Transcript Theories of Action: What are they, why are they important, and how are they created? January 2015 Office of Student and School Success, OSPI Travis.

Theories of Action: What are they,
why are they important, and
how are they created?
January 2015
Office of Student and School Success, OSPI
Travis Campbell, Director
Chriss Burgess, District Improvement Specialist
Sue Cohn, School Improvement Specialist
Agenda
Intended Audience: Success Coaches and
Educational Service District Leaders
• Welcome & Goals
• Theories of Action:
• What are they?
• Why are they important?
• How are they created?
• Next Steps
Bill Wagner / The Daily News
Monticello “Success Night”
Goals
Participants will have clear
understanding of:
• The concept of “Theories of Action”:
Definition
Why they’re important
Examples
Steps to create/revise
• Reasons Success Coaches create a Portfolio anchored
in their Theory of Action.
• Next steps and supports.
Theories of Action: What are they, and
why are they important?
• Stories based on evidence that tell the specific
steps that will be taken to achieve a desired
outcome*.
• Offer Success Coaches a way to plan, clarify, and
think critically about the assumptions that may
underlie their work*.
(*From Center for Educational Leadership)
Building out the Story Line…
If we...
(Actions)
Then we impact...
(Specific leader or
teacher practices)
Which results in ...
(Improved student
outcomes and educator
practice)
If we (action or evidence-based strategy)…
then we impact (educator practice)…
which results in (improvements in student learning).
Examples for Our Schools
• If we adopt a new literacy curriculum, then
we impact the content with which
teachers and students interact, which will
result in students becoming stronger
readers and writers.
• If we provide professional development
aligned with our instructional framework,
then we impact classroom practice, which
will result in improved student learning.
Theory of Action: A Coach Perspective
If I...
(Coaching Moves)
Then I impact...
(Specific leader or
teacher practice)
Which results in ...
(Improved student
outcomes and educator
practice)
If we (coaching move - action or evidence-based
strategy)…
then we impact (educator practice)…
which results in (improvements in student learning).
Example for Success Coaches
If I engage the principal in:
• Providing and participating in professional
development around these classroom
practices AND
• Conducting weekly learning walks focused on
evidence-based classroom practices (e.g.,
engaging students in the content) AND
• Analyzing data around those practices.
Example for Success Coaches Cont.
Then I impact
(a) The principal’s capacity to keep a focus on
instructional improvement AND
(b) The principal’s and teachers’ knowledge
and skills to effectively implement these
evidence-based practices.
Which will result in improvements in student
learning and educator practice and closing
achievement gaps.
Theories of Action:
How are they created?
Step 1: Assess Need for Change
What is the problem of learning for our students?
Data Analysis – Disproportionalities in:
• Graduation rates
• Course-taking patterns and grades
• Discipline resulting in out-of-school time
Learning Walks:
• Culture of work (compliance)
• Students struggling to describe the importance of
what they’re learning, connections outside the
classroom, and how they will know if they’ve
mastered the content
Step 2: Identify Problems of Practice
What is the problem of practice for teaching?
• Learning targets neither explained nor posted
• Students given low-level tasks to complete
• Students aren’t engaging in high-level discourse
• Teachers rarely check for understanding among all students
What is the problem of practice for leading?
• Learning walks conducted infrequently; minimal feedback provided
• Conversations with teachers about their practices occur during
observation cycle only
• PD not focused on schoolwide problems of practice
• Minimal time for teacher collaboration
• Low expectations for gathering evidence around student learning
Step 3: Select Coaching Strategies
(Interventions) &
Craft Theory of Action (Plan)
Theory of Action:
Leadership Coach Perspective
Theory of Action:
Instructional Coach Perspective
Step 4: Implement, Monitor, & Revise
Theory of Action
Why do we ask coaches to anchor the
Portfolio in their Theory of Action?
• Enables coaches to tell the story of their coaching
moves and the impact of those moves on educator
practices.
• Supports coaches to learn how other coaches
approached problems of learning and practice in
their schools
• Increases OSSS understanding of problems of practice
in Priority and Focus schools across the state and the
theories of action coaches employ to address those
problems of practice.
• Satisfy deliverable in their contract.
Next Steps
Access Resources:
• Center for Educational Leadership (CEL) Webinar: "What’s
Your Theory of Action? How Effective School Leaders Plan for
Improvement” (recorded December 10, 2014). The link to the
presentation: http://info.k-12leadership.org/webinar-whatis-your-theory-of-action-how-effective-school-leaders-planfor-improvement.
• Foundations for Equity (See Assignment #1 for Success
Coaches for September Regional Improvement Network
meeting)
• Abeo Website: “What’s a theory of action and why do we
need one?” (http://www.abeoschoolchange.org/blog/whatsa-theory-of-action-and-why-do-we-need-one/).
Thank you!