental employment, adoption, personality, labeling of students) (less than .18)

• Deep Programs matching styles of learning, inquiry based methods, individualized instruction, distance education (less than .22)

• School and Class Structure Summer school, finance, class size, ability grouping, retention, multi-grade/age classes, changing school calendars (less that .10)

Research Guidance

Strategy EffectTeachers working together to evaluate their impact and responding to that impact 0.93

Teachers conduct pre-assessments, utilizing data to inform instruction, and providing students with a clear understanding of expectations for meeting learning outcomes (Where are we

going?, where are we now?, and what’s next?

0.77

Teachers using practices in the classroom that values errors and trust 0.72

Teachers receive feedback on their impact on student learning 0.72

Teachers are providing an appropriate proportion of surface and deep level knowledge 0.71

Providing students with challenge and practice at the right level 0.60

Research Guidance

Strategy EffectTeachers working together to evaluate their impact and

responding to that impact 0.93Teachers conduct pre-assessments, utilizing data to inform

instruction, and providing students with a clear understanding of expectations for meeting learning outcomes (Where are we

going?, where are we now?, and what’s next?

0.77

Teachers using practices in the classroom that values errors and trust 0.72

Teachers receive feedback on their impact on student learning 0.72

Teachers are providing an appropriate proportion of surface and deep level knowledge 0.71

Providing students with challenge and practice at the right level 0.60

Why PBL?

Defining Features

Systemic Professional Learning Community Framework

Project Design

Assessment for Learning

Differentiation

Learning Centered Culture and Climate

Know- Need to Know

Systemic Professional Learning Community Framework

Professional Learning Community Framework

• Quality project or problem based learning as an instructional approach to enhance learning is developed, implemented, and improved upon only when anchored in a system-wide professional learning community framework that routinely reviews and acts upon student progress and proficiency data with respect to content literacy and 21st Century outcomes.

Theory of Action

• If educators utilized a problem or project based approach within a system-wide professional learning community framework then students will show substantial rates of progress and exceed levels of proficiency within the knowledge, skills, and dispositions areas identified as necessary to be prepared for academic, vocational, societal, and familial expectations.

Teaching [and learning] in the dark is a questionable practice” (Taba, 1966)

“If we are to understand how teaching relates to learning, we have to begin at the closest point to that learning, and that is

students’ experience.”- Nuthall (2001)

http://www.stonefields.school.nz/page/Vision/

#vlconf2014

- Where is the learner now?

http://www.stonefields.school.nz/page/Vision/

Where are we?

What’s next?

Where are we going?

Where are we?

What’s next?

Where are we going?

How are we ensuring voice and choice?

What’s working? What needs improvement?

Know thy Impact

What do we want all students to know and be able to do?

How do we know when students are learning?

What do we do based on such results?

How do we work together to review and respond to student learning?

What do we want all students to know and be able to do?

What do we do based on these results?

How do we work together to review and respond to student learning?

Common Outcomes

Common Scales

Common Intervention Criteria

Common Culture and Work

How do we know when students are learning?

Common Outcomes

Common Scales



High Reliability Educational Organization

“Backbone”

Common Outcomes

Common Scales



Learning System “Backbone”

Common Outcomes

Common Scales



Customized Instruction

Customized Assessment

Customized Collaborative Structures

Customized Intervention

• Driver of customization is impact• Impact is identified through progress and

proficiency• Impact is discussed by all stakeholders• All stakeholders have degrees of voice and

choice in showing, celebrating, and improving upon their impact.

Our approach

Where are we going?

Build a Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum• Identify key criteria• Select possible content outcomes that meet

criteria• Select possible skill outcomes that meet

criteria

Example Criteria

• Endurance. Standard includes the knowledge, skills, and dispositions students are expected to retain over time as opposed to those they merely learn for a test (Reeves, 2002).

