1. Review of selected research with an emphasis on Goals for students
A Broadly Shared Mission, Vision and Goals Founded on aspirational images of the educated person
Review of selected research with an emphasis on Goals for students

2. From the study of Ontario districts (Leithwood, 2011)
Effect Size of Mission, Vision Goals on changes in achievement over five years:
Language (gr. 3, 6, 10) = .27
Math (gr. 3, 6, 9) = .40
function is both “directional” and “motivational”

3. reflects parameters set by the province (e.g., Achieving Excellence).
Key Qualities
transparently developed with multiple school and district stakeholders.
reflects parameters set by the province (e.g., Achieving Excellence).
understood and shared by almost all staff.
(Leithwood, 2011)

4. Key Content Includes… nurturing student engagement
raising the achievement “bar”
closing the achievement “gap” (equity)
(Leithwood, 2011)

5. About Missions and Visions
Morgan and Morgan (a large Florida law firm)
“Our mission is you”

6. learning from Morgan & Morgan…
“Our mission is your child”
What else needs to be said?

7. Some Ontario Examples
Confident learners, caring citizens (Algoma) Ignite learning (DDSB) Extraordinary lives start with a great education (Dufferin-Peel CDSB) Growing excellence, inspiring success (Grand Erie DSB)

8. The purpose for Mission and Vision statements
a source of inspiration and a means for creating shared commitment to district goals among staff, students and other stakeholders

9. The “acid test” for mission and vision statements
Do they increase understanding and commitment to the Goals?

10. *Achieving Excellence, *Report Card Learning Skills,
Goals What goals should all districts in Ontario be developing in their students?
Three obvious sources for answering this questions….
*Achieving Excellence,
*Report Card Learning Skills,
*21st century skills

11. First source “Achieving Excellence”
Students fully engaged
Make real world connections
Perseverance and resilience
Critical thinking
Creativity
Effective communication/collaboration

12. Ontario’s “Achieving Excellence” & The Paradigm Wars
Within the Student Achievement goal:
“Conventional” Paradigm
&
“New” Paradigm

13. The Conventional Paradigm
Features
Specific goals
Aligned strategies
Sequenced instruction
Assessment of specific goal achievement

14. The Conventional Paradigm
Rooted in
Ralph Tyler
Behaviorism, Behavioral objectives & criterion-referenced tests
Extrinsic motivation of students
Performance-oriented approaches by students to their learning
SMART goals
Accountability policies

15. The “New” Paradigm Features Big ideas, authentic, complex problems
Intrinsic student motivation
Epistemic agency (more student control)
Experimentation, celebration of unexpected results
Cooperation and collaboration rather than competition among students

16. The “New” Paradigm Rooted in… Dewey, Bransford, Bereiter
Cognitive psychology, constructivist approaches to instruction
Intrinsic student motivation
Mastery-oriented approaches by students to their learning

17. A second source Report Card “Learning Skills”
1. Collaboration 2. Independent work 3. Initiative 4. Organization 5.Responsibilit 6. Self-regulation

18. What else? Four additions to Learning Skills from Achieving Excellence and 21st Century Skills
7. Fully engaged (AE) 8. Problem solving/real world connections (AE, 21st) 9. Critical thinking (AE) 10. Creativity (AE, 21st)

19. Ten Goals for all Districts
These 10 goals for all districts require a future focus for classrooms, schools and districts on…. Deeper Learning

20. New research examines benefits of “Deeper Learning” schools Bitter et al (2014), Yettick et al (2014) Zeiser et al (2014)
3 recent large scale reports (American Institute for Research)
10 secondary school networks focused on deeper learning vs. 13 non-networking schools
researcher-created tests and State tests

21. “Deeper Learning” defined…
“education that emphasizes core academic content, critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, effective communication, self-directed learning, and an academic mindset”.

22. Results (academic)
“…the advantage to students of attending a deeper-learning school was equivalent to moving from the 50th to the 54th or 55th percentile in reading, mathematics, and science, as measured by [PISA]”

23. Results (non-academic)
“students who attended deeper-learning schools were more academically motivated and engaged than the comparison group of students. They also had better collaboration skills”.
“The two groups were similar, however, when it came to creative thinking, perseverance, and other personal traits emphasized by deeper learning”.

24. Results overall
“On average, students at deeper learning schools had better test results and people skills. They were also more likely to graduate from high school on time and enroll in four-year colleges”.

25. Key Takeaways
“Network schools took a range of approaches to developing the deeper learning competencies. Most schools integrated project-based learning to develop mastery of core academic content knowledge and critical thinking skills”.

26. Takeaways (cont.)
“Interpersonal skill development was a goal at a majority of network schools and was addressed through instruction, assessment, and internship opportunities”.

27. Takeaways (cont.)
“Most network schools had established structures and cultures to support the implementation of instructional strategies aligned with deeper learning”.

28. Guidelines for Going Deeper
Local resources, for example, Scardamalia, Bereiter and the LSA project…
Principles of
“Knowledge Building”
(for more, see A Coherent Instructional Guidance System module)

29. Summing up…
1. Missions/visions aim to inspire and create commitment to goals
2. There are at least 10 important goals all districts should aim to accomplish with their future students
3. Achieving these goals will require a “deep learning” approach to teaching some of the time

30. Summing up…
4. Much to be gained and nothing to be lost with a “deep learning” approach
5. “Deep learning” combines assumptions related to both conventional and new paradigms for education