A presentation drawing on the work of Michael Fullan and others

Indian School of Education - School change to change in the system

This is a complex process, not a linear one:

Change in schools will not automatically spread to the rest of the education system, And change in schools will depend to some extent on change in the system. Thus leaders in the system need to strive for system change even as school leaders bring about school change.

Moving beyond ‘system thinking’…Change across the education system requires ‘system  action’, meaning intervention at all levels.

Intervention should:

-Pursue intelligent accountability and a demanding culture,

-Create a shared vision and purpose,

-Build individual and lateral capacity,

-Get structure and resourcing right,

-Promote ongoing learning.

To: pursuing intelligent accountability and a demanding culture

Meaning:

Combining government accountability to the public through assessment of learning (to reassure) with school accountability to the government through assessment for learning (to improve teaching),

Creating a culture based on high trust of individuals and low tolerance of incompetence.

Combining government accountability to the public through assessment of learning (to reassure) with school accountability to the government through assessment for learning (to improve teaching),

Creating a culture based on high trust of individuals and low tolerance of incompetence.

To: creating a shared vision and purpose

Meaning:

Developing a clear and coherent vision for change and sharing it with others, ensuring a collective moral purpose exists across the system.

To: vision and purpose creating a shared

Meaning:

Developing a clear and coherent vision for change and sharing it with others, ensuring a collective moral purpose exists across the system.

To: building individual and lateral capacity

Meaning:

Creating connections and networks between schools and between individuals across schools, prioritizing professional development at all levels of the system, cultivating links with external partners for reform.

To: getting structure and resourcing right

Meaning:

Structuring the system so as to best facilitate collective purpose, a shared vision and an overall focus on teaching and learning, focusing financial investment on maximizing improvement in teaching and learning, and prioritizing long-term success over short-term wins. 

To: promoting ongoing learning

Meaning:

Promoting leadership at all levels through on-site coaching and learning in context, learning from changing needs and context, and adapting the shared vision as necessary, keeping close to the problems and seeking feedback from teachers and school leaders.

Source documents.

Tri-Level Development: It’s the system

Michael Barber and Michael Fullan,

(Education Week, March 2005)

New lessons for District-wide Reform

Michael Fullan et al,