Innovative Designs for

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Innovative Designs for Enhancing Achievements
in Schools (IDEAS)
http//ideas.usq.edu.au/
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This presentation is intended to enable
principals, teachers and school communities to
make a decision about a commitment to engage in
the IDEAS process.
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IDEAS A developmental project of the Leadership
Research (LRI), University of Southern
Queensland
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The IDEAS VisionTo inspire IDEAS schools to
engage in a journey of self-discovery which will
ensure that they achieve sustainable excellence
in teaching and learning.
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• What is IDEAS?
• A process for positioning schools for the future
• A process of enhancing learning outcomes by
  valuing the work of teachers and their classrooms
• A process that enables alignment between the work
  of teachers in classrooms and the schools
  strategic purpose

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• What might your school gain?
• An enhanced focus on the practice of teaching
• A heightened sense of identity and purpose
  through the development of a distinctive
  schoolwide pedagogy
• Alignment with systems initiatives, enabling the
  school to articulate its uniqueness and emphasise
  classroom achievements and successes
• A strengthening of the schools professional
  community

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• Who is involved?
• Teaching staff
• The school community parents and students
• The broader school community

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• IDEAS expands to include schools beyond the local
  context .
• 2002/2003 Australian Government (DEST) supports a
  National Trial involving 12 schools in three
  Australian school jurisdictions (WA, NSW and ACT)
• 2003/2004 Development of Clusters in Toowoomba,
  Cairns, Rockhampton and Brisbane coordinated by a
  local state school district facilitator
• 2004/2005 Research project established with
  National Institute of Education (NIE) in
  Singapore tracing the implementation of IDEAS
  in three schools in Singapore (Marymount Convent,
  West Grove Primary and Woodlands Secondary
  College)

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• IDEAS expands to include schools beyond the local
  context .
• 2005 onward
• 4 Queensland school clusters located in Greater
  Brisbane, Laidley District, North Queensland and
  Toowoomba
• 34 Schools in Victoria
• 36 schools in Western Australia (Secondary
  Primary state and Catholic)
• 58 schools in Sydney CEO
• 10 schools in Toowoomba CEO
• 15 schools in Canberra CEO and
• A number of independent schools (Canberra,
  Sydney).

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• IDEAS Key Components
• An Aligned Organisation - The Research-based
  Framework (RBF) for Organisational Alignment
• The ideas process
• Parallel leadership
• Three-dimensional Pedagogy (3-D.P.)

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IDEAS is based on significant research from
America, Australia and Hong Kong There are
compelling research conclusions
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American Research The most successful schools
were those that used restructuring tools to help
them function as professional communities. That
is, they found a way to channel staff and student
efforts toward a clear, commonly shared purpose
for student learning they created opportunities
for teachers to collaborate and help one another
achieve the purpose and teachers in these
schools took collective not just individual
responsibility for student learning. Schools with
strong professional communities were better able
to offer authentic pedagogy and were more
effective in promoting student achievement. N
ewmann and Wehlage 1995
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• Australian Research
• Professor Peter Cuttance, University of Sydney
  states
• International and Australian research has now
  conclusively demonstrated that differences in the
  effectiveness of classroom practice are about
  four times more important than differences
  between schools in explaining the variation in
  achievement among students ...
• A large proportion (40) of the variation in
  student learning outcomes is associated with
  variation in the quality of teaching in
  individual classrooms, compared to a small
  proportion (10) that is attributable to
  difference between schools
• the remaining 50 of variation in student
  learning outcomes is associated with differences
  between students (differences in ability,
  attitudes, esteem, aspirations, disposition to
  work, etc).

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ARC Research of Crowther et al. Processes that
Enable School ImprovementSuccessful School
Revitalisation The IDEAS way
Crowther Andrews, ARC Research Report (2003)
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Australian research (cont.) in a study of
selected Australian schools that initiated and
sustained significant improvement in student
achievement it was conclusive that parallel
leadership activates three processes that enable
improvements to occur. The processes are
schoolwide learning, culture building and a
schoolwide approach to pedagogy. (Crowther,
Hann McMaster, 2001)
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• Cooperative Research Project Victoria 1998
• Caldwell (1998) stated that the benefits of
  school improvement relate to improved curriculum
  and learning, curriculum support and initiatives,
  planning and resource allocation, more focused
  objectives and school purpose, professional and
  personal benefits.

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• Whole structure strategy Cheng 1998
• Cheng generated a whole structure strategy for
  teacher effectiveness that encompassed affective,
  cognitive and behavioural domains and extends
  across individual, group and school levels.
• There needs to be a congruence in school
  processes that enables mutually supportive roles,
  consistency in values and compatibility of
  technologies and culture.

