Focusing Strategic Planning- Assessment Capable Learners &

Intervention Practitioners

Michael McDowell, Ed.D. @mmcdowell13

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

- Mantle

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 0.72Teachers 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 0.72Teachers 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

- Where is the learner now?

Learning Outcomes• Develop an understanding of how to

develop a strategic plan oriented towards assessment capable learners and intervention practitioners (“teaching or teachers for learning”)

• Develop an understanding of key moderators that influence the development of a strategic plan in the field.

#AnnualVL2015

Success Criteria

By the end of the session, you will…

• Understand processes for implementing a strategic plan focused on learning and teaching for learning

• Understand specific moderators that may influence the development of your plan

• Reflect on potential next steps in crafting your strategic plan

1. Explaining Key Terms

2. Criteria for developing and implementing a Strategic Plan

3. Lessons Learned

• Assessment Capable Learners– Students know what is expected of them, they know

their current performance level, and recognize and act upon feedback to improve- improve at a faster rate academically than any other intervention ever studied!

• Interventionist Practitioner – Using data and evidence to identify and

address the learning needs of individual learners

Teaching for learning- 3 elements

• 1. Continually evaluates and acts upon their impact via student experience, performance, and feedback.

• 2. Continually engages in professional learning community processes to learn (about learning and teaching for learning) and support other ‘teachers for learning’

• 3. Develops and encourages a positive culture and climate for all learners to learn at high levels.

Mind frames

Relational• “We are change agents”• Talk more about learning

than teaching• Engage in dialogue not

monologue• Enjoying the challenge• Positive relationships• Sees learning as challenging

Tactical• Evaluate the effects of their

teaching• Assessment as feedback

regarding their impact• Inform all about the

language of learning

• The view I have reached is that the focus of research on teaching should be on direct observation of the realities of student experience and the processes that turn that experience into knowledge and skill. -Nuthall

Criteria

• Focus• Design• Involve • Implementation

Focus

• To cause learning• To serve each learner

Expectations

Progress

Proficiency

Involve

Why?

How?

What?

Why?

How?

What?

• What are the specific outcomes we expect of learners once they graduate from…? Why do we form a community of learners?

• How do we expect learners to engage in the learning process while in our learning community?

Why?

How?

What?

• What substantially enhances learning and the experience of learning for all?

• Where do we invest our resources to substantially enhance the learning and the experience of learning for all?

Design

Design process

1.Empathy2.Problem Definition3.Ideation4.Prototype5.Test and Provide

Feedback

• Spent 90% of our time on learning and learners.

• How do we collective ensure that all Ross learners substantially progress towards mastery in key learning outcomes necessary for success after graduation?

• As learners progress toward and reach proficiency of learning outcomes, how do we ensure learners experience “heart, mind, and action” in daily life?

• See examples• Confidence – “building up, building across”

Implementation

Why?

How?

What?

• How do we collectively ensure that all learners substantially meet or exceed learning outcomes necessary for success after they graduate from….?

• How do we ensure that a learner’s experience combines the will, thrill, and skill?

Progress

Proficiency

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 Customized Instruction

Customized Assessment

Customized Collaborative Structures

Customized Intervention

Common Scales

Common Intervention Criteria

Common Culture and Work

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

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

Not Yet Proficient (0.0-2.25)

Proficient (2.5-4.0)

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

• Review & Make Changes to Instructional Strategies

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!

• Review & Make Changes to Instructional Strategies

Keep it up!

• More Time • Same Instructional

Program• Celebrate Success

Proficient (2.5-4.0) Cruising

• Review & Make Changes to Instructional Strategies

Success

• Capture Instructional Strategies

• Celebrate Success• Continue Practices

Capture Success/Replicate

Change

What? So What? Now What?

Moving from Data Analysis to Response

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 project expectations?

Next Steps

Single/Multiple Ideas- What learning strategies will (or do) support me understanding foundational knowledge (e.g. facts, vocabulary terms) related to learning outcomes? Relating ideas- What learning strategies support me connecting and contrasting ideas? What are generalizations and principles that can be made about these ideas? Extending ideas- What learning strategies support me in applying the learning outcomes to project expectations?

Next Steps

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.

Lessons Learned

Stay small

Stay

focused

Lessons learned

1. Be honest about intention and attention- S.P. tells us what we are not doing

2. Don’t try, do. - Resources speak, stay small, stay focused.

3. Understand your culture- Culture and strategy are integrated.

4. Recognize prior knowledge and skill of staff.

5. All stakeholders need to be part of the learning conversation

6. Appreciate the tension between current program and innovation (in terms of design, implementation, and mental models).

7. Appreciate the challenge in behavioral change for the initiatives proposed in your plan.

Culture is the result of a common learning experience in successfully solving external and internal problems …beliefs and assumptions are formed through such a process

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

Competency Enhancing or Competency Hindering

"Every teacher needs to improve, not because they are not good enough, but because they can be even better.”- Dylan Wiliam

"Every teacher needs to improve, not because they are not good enough, but because they can be even better.”- Dylan Wiliam

A story of infusion

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)

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.

Our perception of material advantage

Reality

How does the conversation shift?

Success Criteria

By the end of the session, you will…

• Understand processes for implementing a strategic plan focused on learning and teaching for learning

• Understand specific moderators that may influence the development of your plan

• Reflect on potential next steps in crafting your strategic plan

1. Explaining Key Terms

2. Criteria for developing and implementing a Strategic Plan

3. Lessons Learned

4. Next Steps

What do you need to know?

Learn more about Visible Learningplus at www.corwin.com/visiblelearning