Creating a Culture of Learning

(A blog post for the purpose of the MindLab Applied Practice in Context Course)

School Climate and Culture

Climate is that first feeling you get when you come into a school. As teachers who are in a school every day it might be difficult to say  objectively what the climate is - and it changes - sometimes sunny, sometimes stormy. How does the climate of our school impact on our parents and students when they arrive in the morning? What type of climate do we want them to experience and how can we create this? Can we put some large bubble over our school to protect it from the outside ravages of climatic change and if we can, how do we do this - or even should we do this?

Culture runs deeper and is harder to change. Ed Dunkelblau mentions a culture of learning, caring and success - and these seem to be three essential elements of a school culture - for all students and staff. Working at a school where the mission statement is 'Excellence and Effort in a Caring Environment' all those elements are recognised. Systems and structures are in place to ensure this culture doesn't happen by default but it is actually planned for. Excellence is celebrated in a variety of ways and across a range of disciplines. Effort is embedded through a focus on ongoing improvement, and a developing focus on character education and growth mindset. Caring may be less formalised but is a strong part of the culture with staff and students caring for and watching out for each other, supporting each other during times of difficulty and there are rituals that show this. Even though this culture is well established it should not be taken for-granted and everyone has a part to play in keeping the culture alive and flourishing through contributing and living the culture.

There is always a risk, that in a school where there is a high level of achievement among students that thee is the belief that nothing needs to change, and the way we have always done things is the best way. Yet, in a time of great change the way things have always been done can quickly become outdated and irrelevant to the world outside school. Having a strong culture of learning is essential as teachers who themselves are learners are more able to adapt to changing environments. Supporting a culture of teachers as learners through both time and resources and celebrating teacher learning is an essential part of a school culture. Some ways in which this may be fostered include:

• ensure teachers are using a Teaching as Inquiry cycle
• prioritise professional learning and development for teachers both using external providers and internal staff
• ensure that senior management model behaviours of life-long learners
•  encourage and support teachers to belong to communities of practices inside and outside the school using tools such as the Virtual Learning Network, Pond and social networking sites
• celebrate teachers who are learners
• allow time for teachers to learn (and innovate)
• structure time for teachers to share their learning and knowledge with their colleagues - create a culture where teachers are experts in their field
• find ways to reduce administration to prioritise learning
• bring the culture of learning to the front (or as George Curous would say, the culture of innovation)

http://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/tag/george-couros

References:

Stoll (1998). School Culture. School Improvement Network’s Bulletin 9. Institute of Education, University of London. Retrieved from http://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Culture/Understanding-school-cultures/School-Culture

Factors that impact on teacher innovation

Even in 2015 educational leaders are still often frustrated as to why digital devices have not changed practice in many classrooms, and haven't led to a culture of innovation with many teachers. Yong Zhao, Kevin Pugh and Stephen Sheldon conducted a study (Conditions for Classroom Technology Innovation) to explore this issue by examining the practice of more than 100 teachers.

From this came 11 salient factors, that need to be considered to support technology innovation in the classroom. These eleven can be grouped under three main headings: 

1. The teacher or innovator; 
2. The innovation or the project and
3. The context. 

The teacher/innovator factors were the one that seemed to have the most impact on the adoption of technology innovations. With regard to the teacher/innovator factors there are three sub-factors:

1. Technological proficiency - this has to do with the confidence and capability of the teacher - it is understandable that the greater this is, the more likely technology will be used in innovative ways;
2. Pedagogical compatibility - this refers to the level at which the pedagogical beliefs of the teachers fit (or don't fit ) with the technology. Again it is understandable if the technology doesn't support how a teacher teaches it is not likely to be used and
3. Social awareness - the more aware a teacher is of the school culture the more likely they are to adopt technological innovations. As teacher have greater social awareness they are more able to access such things as support and positive feedback.

With regard to the innovation/project there are two overarching factors - distance and dependance.