• Curriculum Leverage. Standard includes the skills, knowledge, and dispositions that will assist the student in becoming proficient in other areas of the curriculum and other academic disciplines (Reeves, 2002).

• Essential learning. Standard includes the critical skills, knowledge, and dispositions each student must acquire as a result of each course, grade level, and unit of instruction.

Score Description

4 ExtensionApplying Understanding

3 RelationalMaking Meaning

2 Single/MultipleBuilding Knowledge

1 Direct Support

Proficiency

Not Yet Proficiency

Score Description

4 ExtensionApplying Understanding

3 RelationalMaking Meaning

2 Single/MultipleBuilding Knowledge

1 Direct Support

DEEP

SURFACE

SOLO- Structure of the observed learning outcome

• Extended- Requires a learner to transfer their understand of single, multiple, and relational content to outside contexts.

• Relational- Requires a learner to relate single/multiple ideas together to further understand core content

• Single/Multiple- Requires a learner to understand single or multiple ideas related to the core content standards

TUHSD

A tale of two toolsRubric 1.0 Rubric 2.0 (scale)

Multi-dimensional Uni-dimensional

Context-rich Context-poor

Task oriented Learning orientedSubstantial criteria per

level minimal criteria per level

Progression levels dictated by rubric

purpose

Progression levels dictated by learning

taxonomy

Limits autonomy Enhances autonomy

Compliance orientation Performance orientation* This is typical , not always the case

Know thy Impact

Progress

Proficiency

Proficiency

LP LG LP HG

HP LG HP HG

Growth

Limited Growth (0.0-0.39) Expected Growth (.40 +)

Not Yet Proficient (0.0-2.25)

Make A Change!

• Review & Make Changes to Instructional Strategies

Keep it up!

• More Time • Same Instructional

Program• Celebrate Success

Proficient (2.5-4.0) Cruising


Success

• Capture Instructional Strategies

• Celebrate Success• Continue Practices

Limited Growth (0.0-0.39) Expected Growth (.40 +)

Not Yet Proficient (0.0-2.5)

Make A Change!


Keep it up!

• More Time • Same Instructional

Program• Celebrate Success

Proficient (2.5-4.0) Cruising


Success

• Capture Instructional Strategies

• Celebrate Success• Continue Practices

Capture Success/Replicate

Change

What? So What? Now What?

Moving from Data Analysis to Response

Be honest with where I am at on learning progressions. I definitely am honest with where I am in this class. This way of assessment has completely made me feel alright with being in the pit because I know that I am not stuck there and that I can get myself out of it. I really appreciate all that you have done to make us feel comfortable with progress.

Be open to struggling…Before this class I was not open to struggling at all, so this took me a while to get used to. Now I know that I can get myself out of the pit, so I feel comfortable being in it! I just wish it was this way in the rest of my classes. ):

My annotations and thoughts on written pieces were at about a 1 level at the beginning of the semester, but with guidance in class and a lot of practice I have grown to getting a four on the last annotation. Next semester I hope to grow further.

Project Design

# 2 Project Design

• Project based learning orients the learner to transfer or application level problems or challenges at the beginning of the learning process and provides opportunities to learn and time to learn pertinent content and 21st Century knowledge and skills along a learning progression to meet such demanding learning expectations. Therefore, teachers must utilize a backwards design process to effectively design projects.

PBL vs. DOING PROJECTS

PBL: Students are pulled through the curriculum by a driving question or realistic problem that provides a “need to know”. Lectures, readings, and skill building are integrated into the problem as the students need the information.

Know/ Need to Know

WHAT DOES PBL LOOK LIKE?

PROJECTINFORMATION

RESEARCH ANDINVESTIGATIONFORMAL

TEACHING

DRAFT SOLUTIONS

REFLECTION

FINALPRESENTATIONS

GROUPPLANNING

Teachers develop problems based on content standards

that students, working in teams, develop solutions to. Teachers provide coaching,

assignments and direct instruction to address

student needs.