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Recent Research Publications

• 2009 - A longitudinal study of 22 Victorian
  schools tracked over 4 years (Andrews
  Associates, http//ideas.usq.edu.au/Portals/1/docs
  /Open20site/Vic_research_sept20FINAL.pdf)
• 2011 From School Improvement to Sustained
  Capacity Crowther Associates (Corwin Press)

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CAPACITY BUILDING SUSTAINABILITY

• There is no chance that large-scale reform will
  happen, let alone stick, unless capacity building
  is a central component of the strategy (Fullan,
  2005)

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School Success -

• in agreed priority areas,
• is based on documented
• evidence, and
• teachers confidence in their
• schools capacity to sustain its
• achievements into the future.

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Our Research Dynamics of Capacity-Building
COSMIC C-B MODEL
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Explaining success in Victorias
IDEAS Project schools, 2004-2008 A
QUICK ANSWER

• ----------------
• ___________
• Enhanced
• pedagogical
• practice

• -----------------
• __________
• Heightened
• professional
• trust and
• schoolwide
• responsibility

--------------- ___________ Improved stu
dent engagement and learning
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Cosmic Model- HOW to achieve and sustain
improvement in the face of changing

• times
• circumstances
• external priorities
• People teachers, Principal

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Capacities

• Social Capital parallel leadership
  professional relationships (trust, respect,
  shared responsibility) student well-being
  (engagement, pride).
• Intellectual Capital student achievement
  school vision values Schoolwide pedagogy
  (SWP) improvement processes.
• Organisational Capital shared input into
  planning processes resourcing linked to SWP
  internal and external linkages.

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Key component The Research-based Framework for
Organisational Alignment
Holistic Professional Learning
This research-based framework is grounded in
extensive research in schools. All these
elements need to align for significant success to
occur.
Strategic Foundations
OUTCOMES
Cohesive Community
OUTCOMES
Generative Resource Design
Schoolwide Pedagogical Development Deepening
Holistic Professional learning
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How tuneful is your school?
Flat? Discordant? Melodious? Lullaby? Stirring?
Virtuoso?
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HOLISTIC PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

• STRATEGIC
• FOUNDATIONS
• Is the school vision clear?
• Is leadership distributed

• COHESIVE
• COMMUNITY
• Is the community supportive?
• Do staff assume collective responsibility?

• SCHOOL
• OUTCOMES
• What have students achieved?
• What new knowledge has the staff created?

HOLISTIC PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
HOLISTIC PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
GENERATIVE RESOURCE DESIGN Is the use of
space, time and technology reflective of the
school vision?
SCHOOLWIDE PEDAGOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND
DEEPENING Do teachers have a shared understanding
of successful pedagogy?
HOLISTIC PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
A Research-based Framework for Organisational
Alignment (LRI IDEAS Team, March 2010)
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• Alignment ..
• An organisation is like a tune it is not
  constituted by individual sounds but by the
  relations between them.
• (Drucker, 1946, p.26)

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The Principle of Alignment in the Research-based
Framework This principle asserts that schools
that have generated both depth and integration
across the elements of the organisation
Research-based Framework have been found to
produce enhanced sense of identity and greater
capacity to pursue high expectations for student
achievement. (Crowther et al. 2001)
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• Using the Framework comments from schools
• An IDEAS school establishes its own benchmarks
  for the RBF elements and future outcomes.
• Schools working with IDEAS have used the RBF for
  strategic planning.
• The Framework is an interesting concept. The more
  you use it the more layers you uncover to help
  explain and understand the complexities of school
  life.
• Teachers readily interact with the dimensions of
  the Framework. It is highly discussible.

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Diagnostic Inventory of School Alignment

• Diagnostic Analysis Tool a survey designed to
  report on your schools tunefulness refer to
  DISA
• http//www.acelleadership.org.au/diagnostic-invent
  ory-school-alignment-disa

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Key component The ideas process
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The five phases of the ideas process
initiating How will we manage the process?
Who will facilitate the process? Who will
record our history of the journey? discovering Wh
at are we doing that is most successful? What
is not working as well as we would like it
to? envisioning What do we hope our school will
look like in the future? What is our
conceptualisation of schoolwide
pedagogy? actioning How will we create a
tripartite action plan? How will we work
towards the alignment of key school elements and
processes? sustaining What progress have we
made towards schoolwide pedagogy? What school
practices are succeeding and how can we expand
them?
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The ideas process

• recognises the equivalence of teacher leadership
  and principal leadership in achieving school
  success
• acknowledges that school improvement can only
  occur if two concurrent and inter-related
  processes are in place strategic planning and a
  process to create school wide professional
  learning
• requires the management of the process by a
  representative school team
• provides for school-based facilitation with
  USQ/DETA support
• requires schools to manage their own resources
  e.g. time and
• encourages schools to operate in a no blame
  culture.

