Implementation: Learning Builds The Bridge Between Research and Practice
Implementation: Learning Builds The Bridge Between Research and Practice
Implementation: Learning Builds The Bridge Between Research and Practice
IMPLEMENTATION
Learning builds the bridge
between research and practice
By Gene E. Hall and Shirley M. Hord
52 JSD | www.learningforward.org
We are happy to join with Learning Forward in recognizing the imperative of implementation. The Implementation standard states: Professional learning that increases
educator effectiveness and results for all students applies
research on change and sustains support for implementation of professional learning for long-term change.
ASSURING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING
August 2011
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August 2011
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achieving
academic
goals. We
provide
three days
before the
beginning of
the school
year for
Aguilera
Zepeda
teachers
to attend district professional development based
on individualized plans. The professional learning is
supported in a variety of ways, from having a master
teacher go into a classroom to help the teacher with
materials to having master teachers model lessons.
The National Association for the Education of
Young Children has accredited San Luis Preschool and
created a video showing the school as a model for the
nation. The district has worked hard to demonstrate
how preschool teachers can incorporate a researchbased curriculum into a play-based philosophy while
taking into account factors such as English language
learners and children with special needs.
One of our primary areas of focus has been
English language learning. We are proud that, over
the last two years, more than 1,800 students learning
English were reclassified as English-fluent. Over the
last 10 years, the percentage of ELL students has
decreased in the district from 99% to 50% of our
student body. The keys to our progress are jobembedded professional development and our focus.
Its critical to stay focused on a few initiatives. The
district administrations role is to provide stability.
August 2011
Vol. 32 No. 4
Implementation
School Improvement
Change
Learning
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information should be provided. It also is important to be reassuring: You can do this. We are here to support you.
As implementers move fully onto the bridge, task concerns
become most intense: I am spending all my time organizing
materials and trying to schedule everything. These concerns
should be anticipated and addressed in the
implementation plan. How-to supports, including coaching and timeline projections,
When
should reflect the understanding that these
implementers
concerns can last several years.
make it across
When implementers make it across
the bridge, self
the bridge, self and task concerns should
and task concerns
decrease while impact concerns should inshould decrease
crease. I am seeing how my use of the these
while impact
standards is making a big difference in the
concerns should
knowledge and skills of teachers and school
increase.
leaders. You can now see the results in what
students are doing. How leaders address
the potential arousal of impact concerns can
make all the difference in ultimate implementation success and
effectiveness.
There are two other CBAM constructs and measures that
can be applied with the Implementation Bridge metaphor.
Innovation Configurations (IC) address the well-documented fact that each implementer does not necessarily use
the same operational form of the change. Those involved may
say they are using it, but what is in operation within each
classroom and school can be significantly different. In our first
study of this phenomenon, teachers in different states claimed
that they were team teaching. But the configurations of teaming
were quite different. The number of teachers (two to six), the
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JSD 55
56 JSD | www.learningforward.org
Another key theme in the Implementation standard is providing constructive feedback. Providing feedback about how the
change process is unfolding is important. Each of the CBAM
diagnostic dimensions described here can be used to measure
how far across the Implementation Bridge each teacher, school,
or district has progressed. The same constructs and data should
be used as feedback to leaders and implementers. These data can
be used to plan next steps for making further implementation
progress. These data also can be used in reports about implementation progress. In addition, these same data can be used in
summative evaluations that relate the extent of implementation
to outcomes.
Assessing implementation at regular intervals and providing
feedback to all participants are important keys to implementation success.
SUSTAINING CHANGE BEYOND IMPLEMENTATION
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Implementation
IMPLEMENTATION BRIDGE
Stages of Concern
Levels of Use
Innovation Configurations
Low levels of
High levels of
implementation implementation
CURRENT
PRACTICES
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NEW
PRACTICES
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