Area of Challenge Number 3

Supporting Multi-level Professional Learning

Consider a range of professional learning approaches to promote and foster DI implementation

(Recommendation #2, Evaluation of the Ministry of Education’s Differentiated Instruction Professional Learning Strategy, 2012)

How, in the midst of multiple initiatives, do boards get all levels learning in support of instructional practice that addresses the learning needs of students?

Concepts to address

  1. an integrated approach to professional learning
  2. professional learningwith access to facilitation as well as content and instructional expertise
  3. multi-level learning for coherence and reciprocal influence

1. Integrated Approach to Professional Learning

An integrated approach to professional learning promotes better outcomes for students. The kinds of integration include: theory and practice; curriculum content, pedagogical content and assessment knowledge; and knowledge of students. What is learned must result in changes to classroom practice if better outcomes are to occur for students(Timperley, 2011b, p.30).

2. Access to Facilitation as well as Content and Instructional Expertise

… even the most motivated teams need a ‘point person’ – at least one member identified and trained to guide their colleagues through the process over time (Gallimore et al, 2009). / External experts serve varied needs - they can bring a new lens to the interpretation process, help challenge norms within groups that are directed to reinforcing rather that challenging the status quo, assist leaders and teams in learning how to analyse and use data, bring deep knowledge of content and instruction and generally maximize the inquiry experience(Cosner, 2012, p.30, 44; Timperley, 2011b, p. 86; Ermeling, 2012, p 25).

3. Multi-level Learning for Coherence and Reciprocal Influence

The key to driving successful systemic capacity building… is knowledge building that is universally aligned and coherent, knowledge building that emanates both from the centre and the field simultaneously and in concert(Sharratt & Fullan, 2009, p.9).

Administrators are expected to be the change-management experts (e.g., creating the conditions); whereas lead teachers (i.e., informal leaders such as resource teachers, department heads, facilitators) are expected to be the content experts (e.g., subject, instruction).This learning priority differentiation is sensible in that between-group expertise is distributed(Katz, Earl & Jaafar, 2009, p.86).

Telling leaders how to run their schools fails to engage their personal theories about how to lead effectively to bring about change.

Approaches that engage leaders in a formative assessment process related to their own learning have greater demonstrated success. This approach requires policy makers (i.e., boards, ministry) to take a learning orientation and to monitor the effectiveness of their own efforts to bring about change as they come to understand the mind-shifts required through the system layers.

Engaging in their own inquiry to find out if each system player is taking greater responsibility for their own learning and improving the learning of others can be a challenging task(Timperley, 2011b, p.30).

What have we learned about implementation from the Differentiated Instruction Professional Learning Strategy that can inform future work on the implementation of instruction that addresses the learning needs of all students?

ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES

of

IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION

A Discussion Paper

Adoption vs. Implementation

Implementation concerns the hard work of changing cultures (skills, norms, shared values), while adoption is more about structure and other surface changes. This is why we claim that success is 10% right direction, and 90% implementation. The four wrong drivers are: external accountability, focus on individuals, technology, and piecemeal reform efforts; the corresponding right drivers are: capacity building, team-work and other forms of collaboration, pedagogy, and systemic strategies. It is no accident that the wrong drivers tend to be in the ‘adoption’ camp, while the right drivers focus on implementation(Fullan, 2011).

Despite all of this attention people still don’t treat ‘the implementation problem’ very seriously. I think there are two related main reasons. First, front-end fanfare and related vision-based rallying cries are simply sexier than day-to-day follow through. Second, implementation is hard work requiring persistence, ability to manage and overcome obstacles and setbacks. Success takes time, but encouragingly is not as open ended as one might expect. Major success on a large scale can be realized in three to six years-- if the right combination of ingredients is employed. A big if, but not out of reach for those who understand that implementation is just about everything(Fullan, 2011).

Area of Challenge Number 1

Addressing the Complexity of ‘Instruction’

Focus on facilitating a deep understanding of DI as a pedagogical framework

(Recommendation #1, Evaluation of the Ministry of Education’s Differentiated Instruction Professional Learning Strategy, 2012)

How do we build educator understanding of the complexity of effective instruction - within the context of multiple initiatives?

