Transcript Slide 1

Ellen Goldring
Peabody College,
Vanderbilt University
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Why Professional Principal Preparation?
◦ Theory of Change
◦ Goals
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How Principal’s Learn and Program Delivery
◦ Bridging Theory to Practice
◦ Tools for Learning and Practice
◦ Challenged Based Learning Modules
Why Professional Preparation:
Conception of How Professional
Preparation Influence Outcomes
for Schools
Professional
Training and
Preparation,
Professional
Development
Leader
Background
School context:
Student & Faculty
characteristics
Leadership
practice &
knowledge &
Skills
Teachers
learning’
opportunities
&
instructional
improvement
efforts;
school
culture
Student
Outcomes
Achievement
The program’s purpose is to develop principals who are
committed to and knowledgeable about, and can
implement the following goals:
1. Embracing research-based ideas about good
learning,
2. Recognizing high quality teaching and knowing how
to sustain and nurture it, identifying what gets in the way
of excellent teaching, and knowing what to do about it,
3. Data-based decision making,
4. Leading through vision and knowing how to work with
their teachers to develop a clear sense of direction for
their schools and a strategy to effect change,
5. Working effectively as part of a team to develop and
implement strategy, and
6. Viewing change as a process and a shared activity
requiring the support and understanding of a broad
group of constituents that includes community leaders,
school staff, parents, and students, the school board, the
superintendent and central office staff.
Professional Preparation is part of a
System for Overall Reform
Policy Levers
1. Standards
2. High quality personnel
preparation
3. Personnel licensure and
assessments
4. Ongoing professional
development
5. Incentives and personnel
policies
6. Conditions of work
7. System evaluation and
assessments
High Quality
Schooling
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Opportunities to learn
High quality instruction
High quality curriculum
School instructional
leadership
Data systems: Monitoring
progress and accountability
Personalized learning
cultures
Coordination: Home,
community, and school
Professional culture
Educational Research and
HOW
The Traditional Approach: Theory Bridged
to Practice
Innovative Approach: Integration & Strategic
Connection
Performance Based Assessment & Feedback
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Prompt thinking and action
Constrain and enable thinking and action
in particular ways across settings and over
time
Help negotiate which actions to take
toward meeting specified goals
Specify parameters of acceptable conduct
Communicate about norms of behavior
(Brown, 1989;1991; Honig, 2008)
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Conceptual: New forms of thinking and
new knowledge
◦ Principles, frameworks, ideas
 Instructional leader, decision making, autonomy,
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Practical tools: New action
◦ Change practices, strategies, utility in context
 Leadership Assessment Tool
 School Improvement Planning Guide
 Teacher Observation Rubric
The Teaching & Learning
Continuum
TRADITIONAL
CLASS
WORK
AUTHENTIC
IMMERSIVE
ACTIVITY
To Facilitate Learning That
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Is based in real-world challenges.
Activates existing knowledge as a foundation
for new knowledge.
Demonstrates to and with the learner the new
knowledge.
Helps the learner apply the new knowledge.
Helps the learner integrate this new knowledge
into his/her school setting.
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Challenges are simulated problems or dilemmas that focus on
realistic, day-to-day issues, events, and scenarios that school
principals confront
Learning primarily take place through carefully crafted ‘challenges’.
The challenges are deliberately designed to enable participants to
learn how to assess a situation, determine what they already know
and what they will need to know,
and to learn how to identify and utilize sources of knowledge, skill
and values that will enable them to wrestle with challenges
productively.
Familiarizes learners with situations and problems they will
encounter outside the classroom
Aims to prevent inert knowledge and promote transfer of learning by
integrating content knowledge with problem solving
Challenge Learning Cycle
Students post and discuss their initial thoughts
about the challenge This serves to 1) surface
students’ predispositions, 2) alert others to
the different ways one might understand and
address the problems involved 3) helps the
instructor to identify teaching opportunities
and challenges.
Related research: generative learning
(Wittrock), eliciting prior knowledge (Gagné),
avoiding inert knowledge (Whitehead); social
constructivism (Cole, Resnick); advanced
organizers (Ausubel); setting personal goals
for understanding (Alexander).
Students examine and compare a
range of perspectives and learning
resources related to the problems to
be solved.
Related research: multiple
representations-cognitive flexibility
(Spiro); constructivism
(Bruner); contrasting cases
(Bransford & Schwartz); expertise,
knowledge in depth (Alexander)
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Discussion of research by leading scholars (on
DVD)
Commentary on effective practice by
distinguished educators (QuickTime on DVD)
Texts, reports and articles (print and on-line)
Examples of effective practice (web and DVD)
Selected web sites
Structured opportunities to interact with other
students and the instructor on-line
Students take a brief examination on the
content of the learning resources they
were provided in order to hold them
accountable and to increase the chance
that student discussions to follow are
informed. The instructor evaluates and
provides rubrics that allow students to
self-evaluate.
Related research: Embedded assessment
(Wiggins);scaffolding (Vygotsky);
The response to the challenge involves two
steps, both of which include interaction
among students and between students and
the instructor:
1. An open-ended discussion of a critical
issue related to the challenge.
2. A draft and, following discussion, a
redraft of the “final” response to the
challenge.
Related Research: authentic audiences and
emerging understandings, (Vygotsky, Lave);
social constructivism (Brown)
Each course requires students to use
what they have learned from the
course modules to solve an authentic
problem in a school setting. For
example, students must assess the
adequacy of services being provided
students with disabilities and
recommend strategies for
improvement based on research and
noting the potential barriers to
implementation.
To wrap up each course, students are asked to
reflect, in writing, on what and how they have
learned focusing on the differences between their
initial thoughts (which they have posted) and
their later responses to the challenges.
Related Research: reflective practice (Schön);
the development of metacognitive skills
(Bransford,et al.)
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http://iris.peabody.vanderbilt.edu/fid/challenge.htm
Learner-Centered
 Assessment-Centered
 Knowledge-Centered
 Community-Centered
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People construct new knowledge and
understanding based upon that they
already know and believe. Learning must
address participants’ preconceived ideas
and knowledge.
◦ What I learned connects well with what I know
already.
◦ I learned how to solve real-life problems.
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Can’t just start and stay where the learner
is but need content—a body of knowledge.
Access to multiple opportunities for learners
to experience using foundational knowledge
to solve problems.
◦ Simulated participants to intellectual effort
beyond that required by most professional
development.
◦ Encouraged participants to use multiple resources
to improve their understanding
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Learning occurs in supportive settings
that are structured to value certain
norms that promote learning.
Determine what learning is valued
◦ Asked participants to help each other to
understand ideas or concepts.
◦ Formed "discussion groups" to facilitate
learning.
◦ Asked participants to share ideas and
experiences with others whose backgrounds
and viewpoints differ from their own.
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Provides feedback so learners can revise
their thinking and problem solving
approaches.
Opportunities for self assessment
◦ I got feedback about my performance that helped
me to improve my thinking or understanding of
the subject area
◦ I was encouraged to evaluate my work.
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Depth of new insights
Reference to a much wider array of
knowledge
Use of more ‘expert’ terminology
Use of knowledge
More relevant ideas
Focused ideas
Not rote learning, but interpreting the
information and connecting it to problems
at hand
Language is solution focused-action
oriented
Participants see new knowledge as tools
for solving problems