Association of Independent Schools NSW Leadership for Learning: Connecting Research and Practice Professor Neil Dempster Griffith Institute for Educational Research

A presentation in 2 parts 1.Recent leadership for learning research – 3 Frameworks 2.Making Connections with leadership practice through Professional Development – 3 Programs Griffith Institute for Educational Research

3 Leadership for Learning Frameworks Robinson et al, 2007, 2009 Leithwood et al, 2006, 2010 Dempster et al, 2007, 2012 Griffith Institute for Educational Research

Best Evidence Synthesis (Robinson et al, 2009) 8 Leadership Dimensions Establishing goals and expectations Resourcing strategically Planning, coordinating and evaluating teaching and the curriculum Promoting and participating in teacher professional learning and development Griffith Institute for Educational Research

Robinson’s dimensions (cont’d) Ensuring an orderly and supportive environment Creating educationally powerful connections Engaging in constructive problem talk Selecting, developing and using ‘smart tools’ Griffith Institute for Educational Research

Robinson’s Knowledge, Skills and Dispositions (2009) Ensuring administrative decisions are informed by knowledge about effective pedagogy Analysing and solving complex problems Building relational trust Engaging in open-to-learning conversations Griffith Institute for Educational Research

Leadership for Learning – the impact of leadership actions Active involvement in professional development.84 Clear purpose, goals and expectations.42 Quality teaching.42 Managing strategically e.g. strategic resource usage.31 Creating a safe and orderly learning environment.27 Robinson (2007) Leadership dimension Effect size

10 Strong Claims Leithwood et al, Headteachers are the main source of leadership in their schools 2.There are 8 key dimensions of successful leadership 3.Headteachers’ values are key components in their success 4.Successful heads use the same basic leadership practices but there is no single model for success 5.Differences in context affect the nature, pace and direction of leadership actions Griffith Institute for Educational Research

10 Strong Claims (cont’d) 6. Heads contribute to student learning through a combination and accumulation of strategies and actions 7. There are three broad phases of successful leadership 8. Heads grow and secure success by layering leadership strategies and actions 9. Successful heads distribute leadership progressively 10. The successful distribution of leadership depends on the establishment of trust Griffith Institute for Educational Research

Leithwood’s 8 LfL Dimensions (Leithwood et al, 2010) Successful Leaders:  define their values and vision to raise expectations, set direction and build trust  reshape the conditions for teaching and learning  restructure parts of the organisation and redesign leadership roles and responsibilities  enrich the curriculum  enhance teacher quality  enhance the quality of teaching and learning  build collaboration internally  build strong relationships outside the school community Griffith Institute for Educational Research

School of Education and Professional Studies My Synthesis of Research Findings (Dempster, 2009) Those leading schools best affect student learning outcomes when: 1. They have an agreed and shared moral purpose; 2. There is ‘disciplined dialogue’ about learning in the school; 3. They plan and monitor learning and take account using a strong learning and achievement evidence base; 4. They are active professional learners with their teachers; 5. They attend to enhancing the conditions for learning; 6. They coordinate, manage and monitor the curriculum and teaching; 7. They use shared leadership as the norm; and 8. They understand and connect with parent and wider community support for learning.

School of Education and Professional Studies PURPOSE School Leadership is for learning first and foremost – there is a moral purpose to which leadership action is directed Leaders need: deep knowledge of young people’s learning* evidence on which to base action *Particular knowledge in at least one key curriculum area (Robinson, 2009) – and knowledge of cultural and social influences on learning (Buckskin et al, 2008, Bishop and Berryman, 2011)

School of Education and Professional Studies CONTEXT  Knowledge of the school’s context is essential to the educational leader: the context has to be understood (globally, nationally and locally); beneficial connections have to be made; and helpful networks must be harnessed in the school’s learning interests.

