Systemic Change – What does it mean to you?

What is systemic change?  What would it look like in a large urban school district?

SDUSD is in the process of undergoing a systemic change as the updates outlined by proposition S are planned and implemented throughout the district.  In order to identify how key individuals view systemic change, I interviewed four key individuals in the district.  Some were classroom teachers who are likely to be leaders as Prop S roles out, and others were central office staff who will likely be involved in facilitating the implementation.  Each individual was simply asked to define systemic change.

Here are some of the definitions that came up (they are nearly verbatim):

#1: it’s holistic.  It happens when a large organization makes a series of changes that are interrelated and are all focused on bringing about a single change or set of changes.  It should start from those with the vision for change, and then begin to create buy-in from the key stakeholders

Change we can believe in

#2: The outcome would truly be pervasive, omnipresent from kindergarten through 12th grade.  Every staff member would be a part of whatever that systemic process was.  The change should touch every student and every staff member.  All stakeholders should be a part of the process to make that outcome happen.

#3: change that starts in the center and goes out.  It changes the dynamics of the system and how it works.

#4: a change that takes ownership of itself over time: it remains after the change-agent is no longer present.  To have systemic change, you would need an ongoing plan with support and resources available.  Most effective when not top down, but facilitated by key people so that the mass is what ends of driving the change because they see the value.  They were included in the process and a part of creating that process over time.

Each of these reveal something about the interviewee’s take on who should be involved in the process.  Some responses such as #1 and #3 indicate that change should begin with a small cadre of individuals who create the vision.  Once that is established the vision is implemented and slowly spreads out.  In contrast, the responses of interviewee #2 and #4 indicate that they place a high value on all stakeholders being involved from the outset of the change.  These two pictures of how the change will be developed and implemented are quite different and but are not mutually exclusive.  In a large district like SDUSD, it would be virtually impossible to have all stakeholders involved in the process from the beginning.  However, it would make quite a bit of sense to organize a cadre of individuals that can speak for each of the major stakeholder groups.  This blend of these two perspectives would help to develop an agent for change that will consider the needs, limitations, strengths, and desires of all key inviduals.  Having this diversity of perspectives involved would help the group avoid major pitfalls that can occur when those involved in the planning are not well enough informed about how the elements of the system is interrelated and interdependent.

The Importance of the Teacher in Transforming Education

The video, A Nation in Crisis: America[s Education System is Broken makes the argument that education is failing our youth, which I don't think many people would disagree with.  With increased globalization, our students need to be able to compete not just with their neighbors but with people they've never met in countries across the world.  "We are squandering a national resource," the brains and talent of our youth, with an educational system that is entrenched in tradition that is unable to adapt to the new realities of the 21st century.  The new global workforce needs to develop 21st century skills and be able to adapt and learn continuously, and our schools are simply not developing these abilities in students.

The video provides a powerful motivation for change, but does not outline a solution.  What will education that inspires students and develops the ability to change and shift look like?  What will the role of the teacher be in this new paradigm?  What is it that we need to do differently?

In a previous post, I present a worry I have about one view of the teacher role in any new paradigm.  Some people who adhere to the Plugged in Vision (PIV) for educational reform (hopefully a minority) believe that the teacher should facilitate education in a very narrow sense.  They see the teacher as simply a coordinator of the students’ experience with pre-made online curriculum.  On this model, software is selected for each subject and students work through the software at their own pace with the teacher monitoring and assisting as needed.  In my previous post I presented some of my concerns with this model.  But in regard to the teacher role, I believe this model represents a very impoverished view of the teacher role.  Teachers would not teach; they would manage.  A view of the teacher that I much prefer is presented in the video Networked Student.

In this video the teacher is vital to the learning in an environment where connections are what is important.  On this model, students learn from each other and by those outside of the classroom that are grappling with the same issues.  They evaluate and share resources, discuss both in web environments and in person.  They work together to construct meaning through connectivism.  As a final product they present their learning in wikis or other media so that their learning is shared with others.

In this much more robust vision of 21st century learner, the teacher is:

• Learning concierge
• Modeler
• Learning architect
• Connected learning incubator
• Network sherpa
• Change agent
• Synthesizer

His/her role is critical in guiding student learning.  To be proficient in this new role, teachers will need to be highly skilled in content, in web 2.0 technology, and in facilitating cooperation, discussion, and interaction.

The only question is whether the vision of 21st century learning outlined by the Networked Student video will resolve the problems presented in the A Nation in Crisis: America[s Education System is Broken.

Focused on the Wrong Things

Why are we always focused on the wrong things?  Okay, by we, I mean me, and by always, I mean mostly.  That way I avoid a bit of hyperbole.  But here’s the point:

Just like Kip, I love technology.  It is so exciting – thinking about what’s possible now and what soon will be possible.  Take for example several of the things that have been presented at TED that have gotten so much attention of late.  Here are a few I’ve been amazed by:

• David Merrill: Siftables, the toy blocks that think
• Pattie Maes & Pranav Mistry: Unveiling the “Sixth Sense,” game-changing wearable tech

As I watched these videos, my jaw dropped.  I began to think about this amazing new world that was on the horizon (that hopefully won’t include precrime units – despite the reference to Minority Report in the 6th sense presentation).  I reveled in the possibilities for a awhile.  I would love to be able to take a picture with my fingers.  How great would it be for my son to learn math using siftable manipulatives.  What else is coming?  Wow!

Then suddenly I felt morose.  It was rather sudden, and perhaps I’m simply moody because I’m not feeling well, but my response to these technologies changed instantly.  The greatest minds in the world are developing gadgets to make our lives easier, help us learn more efficiently, have fun, but at the end of the day, these inventions, that are like mental candy to me, don’t address the greatest problems that humanity faces.  They’re just really cool.  But what about the problems that really plague us?

• crime
• poverty
• climate change
• materialism/wastefulness
• moments we probably all experience at times where recognition of our differences is used to justify hate, fear, and worse
• ignorance and lack of clear thinking and perspective

As much as I love these amazing toys that illustrate the best of human ingenuity and flexible thinking, I want the worlds greatest minds to focus on bringing the kind of change to the world that really matters!  Maybe I’m being short-sided and I’m not being flexible enough in my thinking to see how these tools and gadgets can bring about meaningful change.  Anyone got any examples of amazing innovations that address some of the problems with more gravitas to cheer me up?

Despite my rant above, I’m not meaning to pick on the two presentations above.  They are two of the most amazing innovations I’ve ever seen.  I am in awe.  They just happened to be the catalyst for my rant.  

Why are we always focused on the wrong things?   (Ok, maybe I didn’t just mean me)