Creating a Learning Community Vision

Dr. Deanne Magnusson

Department of Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development

University of Minnesota

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Leadership for Strategic Thinking: Creating A Future Oriented Institutional Vision

When visioning change, one might ask:

What is our preferred future? What do we want to be? What are our dreams? What is our mental image of what we want to be?

Need to be knowable in terms of research-based trends and practices

Visioning comes first in a strategic thinking and planning process.

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Key Components for Creating Vision

Beliefs guide the actions of all involved.

Beliefs are a key component of strategic thinking and planning.

Vision needs to reflect your values and beliefs.

Beliefs are value statements influenced by these factors:

– Historical, cultural, political, economic– “Best practice” educational factors

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Benefits of Visioning

• Identifies direction and purpose

• Promotes sharp focus

• Encourages openness to unique and creative solutions

• Builds loyalty (ownership) through involvement

Visioning:

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Criteria for Quality Vision Statements (Adapted from MN Principal Training Academy)

1. Is the vision statement simple and easy to interpret?

2. Can the vision be accomplished?

3. Is the vision focused on results and can it lead to accountability?

4. Is it measurable?

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5. Does the vision statement lend itself to developing a clear strategy for making the vision possible?

6. Will it lead to hard choices?

7. Is it worth fighting for?

“Successful transformation of vision rests on a picture of that future that is easy to communicate to stakeholders”

Criteria for Quality Vision Statements in Education (Adapted from MN Principals Academy)

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Assessing Your Vision Statement

Effective vision statements are:

Imaginable—convey what the future will look like

Desirable—appeal to long term interests of stakeholders

Feasible—lead to attainable goals

Focused—clear enough to provide guidance in decision-making

Flexible—general enough to allow for individual initiative and changing responses in view of changing conditions

Communicable—easy to communicate and explain

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Guidelines for Assessing Your Organization’s Vision Statement

• Will it lead to a better future for the organization?

• Does it fit with the organization’s history, culture and values?

• Does it set standards of excellence and reflect high ideals?

• Does it clarify direction?

• Does it inspire enthusiasm and encourage commitment?

• Is it ambitious enough?

Questions to ask:

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A Data-Driven Instructional Planning Framework

Shared understanding of essential learning outcomes

Community(ies) of instructional practice

Learning as a process and mastery of content and skills

Student work is continuously analyzed

and revised

Learning guided by “real world” themes, questions, issues and problems

Continuous inquiry data driven decision-making; use

of multiple measures

Goal alignment across grade, subject, programs,

etc.

Quality assurance; measurable accountability

indicators

Look For

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SWOC Analysis—A Strategic Thinking and Planning Framework : Digging the Data

The SWOC Analysis Process

Assess the situation: (Consider internal and external factors)

S = What are the strengths?

W = What are the gaps (weaknesses)?

O = What are our opportunities?

C = What are our challenges? What changes do we

want to make?

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Strengths Weaknesses

Challenges Opportunities

SWOC AnalysisStrategic Issue: _________________________________

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SWOC Analysis Benefits

• Enhances analysis of internal and external culture

• Assists in assessing relevance of vision and mission

• Enhances the ability to develop meaningful goals, teaching and learning outcomes

• Anticipates, identifies, prioritizes, focuses on key stakeholder expectations

The advantages of using a SWOC analysis process for data driven strategic thinking and planning:

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Leadership for Data Driven Planning and Decision-Making: Establishing SMART Goals

• Quality Assurance Indicators: Annual SMART goals

SS

MM

AA

TT

RR

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Results oriented

Timeline Completion

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• Data driven education leaders recognize that formalized goal setting can lead to improved student and institution outcomes.

• Example: Secondary School Student Performance SMART Goal

Leadership for Data Driven Planning and Decision-Making: Set Annual SMART Goals

The percentage of 10th grade students scoring at the 90th percentile on the national exam in mathematics will increase from 60% in spring 2010 to 80% in spring 2011.

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Optional Assignment:

Set a leadership SMART Goal for assessing or shaping the culture of your organization.

1. Set a SMART Goal for the integration of technology in your courses, education program area or institution, etc.

2. Set a SMART Goal for P16 public/ private sector or transnational partnerships.

3. Set a SMART Goal for international admissions to your institution.

4. Set a SMART Goal for staff development.

Leadership for Data Driven Planning and Decision-Making: Quality Assurance and Institutional Accountability

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???Do you think the goal will advance student learning for

the expected knowledge and skills to be achieved by students in 2015?

Reflective Questions

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Promote shared and distributive leadershipPromote shared and distributive leadership

Create shared visionCreate shared vision

Frame critical questions and challengesFrame critical questions and challenges

Use multiple data sources Use multiple data sources

Facilitate alignment of school, local school community, regional, national, and international policies, practices

Facilitate alignment of school, local school community, regional, national, and international policies, practices

Continuous School Improvement: Leadership for Data-Driven Planning and Decision-Making

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Creating A Data Driven School Performance Portfolio

Example Data

– Student learning outcomes – Curriculum standards – Instructional practices– Leadership and management– School culture norms

Note: Need national, regional, local alignment

GOALTranslate school vision into agreed upon data driven expectations, practices, and results

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What Gets Measured Gets done!

What is QUALITY?

Quality is Measurable

Quality is a Result