1. Distance refers to the distance of the innovation from the school culture - the more the innovation deviates from existing school practice and culture the less likely it is to be adopted. There are three sub-factors to consider: distance from the school culture, distance from the existing practice present in the school and distance away from other technological resources.
2. Dependence refers to how much the use of the innovation relies on other people or other resources, especially ones that are out of the control of the teacher/innovator. It is understandable that the greater the dependence, the more likely use of an innovation will fall over as there are a greater number of variables that have to be achieved for use of the innovation to be successful. 

The third domain to have a strong effect is the context in which the innovation takes place - the actual school itself. Three factors were identified that are relevant: 

1. Human infrastructure, which includes the human support systems both technological support and other teachers who can help develop the innovation and help to provide timely professional development and ensure there are supportive policies;
2. Technological infrastructure which includes technological support, hardware and software as well as connectivity and 
3. Social support which refers to the degree to which other people in the school provide support (or otherwise) to the innovator. 

While the domain of the innovator/teacher is the strongest domain in predicting technology innovations the other factors should not be ignored - especially when looking at the scalability and sustainability of the innovation. 

So how can this information be used by leadership in schools to ensure there are people who are teacher/innovators and there is the necessary support required for these people to flourish. The first two factors with regard to the innovator/teacher domain can be impacted by well-considered professional learning and development. This professional learning and development should be less about using the technology (unless this is an area that is severely lacking) but should focus more on building capabilities across a range of technologies in ways that support future-focused pedagogy. 

Barriers in schools with regard to technology innovation need to be identified and minimised as much as possible. Technological support (including technicians) need to have the role of enabling teachers to act on innovations rather than putting more barriers in place. Give the power to the teachers not the technicians. Networks must function and access to technology must be seamless. Teachers have enough to contend with to ensure technological innovations are used in pedagogically effective ways. The hardware/software and network issues need to be so much in the background that teachers don't even have to be aware of them. 

Teacher/innovators need to be celebrated and supported both with regard to the social structures of the school and the technological structure. Celebrate a culture of (considered) risk taking. Students need teachers who are early adopters and at the leading edge of technological developments. Lastly, even though I personally am often frustrated with the slow rate of change, and my gut instinct is for more of a revolutionary approach where drastic changes are made, the evolutionally approach, taking small steps, in the constantly desired direction will be more effective in the long run - or as said by John West-Burnham,  "keep the herd moving west."

Leadership: The Evolving Vision

Roz Mexted - Sabbatical Report

In this report Roz reports on her sabbatical to Harvard University's Graduate School of Education to attend Leadership: An Evolving Vision: (L.E.V.)

Emerging Technologies and Transformative Education:

There is no doubt that technologies are changing the knowledge and skills that learners need (and that educators need to help develop in their students). Technology is changing students (and all people in fact). It changes how we do many of the day to day things as well as how we learn. Information is instantly available regardless of time or place, people often multi-task and it is taken for-granted that we have powerful tools to enable us to do what we want - no longer are such things as movie making the domain of a specialised few - the ability to be creative in a high-tech sort of way has been democratised. Change is constant and rapid and the young people (and not so young) are constantly figuring out how to do things. The question is how do we mirror this in the classroom, how do we let go of the reins and create greater student agency while maintaining rigour and meeting curriculum standards. Even though these challenges may be tricky at times, they are integral to what we do and at no time can teachers let their guard down and think they have things figured out because, if you dare to be caught napping. I know many times I have figured out what I have thought is a great way of doing something just to find, a few months later that has been superseded - and that is just something we have to accept - don't hold on too tight to your way of doing things or you might find yourself standing still.  

Adaptive Leadership

As for students, teachers and leaders need to change in the face of technological changes. While students may celebrate change, for many teachers and leaders they may resist it, as their 'old' way of doing things may not be the best, and learning a new way can be time consuming - just to find out once you have got the hang of it there is another way that might even be better! See what the staff at the leading (not bleeding) edge are doing with technology - celebrate and distribute the leadership for this. Give these talented staff the power to help initiate change within a organisation. Yet leaders still need to model best practice, no one can lead by authority alone, leaders must walk the talk. 

