List of Tables and Figures
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Author
1. Too Much Change, Not Enough Improvement
Not All Change Is Desirable
Distinguish Between Change and Improvement
Improvement Means Positive Impact on Learners
The Impact of Leadership on Student Outcomes
Reflection and Action
2. Understand the Challenge of Improvement
Understand Theories of Action
Espoused Theories of Action Versus Theories in Use
Helping to Change Theories of Action
Reflection and Action
3. Two Approaches to Leading Improvement: Bypass and Engage
The Limitations of the Bypass Approach
The Bypass Approach: A National Initiative
From Bypass to Engagement
Reflection and Action
4. The Four Phases of Theory Engagement
Phase I. Agree on the Problem to Be Solved
Phase II. Inquire Into the Relevant Theory of Action
Phase III. Evaluate the Relative Merit of the Current and
Alternative Theories of Action
Phase IV. Implement and Monitor a New, Sufficiently Shared Theory
of Action
Reflection and Action
5. Learning How to Lead Improvement: Coaching That Engages
Principals
Excerpt 1: Engage Others’ Thinking
Excerpt 2: The Self-Referential Critique
Excerpt 3: Bypass and Reframing
Reflection and Action
6. Learning How to Lead Improvement: Professional Learning That
Engages Participants
The Context
Phase I. Agree on the Problem to Be Solved
Phase II. Reveal the Relevant Theories of Action
Phase III. Evaluate the Relative Merit of the Current and
Alternative Theories of Action
Phase IV. Implement and Monitor a New, Sufficiently Shared Theory
of Action
Reflection and Action
Afterword by Stephen Dinham
References
Index
Viviane is a Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Education
and Social Work at the University of Auckland, New Zealand and
Academic Director of its Centre for Educational Leadership. Her
research identifying the impact of different types of leadership on
student outcomes (Student- Centered Leadership) has been used to
shape leadership policy and practice in Scandinavia, England,
Singapore, Chile, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
She has received numerous awards from national and international
professional and academic organisations including the Australian
Council for Educational Leaders, the New Zealand Secondary
Principals Association and the US-based University Council on
Educational Administration. In 2011, she was made a Fellow of the
American Educational Research Association for sustained excellence
in educational research. In 2016 the Royal Society of New
Zealand awarded her the Mason Durie Medal for her international
contributions to educational leadership research and practice. She
currently leads a research and development programme on the
leadership knowledge and skills involved in school improvement.
To learn more visit her website at
www.education.auckland.ac.nz/vmj-robinson
"There are many reasons why Viviane Robinson is one of my favorite
researchers in the field of educational leadership. Her depth of
knowledge and understanding of school improvement makes her a stand
out in the profession. Reduce Change to Increase Improvement is a
book all leaders should read because it will help them understand
what improvement looks like and how to avoid the pitfalls that too
many leaders fall into."
*Peter DeWitt, Ed.D., Corwin Author/Consultant*
"Viviane Robinson’s brilliant new masterpiece is provocatively
entitled Reduce Change to Increase Improvement. It is a
stunning achievement. Every sentence bristles with penetrating
insights and practical recommendations in the hands of Robinson’s
sparkling prose. The sections on engaging respectfully with
teachers’ theories of action should be required reading for every
school principal or superintendent. Best of all, this expertly
crafted book is a pleasure to read and re-read. It will be
cited frequently around the world for years to come."
*Dennis Shirley, Professor*
"Finally, a serious, evidence-proven book about educational change
that takes a different tact – beginning with the impact on the
learner. "Reduce Change to Increase Improvement" is a
treasure-trove of concrete information for educational leaders
wanting to move away from the frequently-used, ineffective Bypass
Theory leading to no change in student outcomes to the rarely-used,
highly effective Engagement Theory that gets at the heart of
leading school improvement. Robinson, always cautious about "change
for change sake", brilliantly delineates each step of the way for
leaders using authentically-documented conversations and practical
discussion-starters that guide us through this collective inquiry
approach towards student improvement. She highlights that only by
integrating new thinking into current classroom practice will
reform be successful - AND only if built on a firm foundation of
leaders and teachers rigorously examining shared beliefs and
exposing tacitly-held disbeliefs about the capacity of all students
to learn. All leaders need this concise, clearly-stated text to
guide their intentional improvement practices."