PBL Redefined

The Microbial Jungle

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/04/23/305890574/dirty-money-a-microbial-jungle-thrives-in-your-wallet

Driving Question

Would changing the material of our currency reduce or inhibit the amount of drug-resistant microbe DNA found on dollar bills?

Backbone

Customization

Project Essentials

• Confront significant content and authentic issues• Develop 21st Century skills• Conclude with a public presentation• Organize activities around a driving questions or challenge• Establish a Need to Know or do• Engage students in inquiry• Require innovation• Encourage student voice and choice• Incorporate critique and revision

Project

Design (content & products)

• Confront significant content and authentic issues

• Develop 21st Century skills• Conclude with a public

presentation• Organize activities around a

driving questions or challenge

Implementation- “habits of practice”

• Establish a Need to Know or do

• Engage students in inquiry• Require innovation• Encourage student voice

and choice• Incorporate critique and

revision

Verizon Operator Problem

• Provide a clear rationale for whether the operator or the customer is correct in the following situation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANDk0SWzplo

A recent web release on Wikipedia reports that 8 % of all Americans eat at McDonald’s every day. Current data reveals that there are approximately 310 million Americans and 12,800 McDonald’s restaurants in the United States. Make a conjecture as to whether or not you believe the web release to be true, and then create a mathematical argument that justifies your conclusion

Bumps in the road

• Curriculum design rarely introduces questions, criteria, and tasks for students to solve that require a range of surface and deep level knowledge

• Student thinking is dramatically influenced by context (rubrics and project expectations)

THE OTHER BUMPS IN THE ROAD

Suggestions:

1. Create discipline centered questions for surface and deep level understanding.

2. Identify a myriad of contexts that can be used to extend student learning across disciplines

3. Determine degree of autonomy related to tasks.

Art ExampleGoal- Student understands the relationship between historical events and artistic expression

Extended- Understand how art represents human behavior that stands the test of time.

Relational- Understands the relationship between the creation or expression of art and the events of the time.

Single/Multiple- Understand how compositional principles are identified in famous pieces of art

TUHSD

Art Example

TUHSD

Goal- Student understands the relationship between historical events and artistic expression

Academic Question




How does this painting relate to contemporary time?

How does this piece connect to the time of its creation? Or, What do you consider the author was saying through his painting?

Who created the following piece? What is the name of the piece? What are two compositional principles that the artist used in the piece?

McDowell, Ed.D.

Art ExampleGoal Academic Question Application

Questions




How does this painting relate to human behavior as expressed in contemporary events?



Should we use art as a way to understand the causes and effects of violent acts in the middle east?

Identify a myriad of contexts that can be used to extend student learning across disciplines

• The student will initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one on one, in groups, and teacher led) with diverse partners on grade-appropriate topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively (SL. 11-12.1)

• The student will draw skillfully across various sources of influence to motivate and enable vital behaviors so that important personal, social, and organization goals are accomplished.

Determine degree of autonomy related to context and tasks.

Assessment Types

Unobtrusive Obtrusive Student Generated

Applying Understanding

Making Meaning

Building Knowledge





TUHSD

Creating a Driving Question

TUHSD

Crafting a Driving Question

• Problem: Curriculum design rarely introduces questions for students to solve that require ALL levels of knowledge in relevant disciplines AND connects to authentic contexts

• Solution: Develop questions that require learning at ALL levels AND requires students to think about how the subject matter relates to various contexts.

McDowell, Ed.D.

Science Example

• Questions

Goal- Students are able to describe the flow of information from transcription of ribonucleic acid (RNA) in the nucleus to translation of proteins on ribosomes.

Academic Question

Extended- Understand how various factors may influence protein creation.

Relational- Understands how transcription and translation relate to one another to create proteins

Single/Multiple- Understands that transcription, translation, RNA, and DNA are involved in creating proteins.

