ibm reinventing education change toolkit

© 2003 IBM Corporation and Goodmeasure, Inc.October 2003

IBM Reinventing Education Change Toolkit

Sasha Dichter and Irv RichardsonIBM Corporate Community Relations

Reinventing Education Change Toolkit © 2003 IBM Corporation and Goodmeasure, Inc.

Table of contents

IBM Reinventing Education program background and introduction

The Reinventing Education Change ToolkitHistory and partnerships

Web site content

Fundamental Principals of Organizational ChangeUnderstanding and overcoming resistance to change

Four guiding principles

Conclusion


IBM Reinventing Education grant program

IBM’s primary philanthropic focus is on education for children aged 5-18

Program goal is to support school reform efforts and higher student achievement through the innovative use of technology.

Grant history:– Awarded to 25 locations in the U.S. (either school districts or

state Departments of Education) and 9 countries internationally

– Provided $70 million in grants since 1994


Reinventing Education 3

IBM’s third series of Reinventing Education Grants

Three components:– Change Toolkit – our focus today

– Teacher training: collaborations of school districts, colleges of education

– Data to improve instruction


Table of contents



Web site content



Conclusion


The IBM Reinventing Education Change Toolkit

The IBM Reinventing Education Change Toolkit is a Web site created by IBM to help education professionals be more effective at leading and implementing change.

Site access is free, but limited to individuals working in education for children aged 5-18.

The site homepage is: http://www.reinventingeducation.org


The partnership behind the Change Toolkit

The Change Toolkit was created through a collaborative effort involving:

– IBM Reinventing Education project

– Harvard Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter

– Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)

– National Association of Elementary and Secondary School Principals (NAESP and NASSP)


Harvard Professor Rosabeth Moss Kanter

Internationally renowned expert on organizations, change and strategy

Arbuckle Professor, Harvard Business School

Recipient of many honors– 21 honorary doctoral degrees, 12 national

leadership awards

– Named one of world’s 50 most powerful women by The Times (London)

– Author of 15 books and more than 300 articles

Rosabeth Moss Kanter


Table of contents



Web site content



Conclusion


Change Toolkit homepage


Content of the Change Toolkit

Focuses on effective structural change and good process.

Content on change management does not focus on specific educational practices.

The school improvement section of the Change Toolkit Web site focuses on school improvement issues, such as:

– Alignment

– Quality teaching

– Data-driven decision-making


Some sample projects

Creating a district improvement plan

Moving a district to a standards-based education system

Leadership development in the context of Baldrige standards

Expanding site-based management across a district

Data analysis for student performance


Change Wheel: how to get systemic change rolling


Example of Background tool Web page


Example of a diagnostic tool Web page


Example of an action tool Web page


Change Masters: seven skills exhibited by successful change agents


Change Fundamentals: building blocks for change initiatives


School Improvement Web page


Project discussion Web page


Planning tools

The Change Toolkit contains planning tools for your projects.

These are basic tools – not intended for full-scale project management.

The tools are:– Meeting minutes

– To-Do list

– Communication plan

– Glossary

– Lessons learned


Table of contents



Web site content



Conclusion


The challenge of educational improvement

The turbulent social and economic environment and new education standards are forcing schools to change.

This requires:– Immediate and effective action and adjustment

– Schools designed to be inherently adaptive

– More empowered people, with new leadership skills at every level

– Ongoing innovation and change, not one-off change efforts

– A rich culture of creativity and initiative


The challenge of educational improvement

No Child Left Behind

ESEA

Shortage of Special Education educators– 1999-2000 12,000 unfilled openings or openings filled with

substitutes

Placement of students with disabilities in regular classroom- 75% of all students with disabilities spend 40% or more of their

school day in general education

- General educators have an average of 3.5 special education students assigned to their classes


Reasons for change fatigue

Details matter: General principles are not enough to guide effective action.

Balancing alignment (common direction) and autonomy (local flexibility) is necessary and difficult.

Organizations typically do as little as they must to change, rather than as much as they should.


