That’s the question at the foundation of a new research-based framework released by Next Generation Learning Challenges earlier this month.
I love the way they have approached this inquiry, and the framework outcome (with its accompanying literature review) has the potential to move us more rapidly toward a tipping point in school transformation.
The text below from the Transformation Design website provides a quick overview of this impressive work:
In this research and development (R&D) project, we conducted a deep exploration of the literature on managing change as well as case study site visits to leading districts. We convened partner districts and experts, launching a community of practice to better understand what change toward next gen learning looks like in practice.
As a community of practice, we converted our research findings into a district change framework to guide districts interested in transforming themselves as an organization in order to transform learning in their schools. We invited more district leaders and change experts into the project and created strategies, tools, and resources to help districts use the core practices of the Transformation Design Framework. We also started working closely with a highly aligned initiative, the Deeper Learning Dozen, which is helping districts in the U.S. and Canada transform learning through practices that parallel those of Transformation Design.
Looking ahead to the 2020-21 school year and beyond, the project partners are adapting to the changing circumstances arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and greater awareness of the impact of systemic racism in U.S. K-12 education. We are broadly disseminating what we have learned. We are testing and refining the framework of core practices in more district contexts. And we are building strategy guides and support systems while continuing to invite districts to join in.
Several components of this project resonate with me:
- Leaders (and an organization acting as a catalyst) taking an inquiry stance.
- R&D…constant iteration and testing. Not at all common (or accepted) in our school-centered paradigm.
- Research-based. Check out the work they did on researching leading change. A wonderful synthesis to support our actions as leaders.
- Practitioner-based. Real districts grappling with this work. And the project will continue to iterate as the framework is applied and researched.
- Outcome-based. A powerful, accessible conceptualization of school transformation.
—–
❓ Provocations:
What about the Transformation Design framework might impact your role in school transformation?
💎 Resources:
Transforming Learning for Equity: Navigating the Change with Transformation Design
🧠 Mindset:
Leadership by design
💡 Area:
Leadership
📣 Drop your thoughts in the comments, or in the Facebook group, and feel free to share resources. 🔥🔥🔥
- A silver lining - January 22, 2022
- Is our use of tech working against us? 🤔 - September 8, 2021
- What’s NOT going to change in the next 10 years? 🤔 - September 7, 2021