How can changes in the protein synthesis process alter protein development?

How are proteins made through the transcription and translation process?

What is translation? What is transcription? What is RNA?

McDowell, Ed.D.

21ST Century Skills

• QuestionsGoal: Student builds relational trust with peers while addressing technical project issues

Academic Question

Extended- Understands how open to learning conversation strategies can be used in closed to learning environments

Relational- Understands the relationship between between open to learning conversation values and strategies

Single/Multiple- Understands how values are expressed in open to learning conversation

How do facilitators create the conditions necessary to engage participants who are unfamiliar with open to learning conversations?

How do facilitators utilize strategies to express their understanding of the embedded values of open to learning conversation?

What are two values that are common in “open to learning” conversations?


Academic Question




How do painting relate to contemporary time?

How do paintings connect to the time of their creation? Or, What do you consider the painter was saying through their paintings?


TUHSD

McDowell, Ed.D.

• Questions

Goal Academic Question Application Questions

Extended- Understand how various factors may influence protein creation.

Relational- Understands how transcription and translation relate to one another to create proteins

Single/Multiple- Understands that transcription, translation, RNA, and DNA are involved in creating proteins.

How can changes in the protein synthesis process alter protein development?

How are proteins made through the transcription and translation process?

What is translation? What is transcription? What is RNA?

What is the most effective antiviral drug treatment to increase and maintain normal protein development in patients with HIV over time? Explain.

How do immune cells relate to the HIV virus?

What is the structure and function of HIV? What is the structure and function of T-Cells?

McDowell, Ed.D.

21st Century Skill ExampleGoal: Student builds relational trust with peers while addressing technical project issues

Academic Question ApplicationQuestions

Extended- Understands how open to learning conversation strategies can be used in closed to learning environments

Relational- Understands the relationship between between open to learning conversation values and strategies

Single/Multiple- Understands how values are expressed in open to learning conversation

How do facilitators create the conditions necessary to engage participants who are unfamiliar with open to learning conversations?

How do facilitators utilize strategies to express their understanding of the embedded values of open to learning conversation?

What are two values that are common in “open to learning” conversations?

How do we handle the following group situations using appropriate facilitative strategies?

McDowell, Ed.D.

Art ExampleGoal Academic Question Application

QuestionsExtended- Understand how art represents human behavior that stands the test of time.



How does this painting relate to human behavior as expressed in contemporary events?



Should we use art as a way to understand the causes and effects of violent acts in the middle east?

Design: Craft an Entry Event

• Problem: When introducing curriculum to pupils we rarely focus student learning on the driving question & the essential learning outcomes

• Solution: Introduce curriculum with a driving question that requires student understanding and application within and across disciplines.


Assessment for Learning• To meet project expectations, teachers

utilize targeted inquiry to articulate expectations, identify current progress, and enable learners and teachers to co-construct next steps in the learning process.


Sub-Feature Steps

Targeted Inquiry

•Clarify learning intentions•Identify progress and proficiency•Provide targeted feedback•Leverage self, peer, and teachers in AfL process•Review and respond to efficacy of AfL practices

Khan

• What are the key findings from the following research?

• What inferences/assumptions emerge for you? (Learning, Teaching, and Professional Development)

• What are the implications from the research to the field?

• What do you see are next steps in relation to the inferences drawn?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVtCO84MDj8

Where we are going? Where we are? Where to next?

Where are we?

What’s next?

Where are we going?

Where are we?

What’s next?

Where are we going?



Be honest with where I am at on learning progressions. I definitely am honest with where I am in this class. This way of assessment has completely made me feel alright with being in the pit because I know that I am not stuck there and that I can get myself out of it. I really appreciate all that you have done to make us feel comfortable with progress.