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IDEAS Principles of Practice
Principle 1 Teachers are the key Principle 2
Professional Learning is key to professional
revitalisation Principle 3 Success breeds
success Principle 4 No Blame Principle 5
Alignment of school processes is a collective
school responsibility
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IDEAS Principles of Practice
Principle 1 Teachers are the key Principle
2 Professional learning is key to professional
revitalisation Principle 3 Success breeds
success Principle 4 No Blame Principle 5
Alignment of school processes is a collective
school responsibility
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recognises the capability of teachers as leaders
and emphasises principals strategic roles and
responsibilities
Key component parallel leadership

• It is based in four qualities
• mutual trust and mutual respect
• shared sense of purpose and
• allowance for individual expression.
• appreciation for the importance of creating
  school
• successes in the context of systemic goals
  and
• priorities.

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• Our research is conclusive that shared
  responsibility for school outcomes, involving
  teachers and principals in mutualistic leadership
  relationships, is a vital key to successful
  school improvement.
• Frank Crowther 2001
• Parallel leadership is the central concept the
  principal can step outside the safety zone and
  teachers learn leadership skills that enable them
  to influence others.
• Lesley Bath, Teacher Leader, Walkervale State
  School

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A Diagrammatic Representation of Principal and
Teacher Leader Influences in Capacity-Building

PRINCIPAL
C O S M I
C
TEACHER LEADER
Legend Degree of influence
Greatest Least
Crowther Associates, 2011
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IDEAS Teacher leaders reflect ...

• Teacher leadership underpinned the successful
  development of our schoolwide pedagogy. My role
  has been to provide expertise, to enthuse and to
  work with teaching teams to integrate our vision
  and schoolwide pedagogy into the core business of
  teaching and learning at our school
• Leasa Smith, Currimundi State School
• The ideas process has given the teachers the
  opportunity to have valued input into the future
  direction of the school.
• Deborah Boesten, Beerwah State High School.

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The role of the principal in enabling parallel
leadership

• Communicates a clear strategic intent
• Incorporates the aspirations and views of others
• Poses difficult-to-answer questions
• Makes space for individual innovation
• Knows when to step back
• Creates opportunities from perceived difficulties
• Builds upon achievements to create a culture of
  success
• Crowther, Kaagan, Hann Ferguson (2002)

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Principals reflect on parallel leadership

• I had to be prepared to live and breathe the
  vision and values that were emerging in the staff
  development. I had to demonstrate trust by
  nurturing the good work of the IDEAS process.
• I had to step back and let others take the lead.
  For example, the middle school teachers were
  given the responsibility for building the
  curriculum in a shared situation... they were
  given the responsibility and developed parallel
  leadership.
• (Principal, Beerwah SHS, 2003)

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Principals reflect on parallel leadership
I saw IDEAS would provide opportunities for
staff to engage in a process of school
improvement. I was able to step back and let
others take the lead but I also needed to open up
dialogue about our preferred future. Also as
circumstances changed I was able to reorganise
resourcing to bring in new staff and provide
time and space for the sharing to
happen. Principal , Currimundi State School.
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• Key roles in the process
• School based facilitators
• School IDEAS Management Team (ISMT)
• Cluster Coordinator (systems level staff)
• IDEAS Core Team USQ Staff

Note Cluster coordinators are not always in
place
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• Optimal school achievement occurs when
• teachers and administration team share leadership
  responsibilities
• the schools vision is clearly focused on shared,
  concrete aspirations
• school development emphasises the creation of
  schoolwide pedagogy and the alignment of vision
  and schoolwide pedagogy and
• systemic services are available when required to
  support school priorities.

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IDEAS School Management Team

• Composition Preferably a voluntary
  representative group including the facilitator, a
  scribe and other stakeholders including classroom
  teachers, administration, middle management and
  parents.
• This group provides
• Representation (represents the community in the
  process)
• Communication (documents the process, prepares
  and publishes the reports, provides information
  and readings)
• Planning (facilitates workshops and develops an
  action plan for the process)
• Networking (with other schools and districts)
• Advocacy (on behalf of teachers and students)
  and
• Development (of teacher leaders).