Consider the following concepts in your discussion:

1.the multiple components ofeffective classroom practice(insert)

2.the need for adaptive and responsive practice

1. Multiple Components

To build an understanding of ‘instruction’, and to refine instructional practice so that it addresses the varied needs of all learners, a variety of components are considered:

See Insert.

Defining teaching using a narrow set of instructional strategies, management strategies, or assessment strategies doesn’t do justice to the complexity of the teaching-learning process.
…There are a wide variety of variables that determine whether a particular strategy is going to produce positive results in any given situation. If a strategy doesn’t appear to be working well, educators must adapt the strategy as needed or use other strategies(Marzano, 2009, p. 34-35).
Expert teachers and experienced teachers do not differ in the amount of knowledge that they have about curriculum matters or knowledge about teaching strategies – but expert teachers do differ in how they organize and use this content knowledge(Hattie, 2012, p.25).

2. Adaptive and Responsive Practice

Understanding the Strategy
When the theory behind a strategy is poorly understood, adaptations are likely to be inconsistent with the theory underpinning them, and therefore, less effective. When the theory is well understood, the adaptations are more likely to become more responsive to students within a principled framework of practice(Timperley, 2011a,p.63). / Knowing the Learner
For differentiation to be effective, teachers need to know, for each student, where that student begins and where he or she is in his or her journey towards meeting the success criteria of the lesson. (Based on this), the teacher provide(s) ways in which students can demonstrate mastery and understanding along the way ...
(Hattie, 2012, p.98)
Adaptive Experts
…know when students are and are not learning, know where to go next, adapt resources and strategies and create a classroom climate to support attainment of learning goals (Hattie, 2012, p.99).

Area of ChallengeNumber 2

Challenging Beliefs to address the Knowing-Doing Gap

Focus on promoting deeper implementation of DI at the secondary level

(Recommendation #2, Evaluation of the Ministry of Education’s Differentiated Instruction Professional Learning Strategy, 2012)

How do we change long-accepted educator beliefs about theirinstructional practice and student learningso thatinstruction is informed by current research anddesigned to meet learner needs?

Consider the following concepts in your discussion:

  1. Challenging existing beliefs to change instructional practice
  2. Engaging teachers in professional learning
  3. Knowledge Mobilization

1. Challenging Beliefs throughPractice

Attitudes and beliefs of teachers usually don’t change until after they try an instructional strategy and gain evidence of improvements in student learning. The change in practice typically precedes a change in beliefs and attitudes (Guskey, 2002).

Focused collaborative inquiry:

  • Is a process that charts a course for professional learning that deepens professional knowledge and translates into changed practice
  • involveslearning from prior practice, analysis of data/evidence, regular use of research and expertise, challenging existing beliefs about teaching and learning and receiving feedbackabout teaching from colleagues (Katz, Earl & Jaafar, 2009, p.71, 73)

Tacit knowledge will shape skills and beliefs and impede change unless members (of learning teams) are assisted in questioning their knowledge. Facilitators need to focus on asking thought provoking questions … to encourage challenges to current beliefs, knowledge and theories (Katz, 2010, p.20).

2. Engaging Teachers in Professional Learning

Checking for impact is a strong catalyst for teacher engagement in professional learning to change instructional practice (Hattie, 2012, p.86; Cosner, 2012, p.36). / Identifying the need to learn particular knowledge and skills is often determined by some external body or school leader. The problem with (others) deciding what teachers need to learn independently of teachers engaging in an analysis of students’ and their own learning needs is that it violates key principles of assessment for professional learning. Teachers become passive learners of someone else’s agenda with concomitant problems of a lack of motivation and engagement(Timperley, 2011b, p.15).

3. Knowledge Mobilization – Good News and Bad News


... people are more influenced by their own experience and by their colleagues than they are by external evidence. / … More research is more available in more formats than ever before. Yet if people are chiefly influenced by their colleagues and experience, if most of their knowledge comes indirectly, and if both the sharing and applying mechanisms are weak, it is highly unlikely that we are getting the maximum benefit from research in education.
Various sources as cited in Levin, 2011, p.19.

Student Success / Learning to 18 Strategic Implementation, Innovation and Support Branch, 2012/132 of 4Student Success / Learning to 18 Strategic Implementation, Innovation and Support Branch, 2012/133 of 4