Improving the technical core: What's a leader to do

Compared to many other professions teachers often work in isolation, they can shut their classroom door and their day to day practice is not scrutinised. Flexible learning environments go a long way to counter some of the issues around teachers working as individuals (in a non-collaborative manner). 

If teachers wish, how hard in a traditional environment is it for them to ignore what is no regarded as best practice - things such as student agency and effective use of technology. No doubt we have all come across teachers who don't use technology - and think it is quite OK to not adapt their teaching for the changing needs to the students. I agree that if teaching wants to be taken seriously as a profession there are teachers who need to up their game, and be more accountable for what happens day to day in their classrooms - not just the test results - the 'how' of their teaching not just the 'what'.

Increased accountability for teachers comes as we move away from individual practice to collective practice. The promise of this environment is not just for what it can do for students as learners but also for what it can do for teachers as learners.

The Why What and How of School Family and Community Partnerships

Stakeholders, resources, systems, structure and culture all need to be in alignment for a successful school. Without a doubt parents are one of the most important stakeholders and the stronger the partnerships the more likely students are to experience success. Parents, students and schools all need to be wanting to go in the same direction. There is no doubt that for schools, having the families of the students on their side makes life a lot easier - how often do senior management in school spend time, that should be spent on pedagogical factors, placating parents. In times of change though it can be difficult to engage effectively (or educate) with parents. No one feels comfortable with change and in this time of rapid educational change it is important we take our communities with us in the change process and of great importance is communication, communication and more communication. And then, when you think you must have communicated enough, communicate more!!! It will make education more successful for all. 

Reconceptualising Leadership

Towards Reconceptualising Leadership - The Implications of the Revised Curriculum for School Leaders

Reflection for the Mind Lab course Leadership in Digital and Collaborative Learning

The theoretical framework for this study is built around the work of Jane Gilbert who has reconceptualised knowledge as a verb rather than a noun. Knowledge is seen as something we do something with rather than something that is static and can be collected. Through this view, knowledge becomes more democratic, rather than a few holding all the knowledge that they give out to others. And as such, leadership becomes more distributed, especially with regard to pedagogical leadership rather than managerial or administrative leadership.

As such, principals need to foster teacher leaders within schools through communicating clear vision and goals, promoting and celebrating teacher learning, allowing room and space for innovation, distributing leadership and fostering a collaborative culture of ongoing learning and reflection.

Both curriculum organisation and professional learning happens seems to still happen in a siloed manner rather than taking a broader approach and foregrounding the Key Competencies as part of the curriculum. What is required to make this change, if in fact everyone excepts this change is necessary.

The discussion about multiple truths is interesting. The importance of acknowledging multiple pathways and a range of perceptions cannot be underestimated. Becoming comfortable with discomfort is an important part of this process - accepting there is not just one right way of knowing, and letting go of the need to aim for having the 'right answer'.

Understanding perspective is important - multiple truths develop from multiple perspectives and one needs to be truly reflective and explore the reasons behind the perspectives they hold to develop the realisation that what we may think as being the truth is really just another perspective built on from our experiences, beliefs and points of view.

Part of leading in the 21st Century is effecting change - or being a change leader or being effective at change management. Change cannot be forced and it is not our role to make people change, rather we sow the seeds and make sure the ground is fertile for change to happen. We need to trust that change, where necessary will flourish if we create the right conditions for this. Change will then be led by the people as they continue learning and reflecting on their practice and strive for ongoing improvement.

Lastly I would say we need to be aware of the Roman Numerals in our learning organisations. I refer to Roman Numerals as the aspects that hinder growth and stifle development. Even though the early Romans were a very advanced society, mathematically they were not as sophisticated as they could have been - largely due to their number system - one that was self-limited by how it was structured.