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School-based facilitator(s) reflect on their role
My role has been to inform the staff on the
process and steer the process to keep the
momentum going. My greatest challenge was to
engage the staff in the process.
Not everyone got involved. A critical mass of us
have created new images and symbols that have
changed how we think of ourselves. The ISMT
became a sorting strategy before staff meetings.
Staff meetings have become forums for sharing
successes.
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A Cluster Coordinator comments..

• As a cluster coordinator I have observed members
  of the cluster develop a growing realisation that
  together they can learn from sharing experiences
  in working with IDEAS.
• In cluster meetings and informally, the IDEAS
  school-based management team members have shared
  their successes, their frustrations and their
  challenges and in so doing they have inspired
  each other!
• Schools Cluster Coordinator

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A principal reflects

• The IDEAS Project reinforced for me the need to
  promote a culture of teacher leadership in order
  to achieve real long-term reform where it matters
  that is, in the classroom. To achieve improved
  student learning outcomes, teachers need to be
  engaged in professional dialogue about their
  teaching. The role of facilitator is key and that
  person needs to be enthusiastic, influential and
  assertive.
• The role of the principal is to nurture an
  environment where teachers are encouraged and
  feel safe about sharing what works and what does
  not work and to provide ongoing support for the
  facilitator.
• Principal, State High School

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A principal reflects

• The IDEAS research-based framework provided a
  scaffold for reflection on the elements which are
  critical to establishing worlds best practice in
  schools. When combined with the comprehensive
  data provided by the Diagnostic Inventory and the
  ideas process we were able to conduct meaningful
  dialogue within the school community about school
  cohesiveness, school community, classroom
  pedagogy and school policies, practices and
  procedures.
• The process has enabled our school to embark on a
  most exciting  school visioning experience. We
  now provide exciting and challenging curriculum
  experiences which are reflective of our school
  vision Riding the Waves to Success  and are
  understood and owned by our school community. The
  IDEAS project has enabled our school to indeed
  Ride the Waves to Success.
• Primary School Principal

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The IDEAS Support Team

• perceives successes are the impetus for school
  improvement
• views leadership as a shared responsibility
  (parallelism) and it is a creative process and
• recognises a unique professional relationship
  between educators who work in schools and in
  universities where the IDEAS support team work
  with schools to assist the school community to
  establish a desired future.

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The role of the IDEAS Support Team

• To engage school communities through processes of
  analysis and reflection, decision and action at
  key junctures in the process, namely
• Establishment
• Interpretation of diagnostic inventories
• Conceptualisation of schoolwide pedagogy and
• Implementation design.

• To cultivate ownership of the process by the
  school staff.

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The IDEAS Core Team as a resource

• Expert advice in the interpretation of
  diagnostic inventories, creation of schoolwide
  pedagogy and development of action plans on-site
  meetings with IDEAS School Management Teams
  (ISMT), school staff, community.
• Training of facilitators orientation seminars,
  cluster workshops.
• Resourcing facilitation folder, research
  articles, online advice.

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Criteria for nomination for IDEAS

• Time commitment of 4 semesters (2 years)
• School acceptance of responsibility for its own
  revitalisation with external support and
  facilitation
• Acceptance of the principle of parallel
  leadership and principles of practice
• Time allowance for facilitation and IDEAS School
  Management Team activities
• Budget allocations

Note schools are encouraged to complete a time
audit and provide meeting times by saving time
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The USQ IDEAS Core Team
Researchers, Authors and Consultants IDEAS
National Director - Dorothy Andrews IDEAS
Strategic Advisor - Frank Crowther IDEAS
Specialists - Mark Dawson, Joan Conway Support
Team Allan Morgan, Shauna Petersen, Lindy Abawi,
Marian Lewis
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The IDEAS Core Team
Back row from left Associate Professor Dorothy
Andrews, Emeritus Professor Frank Crowther,
Shauna Petersen, Dr Mark Dawson, Dr Allan Morgan,
Lindy Abawi Front row from left Dr Marian
Lewis, Dr Joan Conway
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• For further information, please contact
• Assoc. Prof. Dorothy Andrews
• Director - Leadership Research (LRI) and
• National Director of IDEAS
• University of Southern Queensland
• Phone [phone]
• Email andrewsd_at_usq.edu.au
• Marlene Barron
• Project Administrator
• University of Southern Queensland
• Phone [phone]
• Email barron_at_usq.edu.au

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Acknowledgements This PowerPoint presentation
was initially prepared by Dr Dorothy Andrews,
University of Southern Queensland Leadership
Research Institute IDEAS Team, October, 2005 and
updated May, 2011. Many thanks for
contributions from members of the LRI and
critical comments from IDEAS Facilitators and
IDEAS Support Team Members