Be open to struggling. What I said above encompasses this. Before this class I was not open to struggling at all, so this took me a while to get used to. Now I know that I can get myself out of the pit, so I feel comfortable being in it! I just wish it was this way in the rest of my classes. ):

My annotations and thoughts on written pieces were at about a 1 level at the beginning of the semester, but with guidance in class and a lot of practice I have grown to getting a four on the last annotation. Next semester I hope to grow further.

Where are we?

What’s next?

Where are we going?



Bumps in the road

• Voice and Choice in tasks and assessments are rarely accessible or limited in scope to students due, in large part, to clarity.

• Students are rarely involved in the assessment process

Assessment Types

Unobtrusive Obtrusive Student Generated


Making Meaning

Building Knowledge

Assessment Types

Unobstrusive Obtrusive Student Generated


Making Meaning

Building Knowledge

ExampleAssessment

More Complex

Target

Less Complex

Differentiation

# 4 Differentiation

• Implementation of a project-based learning approach is complex due to the range of instructional strategies and resources that are utilized to substantially impact student learning across a learning progression. Throughout the project process, instructors must utilize progress and proficiency data to target instruction in order to enhance student learning.

Differentiation

Sub-Feature Steps

Targeted Instruction

•Develop workshops for content and skill progression levels•Align workshops to problem solving process•Develop a project calendar

Resource Utilization

Access technology, maximize adult connections, and utilize collaborative tools

Questions to consider:

• What strategies yield a high effect at the far transfer “applying understanding” level?

• What strategies yield a high effect at the near transfer level?

• How do we arrange workshops to match student learning needs

• Identifying efficiency and effective means for leveraging teacher practice

Aligning “High Probability Strategies” from the Art and Science of Teaching to Progression Levels.

Outcome Questions Activities

Applying understanding What do I typically do to engage students in cognitively complex tasks involving hypothesis generation and testing?

Experimental-inquiry tasksProblem-solving tasks

Making meaning What do I typically do to organize students and deepen knowledge?

Venn diagramsComparison matrix

Building knowledge What do I typically do to identify critical information?

Identifying critical input experiences

Progression Level

Single/Multiple Ideas- What instructional approaches will support students in understanding foundational knowledge (e.g. facts, vocabulary terms) related to learning outcomes? Relating ideas- What instructional approaches support students in connecting and contrasting ideas? What are generalizations and principles that can be made about these ideas? Extending ideas- What instructional approaches support students in applying the learning outcomes to other contexts

Next Steps- Teachers

Single/Multiple Ideas- What strategies am I using that will support me in building knowledge and skills (e.g. facts, vocabulary terms) related to learning outcomes? Relating ideas- What approaches appear to be working or I should attempt to connect and contrast ideas? How am I going as related to making generalizations and principles? Extending ideas- What approaches support me in applying the learning outcomes to other contexts?

Next Steps- Students

Math StrategiesBelow Average

• Counting all 22%• Counting on 72%• Known facts 6%• Derived facts/Number

Sense 0%

Above Average

• Counting all 0%• Counting on 9%• Known facts 30%• Derived facts/Number

Sense 61%

Simplistic Model

Project Launch/PreAss

essment

“Building Knowledge”

Workshops/AfL

“Making Meaning”

Workshops/AfL

“Applying Understanding

” Project Presentation

Sequel- Context Switch

Learning Centered Culture and Climate

# 5 Learning Centered Culture and Climate

• Project based learning requires a unique set of classroom strategies to support all students in meeting content and 21st Century skill knowledge and skill based transfer level requirements.

Model, Model, Model

#vlconf2014

Mental Models

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVtCO84MDj8

Ready, Fire, Aim

Ideal

Professional culture

Existing

• Create an agreed upon decision-making process• Use that process to check for disagreements and to discuss

“undiscussables”• Use questions to address potential conflicts and to explore ideas• Always check in on each member of the group to make sure they

understand group process• Each group member will explain their actions or beliefs to the group• Each group member is responsible for all other group members in

understanding the task and coaching each other to perform at a high level• Each group member will explain important words and provide specific

examples when needed• All group members will question other members when they encounter

“jump to conclusion” comments• When sharing ideas all members will advocate their ideas and ask

questions about other ideas.

