What have we learned about implementation from the Differentiated Instruction Professional
Learning Strategy that can inform future work on the implementation of instruction that
addresses the learning needs of all students?
Area of Challenge Number 3
Supporting Multi-level Professional Learning
Consider a range of professional learning approaches to promote and foster DI implementation
(Recommendation #2, Evaluation of the Ministry of Education’s Differentiated Instruction Professional Learning Strategy, 2012)
How, in the midst of multiple initiatives, do boards get all levels learning in support of instructional
practice that addresses the learning needs of students?
Concepts to address
1. an integrated approach to professional learning
2. professional learning with access to facilitation as well as content and instructional expertise
3. multi-level learning for coherence and reciprocal influence
ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES
of
IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION
1. Integrated Approach to Professional Learning
An integrated approach to professional learning promotes better outcomes for students. The kinds of integration include: theory and
practice; curriculum content, pedagogical content and assessment knowledge; and knowledge of students. What is learned must result in
changes to classroom practice if better outcomes are to occur for students (Timperley, 2011b, p. 30).
A Discussion Paper
2. Access to Facilitation as well as Content and Instructional Expertise
… even the most motivated teams
need a ‘point person’ – at least one
member identified and trained to
guide their colleagues through the
process over time (Gallimore et al,
2009).
External experts serve varied needs - they can bring a new lens to the interpretation
process, help challenge norms within groups that are directed to reinforcing rather
that challenging the status quo, assist leaders and teams in learning how to analyse
and use data, bring deep knowledge of content and instruction and generally maximize
the inquiry experience (Cosner, 2012, p.30, 44; Timperley, 2011b, p. 86; Ermeling,
2012, p 25).
Adoption vs. Implementation
Implementation concerns the hard work of changing cultures (skills, norms, shared values), while adoption is more about structure and
other surface changes. This is why we claim that success is 10% right direction, and 90% implementation. The four wrong drivers are:
external accountability, focus on individuals, technology, and piecemeal reform efforts; the corresponding right drivers are: capacity
building, team-work and other forms of collaboration, pedagogy, and systemic strategies. It is no accident that the wrong drivers tend to
be in the ‘adoption’ camp, while the right drivers focus on implementation (Fullan, 2011).
3. Multi-level Learning for Coherence and Reciprocal Influence
The key to driving successful systemic capacity building… is knowledge building that is universally aligned and coherent,
knowledge building that emanates both from the centre and the field simultaneously and in concert (Sharratt & Fullan, 2009,
p.9).
CHALLENGE #1
Addressing the Complexity
of Instruction
Administrators are expected to be the change-management experts (e.g., creating the conditions); whereas lead teachers (i.e., informal
leaders such as resource teachers, department heads, facilitators) are expected to be the content experts (e.g., subject, instruction).
This learning priority differentiation is sensible in that between-group expertise is distributed (Katz, Earl & Jaafar, 2009, p.86).
SCHOOL LEADER INQUIRY
Telling leaders how to run their schools fails to engage their
personal theories about how to lead effectively to bring about
change.
Approaches that engage leaders in a formative assessment process
related to their own learning have greater demonstrated success.
This approach requires policy makers (i.e., boards, ministry) to take
a learning orientation and to monitor the effectiveness of their own
efforts to bring about change as they come to understand the mindshifts required through the system layers.
Using the right drivers to address
the challenges of implementation:
 Capacity building
 Teamwork and collaboration
 Pedagogy
 Systemic strategies
CHALLENGE #2
Challenging Beliefs to address
the Knowing-Doing Gap
CHALLENGE #3
Supporting Multi-level
Professional Learning
Despite all of this attention people still don’t treat ‘the implementation problem’ very seriously. I think there are two related main
reasons. First, front-end fanfare and related vision-based rallying cries are simply sexier than day-to-day follow through. Second,
implementation is hard work requiring persistence, ability to manage and overcome obstacles and setbacks. Success takes time, but
encouragingly is not as open ended as one might expect. Major success on a large scale can be realized in three to six years-- if the right
combination of ingredients is employed. A big if, but not out of reach for those who understand that implementation is just about
everything (Fullan, 2011).
Engaging in their own inquiry to find out if each system player is
taking greater responsibility for their own learning and improving
the learning of others can be a challenging task (Timperley, 2011b,
p. 30).
(Timperley, 2011b, p.26)
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Area of Challenge Number 2
Challenging Beliefs to address the Knowing-Doing Gap
Area of Challenge Number 1
Addressing the Complexity of ‘Instruction’
Focus on promoting deeper implementation of DI at the secondary level
Focus on facilitating a deep understanding of DI as a pedagogical framework
(Recommendation #2, Evaluation of the Ministry of Education’s Differentiated Instruction Professional Learning Strategy, 2012)
(Recommendation #1, Evaluation of the Ministry of Education’s Differentiated Instruction Professional Learning Strategy, 2012)
How do we change long-accepted educator beliefs about their instructional practice and student
learning so that instruction is informed by current research and designed to meet learner needs?