Reasons for change fatigue (cont’d)

Leaders typically act by bold strokes (strategic moves) instead of long marches (broad implementation) – Success takes time: initiatives are dropped too soon

Too much focus is on content, too little on process

Too little effort is devoted to the school’s or system’s design and structure


Reasons for change fatigue:examples

Different parts of the process of teacher preparation, certification, and staff development are controlled by different institutions. Coordination is difficult.

Few incentives to collaborate on the overall process of educating teachers

Only 29% of general educators feel successful “to a great extent” in teaching student with disabilities


Understanding resistance to change

Myths about change:– Change always meets with resistance.

– It is hard to change people’s behavior.

Truths about change:– Change that inspires fear often also inspires resistance.

– Steps are rarely taken that make it easier for people to behave in new, more productive ways.”


Why resistance to change is often rational

It is often rational to resist change because:– Too much is “done to” people instead of “done by” them.

– People don’t know the purpose or goal of the change.

– People are concerned about future competence.

– Extra work and time are required.


Understanding resistance to change:examples

Current structures separate responsibilities

Change will require extra work and additional resources– Special education teachers – 53 hrs a week

– General educators – 55 hrs a week

– Starting pay ranges from $15,000 – $36,000


People do the right thing when they:

See something helpful to do

Know how to do it

Have the tools and resources

Are empowered to do it

Know why it would be helpful

Believe in doing it

Want to do it

Are rewarded for it

Action

Skills

Power

Legitimacy

Impact

Mission

Motivation

Recognition


How new practices become a way of life

First, something works.

As a result, the new practices…– Become known and defined

– Are seen to lead to positive results

– Are learned by more people in the organization

Structures then change to encourage, enable and support these practices.

Leaders begin to push for them more.

Rewards change to support them.


How new practices become a way of life (cont’d)

Then, use of these practices shifts beyond being "experimental."

Momentum builds as more people use them.

– Everyone is routinely educated in them .

– They become contractual and expected.

– People who know and can use them are recognized.

– It becomes "out-of-sync" not to use them.

New practices become "the way we do things around here.”


Table of contents



Web site content



Conclusion


Principles underlying the Change Toolkit

Focus more on changing organizational structure

Establish good processes

Balance “bold strokes” and “long marches”

Master the “difficult middles”


Principle: Focus more on changing organizational structure

Leaders working on organizational change are interested in making people in their organizations more effective, innovative and productive.

The Change Toolkit contains a lot of advice about how to reach these goals.

The fastest, most effective way to get this done is to focus first on changing organizational structure.


How people and structures are seen in the Change Toolkit

Definition: “Structure” is everything in an organization besides people, including:

– Things of economic value

– Policies and procedures

– Roles, responsibilities and relationships

– History

Structures and people affect each other powerfully– People act purposefully and can take initiative

– Structures capture, align and coordinate actions


Focusing on “changing people” is not enough

Leaders often focus their efforts on “changing people.”

Senior leaders should spend more time working to modify structures:

– Structures profoundly impact attitudes, behavior, even self-image.

– For example, people routinely change their behavior when they get a new job.

Many change efforts fail to have lasting impact because leaders do not work to affect structures.


Two models of changing people

The mainstream model works through people– Education, training, awareness and observation lead to

changed attitudes.

– Changed attitudes result it appropriate behavior.

The “newstream” model works through structure– Standards, position, power and opportunity lead to appropriate

behavior.

– These new behaviors result it attitudinal change.


Two models of changing people (cont’d)

Both the “mainstream” (working first with people) and the “newstream” (working first with structure) models can work

But the “newstream” model should be used first, because it is:– Cheaper

– Faster

– More likely to result in lasting change

“Mainstream” model tends to fail in the long run without appropriate supporting structural changes


The range of contribution in an organization

Percent

Contribution

Median


The range of contribution: effect of structural change

Original Median

New Median

Increase

Percent

Contribution


Implications for changing organizational culture

Culture is not a thing apart; it emerges from the interaction between:– Structure and people

– The organization and the environment

The Change Toolkit talks about changing culture by modifying structures

Through use of the Change Toolkit, cultural change occurs as the result of:

– Intentional structural changes

– The ways that structure and people interact


Act on the organization’s structure

Yes No

Effective and intended change

that lasts

Bursts of change that turn into fragments

Conflicting changes that lead

to deep frustration

Change that is unguided, unintended,

and unhelpful

Work with and prepare

the people

Yes

No

To get effective, lasting change, leaders must work with both structures and people


Principle: Focus more on changing the structure

What knowledge, skills, and dispositions do educators need to effectively teach students with disabilities?

