Theories of Action: What are they, why are they important, and

how are they created?January 2015

Office of Student and School Success, OSPITravis Campbell, Director

Chriss Burgess, District Improvement SpecialistSue Cohn, School Improvement Specialist

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 NewsMonticello “Success Night”

Agenda

Participants will have clear understanding of:• The concept of “Theories of Action”:

DefinitionWhy they’re importantExamplesSteps to create/revise

• Reasons Success Coaches create a Portfolio anchored in their Theory of Action.

• Next steps and supports.

Goals

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)

If we (action or evidence-based strategy)…then we impact (educator practice)…which results in (improvements in student learning).

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 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.

Examples for Our Schools

If we (coaching move - action or evidence-based strategy)…then we impact (educator practice)…which results in (improvements in 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 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

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.

Example for Success Coaches Cont.

Theories of Action: How are they created?

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 1: Assess Need for Change

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 2: Identify Problems of Practice

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 StepsAccess 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-what-is-your-theory-of-action-how-effective-school-leaders-plan-for-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/whats-a-theory-of-action-and-why-do-we-need-one/).

Thank you!