How do we build educator understanding of the complexity of effective instruction - within the
context of multiple initiatives?
Consider the following concepts in your discussion:
1. Challenging existing beliefs to change instructional practice
2. Engaging teachers in professional learning
3. Knowledge Mobilization
Consider the following concepts in your discussion:
1. the multiple components of effective classroom practice (insert)
2. the need for adaptive and responsive practice
1. Multiple Components
To build an understanding of ‘instruction’, and to refine instructional practice so that it addresses the varied needs of all
learners, a variety of components are considered:
See Insert.
Reflective/Inquiry
Learning
Orientation
Environment
Assessment
and
Evaluation
Differentiated
Response
Subject
Knowledge,
Vision of Learner
Instructional
Strategies
Defining teaching using a narrow set of instructional
strategies, management strategies, or assessment
strategies doesn’t do justice to the complexity of the
teaching-learning process.
…There are a wide variety of variables that determine
whether a particular strategy is going to produce
positive results in any given situation. If a strategy
doesn’t appear to be working well, educators must
adapt the strategy as needed or use other strategies
(Marzano, 2009, p. 34-35).
Lesson Design
Expert teachers and experienced teachers do not differ
in the amount of knowledge that they have about
curriculum matters or knowledge about teaching
strategies – but expert teachers do differ in how they
organize and use this content knowledge (Hattie, 2012,
p.25).
2. Adaptive and Responsive Practice
Understanding the Strategy
When the theory behind a strategy is poorly understood,
adaptations are likely to be inconsistent with the theory
underpinning them, and therefore, less effective. When the
theory is well understood, the adaptations are more likely to
become more responsive to students within a principled
framework of practice (Timperley, 2011a, p.63).
Knowing the Learner
For differentiation to be effective, teachers need to know, for
each student, where that student begins and where he or she is
in his or her journey towards meeting the success criteria of the
lesson. (Based on this), the teacher provide(s)
ways in which students can demonstrate mastery
and understanding along the way ...
(Hattie, 2012, p.98)
Adaptive Experts
…know when students are and are not learning, know where to go next, adapt resources and strategies and create a classroom
climate to support attainment of learning goals (Hattie, 2012, p.99).
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Existing
Beliefs
Practice
New Beliefs
COLLABORATIVE INQUIRY
1. Challenging Beliefs through Practice
Attitudes and beliefs of teachers usually don’t change until after they try
an instructional strategy and gain evidence of improvements in student
learning. The change in practice typically precedes a change in beliefs
and attitudes (Guskey, 2002).
Focused collaborative inquiry:
 Is a process that charts a course for professional learning that deepens
professional knowledge and translates into changed practice
 involves learning from prior practice, analysis of data/evidence, regular use of
research and expertise, challenging existing beliefs about teaching and learning
and receiving feedback about teaching from colleagues (Katz, Earl & Jaafar,
2009, p.71, 73)
Tacit knowledge will shape skills and beliefs and impede change unless members (of
learning teams) are assisted in questioning their knowledge. Facilitators need to
focus on asking thought provoking questions … to encourage challenges to current
beliefs, knowledge and theories (Katz, 2010, p.20).
Inquiry without reference to what is
already known to be effective raises
the very real possibility of
reinventing wheels and wasting
valuable teacher and student
learning time. At worst it results in
bringing ineffective strategies to
solve urgent problems (Timperley,
2011a, p.43).
2. Engaging Teachers in Professional Learning
Checking for impact is a strong catalyst
for teacher engagement in professional
learning to change instructional
practice (Hattie, 2012, p.86; Cosner,
2012, p.36).
Identifying the need to learn particular knowledge and skills is often determined by some
external body or school leader. The problem with (others) deciding what teachers need to
learn independently of teachers engaging in an analysis of students’ and their own
learning needs is that it violates key principles of assessment for professional learning.
Teachers become passive learners of someone else’s agenda with concomitant problems of
a lack of motivation and engagement (Timperley, 2011b, p.15).
3. Knowledge Mobilization – Good News and Bad News
... people are more influenced by their own
experience and by their colleagues than they are
by external evidence.
… More research is more available in more formats than
ever before. Yet if people are chiefly influenced by their
colleagues and experience, if most of their knowledge
comes indirectly, and if both the sharing and applying
mechanisms are weak, it is highly unlikely that we are
getting the maximum benefit from research in education.
Various sources as cited in Levin, 2011, p.19.
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