How can we be persistent and consistent about developing these in teachers?


In any issue, both content and process are involved.– Content is about ideas and things; what happened.

– Process is about sequence and paths; how things happened.

Content is most familiar, and usually gets more attention.

Process is less familiar, and generally gets less attention.

Principle: Establish good processes


Both process and content are critical, but process is more fundamental.– If content is lacking, an effective process can fix it.

– If process is weak, even the best content won’t help.

A good rule: Start by making sure the process is OK.

The importance of good process


It is often easier to focus on content:– More familiar

– Easier to discuss and to measure

Good process has a more lasting effect:– Impacts people’s behavior and thought processes

– Has effects throughout the organization

Content is more familiar, but process has a more lasting effect


Principle: Establish good processes (examples)

Quality teacher preparation programs make a difference– Highly rated programs….

• Had more weeks of student teaching than programs with lower ratings

• Had candidates working with culturally and linguistically different students during field experiences

In-service professional development makes a difference– Level of confidence associated with types of support.

• 92% with specific procedures felt moderate or great success compared with 73% with no procedures.


Principle: Combine bold strokes and long marches

Bold strokes: using leadership authority to define strategic direction

Long marches: project implementation and removing barriers to project success

They must be combined for success


Bold Strokes Long Marches

Time Frame Fast Slow

Locus of Action Decisions at top Initiatives throughout

Leader ControlHigh: can force

outcomesLow: cannot force

outcomes

Initial Results Clear and visible Unclear and vague

Later Results Erratic and confusedDependable and

developing

Culture Effect Largely unchanged Significantly changed

Combining bold strokes and long marches


Principle: Combine bold strokes and long marches (examples)

Leadership needs to define strategic direction

Project implementation means removing barriers to successful alignment.


Principle: Master the difficult middles

Many things tend to look like a failure in the middle

In a “difficult middle”– Excitement has waned

– New ideas begin to meet with resistance

– You are still trying to succeed

Knowing about “difficult middles” can help you to persevere


The progress fallacy

Goal

Target Date

Halfway Point

Expected Progress

Actual Progress


To make lasting change happen, leaders need to “master the difficult middles”

It is often a mistake for leaders to “launch and leave” a project.

Leaders need to:– Help overcome hurdles

– Make appropriate adjustments

If given up too soon, a change initiative will be a failure by definition.


Principle: Master the difficult middles (examples)

We will not accomplish this overnight– Excitement has waned

– New ideas meet resistance

– “Sober selling” is required.


Table of contents



Web site content



Conclusion


Uses of the Change Toolkit

The Change Toolkit can be used to:

Diagnose your environment for change

Access quick, relevant advice

Poll members of your change team

Read real-life vignettes from education colleagues

Plan your change initiative

Collaborate and get feedback from team

Connect with educators worldwide


Leadership and the Change Toolkit

The Change Toolkit can help school leaders:

Think systematically

Use and reflect on their experience

Understand how culture, hierarchy, and roles and responsibilities are helping or hindering change

Send the right signals

Discover new ways to empower people

Address the needs of all constituents

Create an environment that encourages risk-taking and innovation


Using the Change Toolkit

New users of the Change Toolkit need to register to use the Web site at www.reinventingeducation.org

– Registration is free.

– Access is limited to individuals working in education for children aged 5-18.

You can use the Change Toolkit as an individual or for a project

– Leaders can learn more about change management and leadership effectiveness.

– Teams can use the site to manage change projects in a school or district.


Conclusion

This presentation has given you an overview of the Change Toolkit project and Web site.

The Change Toolkit Web site provides more detail on the concepts described in this presentation and practical, actionable advice for achieving success with change projects.

© 2003 IBM Corporation and Goodmeasure, Inc.October 2003

Sasha Dichter and Irv RichardsonIBM Corporate Community Relations

IBM Reinventing Education Change Toolkit

ibm reinventing education change toolkit

Documents