School of Education and Professional Studies HUMAN AGENCY (it’s what gets things done)  This is the bedrock on which much current research on leadership is based: Distributed leadership is essential in schools – broad and deep, inside and outside (Price Waterhouse Coopers, 2006; OECD, 2008) Types range on a continuum from dispersed to shared (MacBeath, Oduro & Waterhouse, 2004; Leithwood et al, 2010) Sharing leadership should occur across roles and functions (Leithwood & Riehl, 2003, Spillane 2006, Harris, 2007) Its spread should include students, family and community members (Crowther, 2004; Dempster & Lizzio, ; OECD, 2008; Johnson and Jervis-Tracey, 2011)

A Leadership Framework for 3 Australian Projects (Dempster, 2009) Griffith Institute for Educational Research

Principals as Literacy Leaders: PALL, PALLIC and SPALL POSITIONS 1. The Position on Leadership: Compelling research evidence shows that quality leadership makes a difference to children’s learning and achievement; and It is about working together on a common moral purpose – in these cases the improvement of children’s literacy Robinson, 2009; MacBeath and Dempster, 2009; Masters, 2009; OECD, 2008; Leithwood et al, 2006 Griffith Institute for Educational Research

PALL and PALLIC POSITIONS (Cont’d) 2. The Position on Reading: National and International research confirms that learning to read requires explicit attention by parents and teachers to: The BIG SIX: Early and ongoing oral language experiences Phonological awareness Phonemic awareness Fluency Vocabulary Comprehension Konza, 2011; DEST, 2005; Louden et al, 2005; Rowe, 2005 Griffith Institute for Educational Research

The SPALL Position on Literacy Learning Literacy is every subject teachers’ business Literacy teaching and learning is maximised through pedagogy directly addressing the literacy demands embedded in assessment tasks The Australian Curriculum, 2012 Wyatt-Smith, 2011 Griffith Institute for Educational Research

PALL and PALLIC POSITIONS (Cont’d) 3. The PALLIC Position on Shared Leadership: Accumulating research evidence shows that achieving improvements in schools in Indigenous communities or schools with significant proportions of Indigenous students, requires shared leadership with Indigenous people Bishop et al, 2011; McNaughton and Lai, 2009; DEEWR, 2009; Sara, 2010, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, 2008 Griffith Institute for Educational Research

PALL, PALLIC and SPALL POSITIONS 4. The Position on Professional Learning: Research findings on the professional learning of leaders show that authentic learning takes place over time supported by mentors or coaches through specific tasks designed to link research with local practice Professional learning and development is most effective when it blends leadership processes and curriculum content In short, this is learning with support through action on the job for a particular purpose Huber, 2011; Dempster, Lovett and Fluckiger, 2011; Robinson, 2011; Bush, 2009 Griffith Institute for Educational Research

Professional Development Strategies - from theory to practice, knowing to doing – Huber (2011) Huber, 2011

Professional Development Strategies Huber, 2011

Emerging Research Evidence What evidence do we have that these positions, when put into place, produce helpful outcomes? Does blended leadership learning have an effect on teaching, learning and achievement? Griffith Institute for Educational Research

Mean scores for teachers’ and principals’ ratings on PALL principals’ role in leading literacy learning Griffith Institute for Educational Research Itemteacher mean principal mean came to an enhanced understanding that our shared moral purpose is to improve children’s literacy learning and achievement used the Big 6 to provide a framework for the teaching of reading across the school reviewed assessment practices in light of our knowledge of the Big conducted disciplined dialogue about data related to literacy teaching and learning shared accountability for implementing aspects of the Big shared leadership in developing and implementing literacy intervention actions explored ways to involve parents and the community in supporting literacy learning enhanced the conditions for literacy learning across the school

Preliminary PALLIC findings The shared approach to leadership is gaining value in the eyes of Principals and Indigenous Leadership Partners Difficulties are evident in making connections with Indigenous families and community members for reading support Griffith Institute for Educational Research

Preliminary SPALL Findings (Principals: N=42) Griffith Institute for Educational Research Principals’ views on aspects of the SPALL Program SAAUDSD The importance of my leadership in driving literacy improvement has been highlighted A focus on the literacy demands of assessment tasks in all subjects is fundamental to school improvement Asking secondary principals to be literacy leaders makes unrealistic expectations of them The SPALL position on literacy makes critically important connections with the Australian Curriculum The staff have responded positively to my direct involvement in our Action Research Project The Action Research Project is improving staff skills and understanding in how to teach the literacy demands of assessment tasks

Blue Print Data Gathering Questions What do we need to know about:  how leadership is shared with staff and community members for reading?  the way parents and members of the wider community are connected with reading?  the professional knowledge of the school’s staff about reading?  how children are being taught to learn to read?  the physical, social and emotional conditions and resource support for reading? Griffith Institute for Educational Research