*Dr. Lyn Sharratt, International Consultant and Author*
"This is a ‘must read’ for anyone who is serious about achieving
meaningful improvement and understanding more about the potential
of engaging with theories of action. With her forensic eye for
detail, Viviane Robinson unpicks why current practice is sustained
and shows how deep and respectful coaching dialogue can produce
mutual commitment and powerful professional learning. It’s a book
with many applications."
*Louise Stoll, PhD, Professor of Professional Learning*
"Never was a book more welcome than one that addresses why so much
change leads to so little impact. Viviane’s work gets right to the
heart of the beliefs, values and conditions that lie at the heart
of our willingness to either embrace change or resist it. Viviane
gives us an opportunity to eavesdrop on real conversations that
model skillful enquiry into the values and beliefs that drive our
behavior and that are more likely to lead to change that ‘pays
off.’ In a world where change is constant, and resources are tight
we should all be intolerant of any more failed attempts. I
would like to see every Education Ministry, school adviser and
school leader not just reading this book but using it to shape
their practice so change can be far less frequent, but have far
more impact."
*Maggie Farrar, Education Consultant*
"I have worked with principals in graduate programs and
professional learning series in six countries over the last two
decades. Each and every one of these leaders would benefit from
reading this new book. Viviane Robinson combines her research
findings, powerful insights into how to re-design thinking about
principal wellbeing, and invaluable examples from practice. The
writing has voice and is highly engaging to read. The sooner this
book is published, the better. These theoretically powerful and
practical insights are needed and overdue."
*Omar Mekki, Senior Advisor*
"My colleague Dr. Judy Halbert and I have worked with principals in
graduate programs and in professional learning series in six
countries over the last two decades. Each and every one of these
leaders would benefit from reading this new book by Professor
Robinson. She combines her research findings, a logic train that is
important and highly useable, a powerful insight into how to
re-design thinking about principal well-being and work load and
examples from practice that are invaluable. Her writing has voice
and is highly engaging to read. The sooner this book has been
published, the better. These theoretically powerful and practical
insights are needed and overdue."
*Dr. Linda Kaser, Co-Director of the Center for Innovative
Educational Leadership*
"The challenge in our current understanding of school improvement
is not knowing what schools ought to do, but knowing how school
leaders can get those things done. Leaders’ ability to engage and
involve teachers in improvement processes is a missing resource in
many schools. Reading this book will absolutely help school leaders
redefine how they should act and behave in order to implement
improvements to benefit not only their students’ learning but also
teachers’ professional development. This book makes a significant
contribution to the education management literature in a clear,
concise and practical way. A ‘must read’ for new and established
school leaders."
*Johan From, Professor in Political Science/Director of School
Leadership Master’s Program*
"This book is remarkable. It combines a deep understanding of
how and why theories of action influence the success or failure of
improvement efforts in schools, with a range of intensely practical
strategies and examples that illustrate how leaders can work to
enhance their approaches to change. Robinson draws on more
than 10 years of research and development work with leaders, often
based on detailed observation and analysis of coaching
conversations and real situations in schools, to identify and make
explicit the values, beliefs, actions and consequences that drive
behavior and the ways in which leaders can engage with these to
create shared understandings and agendas for improvement.
The chapter on how this work informed the design of a new
leadership development program to address well-being for school
principals is particularly fascinating. I can’t recommend the
book highly enough to serving leaders and all those involved in
supporting change and improvement in schools."
*Toby Greany, Professor*
"Reduce Change to Increase Improvement is logically developed from
foundation principles to take the reader through the thinking,
understanding, planning, professional learning, action, and
evaluative processes. The use of general and personal theories of
action is appropriate and effective. The work is supported well by
illustrations and extracts from actual cases of aspects of change.
I think its greatest strength is the emphasis throughout on working
with and through other people and the interpersonal and cognitive
work this requires. This book helps to professionalize the
education profession and provides a timely and valuable resource
for our understanding and building of capability for change that
makes a difference to students."
*Stephen Dinham, Associate Dean and Professor of Instructional
Leadership*
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