There are many different versions of the above chart. When this, or a similar chart was introduced to me it gave me clarity around the issues needed to promote, implement and sustain change. The change could be minor or major, it doesn’t matter because the elements for any change need to be in place.
Simply, if one of the key drivers of ‘change’ isn’t in place, the outcome is detrimental to the overall success of a program etc.
When investigating something new e.g. a new program I need to think about these questions.
What do I know?
What do I want to know?
How will I find out?
What have I learned?
What action will I take?
What further questions do I have?
Once these questions are investigated and whatever is being changed is seen as valuable, then the implementing change chart is a fantastic reference point. Are the following key components of change in place?
Vision
Skills
Incentives
Resources
Action Plan
During my years of teaching, particularly in my earlier days, I’ve seen a number of very worthwhile curriculum initiatives not get off the ground or disappear because one or more of the key drivers wasn’t in place. What could have and should have led to improved teaching and learning for students fell by the wayside.
Anyone impacted by change needs to share the vision, be mentored or professionally developed with the skills needed to implement the change/program, know the purpose/incentives i.e. improved learning for students, have the resources required, and a detailed plan to add to the resources overtime built into an action plan which directly addresses all key drivers.
The impact of not getting things right is detrimental to the sustainability and overall success of a program. It doesn’t mean that a program won’t happen, it will just not be as effective as it could be. I’ve experienced the false starts and frustration which happens when you know a program or resource is fantastic and you haven’t got it.
Quality resources are essential and can be addressed in an action plan, whole school planning, school budget and future planning. This year I’m presenting some resources for Cengage Learning and I’m delighted to be able to do this. It’s a casual role which I’ve taken on because I love their resources and have been using and writing about them by choice for a number of years, and now I am able to show and explain them to teachers.
The new PM Benchmark Reading Assessment Resource RAR system is fantastic. This morning I’ve been playing with the online assessment tools. To complete the reading assessment and have at the moment, point of need data for teachers and students to set their future learning goals is just going to save so much time and provide greater accuracy.
Student data, class data and school data can be accessed and exported for classroom and whole school planning. Most importantly the assessment goals can be unpacked by teachers in planning teams for Foundation to upper primary students. This is just one example of Cengage’s resources. Cengage are publishers so they can respond to the needs of teachers.
Cheers Nina
Nina Davis: Teaching & Learning in Australia 