Seven guideposts

• Be behaviorally specific (e.g. look fors) , e.g. each group member will explain their actions or beliefs to the group.

• Stay small, stay focused: test drive a few agreements, 2-3

Seven guideposts

• Focus on conversational agreements- no need for “be on time”, everyone knows that

• Create roles- create a viewpoint coach (summarizes what folks are saying) and a process observer (reviews agreements and monitors process)

.

Seven guideposts

• Use agreements to intervene: The strategy I’ve seen work the best is the following: state facts, test assumption, ask if assumption is correct, discuss infraction OR move on.

• Call out “critical moments”- think of those moments where the use of agreements are critical, did you or your teammates take action? Process these critical moments, they are usually in the undiscussable range.

• Arrange meetings for tough conversations, nuts and bolts go into memos or in short 5-10 minute sequences.

Unhealthy Motives Motives of Dialogue

Be rightLook good/safe face

WinPunish, blameAvoid conflict

LearnFind the truth

Produce resultsStrengthen

relationships

#vlconf2014

Lessons Learned

A story of infusion

Why meaningful change is hard

It makes no sense, unless you think back to Lawrence’s long march across the desert to Aqaba. It is easier to dress soldiers in bright uniforms and have them march to the sound of a fife-and-drum corps than it is to have them ride six hundred miles through snake-infested desert on the back of camels. It is easier and far more satisfying to retreat and compose yourself after every score— and execute perfectly choreographed plays— than to swarm about, arms flailing, and contest every inch of the basketball court. Underdog strategies are hard.

#vlconf2014

• “We are change agents”

• Talk more about learning than teaching

• Engage in dialogue not monologue

• Enjoying the challenge

• Positive relationships

• Hiring Practices• Creating a CIA defined

autonomy Infrastructure• Meeting Structure and

Function• Codifying Capacity

Building• Developing a

Distributed Leadership Team

What?

What?

Behavioral Change

Customization

Common Features

ProfessionalSupport

Stories of Change

• What are the key stories that emerge when facing second order changes?

Stories of Change

I. Look like an extension from the past (We have done this before).

II. Things become worse, people are uncomfortable (e.g. communication has broken down)

III. Ready, fire, aim (what’s needed in process is opposite to the perception of buy in)

IV. Assumptions, mental models, are challenged (sacred cows)

Our perception of material advantage

Reality

How does the conversation shift?

1.We have material advantage (we can reduce class size)2.We have maximized such an advantage yet perpetuate the same story

(we don’t see the U shape curve) 3.We have political, social, and personal investment to reinforce past

practice (we were successful in this game)4. Focusing on finance and class size moves us away from difficult

conversations (we can’t say “we can’t”. We have to say “we won’t” and then provide a rationale)

5.The much more difficult change efforts required (Lawrence of Arabia) is taxing and difficult to execute over time

6. Facts are funny things. Paradoxes (both/ands) exist in student achievement, leadership, and change. These complexities are hard to understand and challenge current many times “collective” thinking.

Stay small

Stay

focused

Professional Development Perspective

Impact

Customized P.D.

Teacher Leader

Teacher Induction

Introduction

Initiation

Application

Capacity Building

Introduction

Initiation

Application

Capacity Building

Introduction

Initiation

Application

Capacity Building

Governance/District Leadership

Distributed Leadership

Site/Department/Classroom

Introduction

Initiation

Application

Capacity Building

Introduction

Initiation

Application

Capacity Building

Introduction

Initiation

Application

Capacity Building

Governance/District Leadership

Distributed Leadership

Site/Department/Classroom

WHY? HOW?

WHAT?

Know Need to Know

Documents

PBL NY: Bringing PBL to Scale