Building a Program for Success

Nathan BlackburnED830

Simon Fraser UniversityOct 22nd, 2014

Success: suc·cesssək ses/ˈnoun

The accomplishment of an aim or purpose. A person or thing that achieves desired aims.

Table of Contents● Purpose● Establishing a Need● Mission Statement● Setting Goals● Developing Strategies● Progress Monitoring● Extensions

Purpose

To determine the success of a educational program or innovation, we must reconcile the seemingly contrasting viewpoints of those who promote strictly qualitative or quantitative data analysis. This can be achieved by following a process which takes into account both types of information.

The following framework attempts to create a pathway to determining program success based on both objective and subjective information.

This framework can be managed using the Success Matrix from the abstract provided.

Step 1: Establish a need through data collection

If success is accomplishing an aim or purpose, we must begin by closely determining our purpose.

We can/must do this through qualitative and quantitative data collection.

Qualitative Data Collection

“A democratic society is precisely one in which the purpose of education is not a given, but is a contact topic for discussion and deliberation” (Biesta)

● Surveys

● Focus Groups

● Interviews

● Town Hall Meetings

● Anecdotal Reports

● Professional Observation

Quantitative Data Collection

“Educators and policymakers must legitimately ask, 'If we Implement Program X instead of Program Y, or instead of the current program, what will be the likely outcomes for children?' For questions posed in this way, there are few alternatives to well-designed experiments.” (Slavin)

● Randomized Experiments

● Collection of Empirical Data

● Comparative Performance Measurement

“In CPM, the questions are: 'How well is a program performing relative to other similar programs?'; 'Is a program's performance among the best of it's kind or among the worst of it's kind?”..and, in doing so, suggest best practices” (Mullen)

Step 2: Stakeholders Write a Mission Statement

A Mission Statement is a description of what a project would like to achieve or accomplish in the mid-term or long-term future. It is intended to serves as a clear guide for choosing current and future courses of action.

A tool such as the Success Assessment Matrix allows for visual organization of action items.

An in-depth mission statement should clearly define;

• Purpose

• Budget

• Scope

• Schedule/Timeline

Mission/Vision Statements

“Begin each day, task, or project with a clear vision of your desired direction and destination, and then continue by flexing your proactive muscles to make things happen.” (Covey)

“Vision statements help to describe the organization's purpose. Such statements also include the organization values. Vision statements give direction help to provide inspiration. This will help measure whether the strategic plan aligns with the overall goals of the agency. (Hawthorne)

Step 3: Eastablish Goals and Objectives

Specific– target a specific area for improvement.

Measurable– quantify or at least suggest an indicator of progress.

Accountable– specify who will do it.

Realistic– state what results can realistically be achieved, given available resources.

Time-related– specify when the result(s) can be achieved.

SMART Goals

“The introduction of specific, measurable goals is the most promising but underused strategies that we can introduce into school improvement efforts....clear, measurable goals are the center to the mystery of school success, mediocrity or failure.” (O'Neil)

“SMART goals help us educators test the effectiveness of our instructional process and our programs. Another teacher commented, "I can quantify direct results as well as see them qualitatively in the children I work with." (O'Neil)

(O'Neil)

SMART Goals

● Example from an Individualized Education Plan

“Jonathan will write complete sentences using proper subject-verb tenses in 4/5 of opportunities to do so by June 26th” (Classroom Teacher, LST)

Assessment Measure: Cold Write; WIAT-III

Strategies:

➢ Writing Workshop with LST

➢ Editing Checklist on Desk

➢ “Step-up to Writing” Classroom Based Writing Program

SMART Goals

● Example from an Individualized Education Plan

“Jonathan will write complete sentences using proper subject-verb tenses in 4/5 of opportunities to do so by June 26th” (Classroom Teacher, LST)

Assessment Measure: Cold Write; WIAT-III

Strategies:

➢ Writing Workshop with LST

➢ Editing Checklist on Desk

➢ “Step-up to Writing” Classroom Based Writing Program

Step 4: Develop Strategies to Meet Goals and Objectives

“Strategy is the one step which most people totally miss in the process of goal achievement, which then leads to their failure. Remember that for every goal, there is always a certain blueprint underlying it that guarantees its success. If you are to identify that blueprint, you pretty much have the goal in the bag.” (Chua)

● If it's true for students, it's true for teachers; Clearly defined strategies lead to positive outcomes.

“Findings typically show that deep and strategic approaches to learning are positively related to examination grade” (Diseth and Kobbeltvedt)

Strategy Building Tips(From Celestine Chau's Personal Excellence)

● Understand your goals thoroughly

● Pre-empt obstacles and address them early

● Make use of existing resources

● Leverage your environment

● Create Accountability

Step 5: Ongoing Progress Monitoring

● Ongoing Progress monitoring allows program developers to report, adapt and change as needed. Without monitoring progress using qualitative and quantitative methods of assessment, we will fail to address needs as they arise.

● Look to your mission statement for guidance; Monitor your programs goals as well as logistical framework, including; Budget, Purpose, Scope and Time line

● Qualitative Progress Monitoring Tools:Surveys, Focus Groups, Interviews, Town Hall Meetings, Professional Observation, anecdotal reports

● Quantitative Progress Monitoring Tools:Randomized Experiments, Collection of Empirical Data,

Comparative Performance Measurement

Step 6: Further Developments

● Evaluation of program success or failure should extend beyond your time line.

● Ask; “What did we learn” and “Where should we go next.”

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts”

-Winston Churchill

ReferencesBiesta, Gert (2007) What “What Works” Won't Work: Evidence-Based Practice and the Democratic Deficit in Educational Research. Educational Theory, Vol 57(1), 1-24.

Chua, Celestine (n.d.) Goal Achievement: Strategy. Personal Excellence. Retrieved From:http://personalexcellence.co/blog/goal-achievement-strategy/

Covey, Stephen R. (1989) 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Free Press

Diseth, A., Kobbeltvedt., T. (2010) A Meditation Analysis of Achievement Motives, Goals, Learning Strategies and Academic Achievement. British Journal of Educational Psychology. Vol 80. 671-687

Hawthorne, M., (n.d.) The Purpose of Mission and Vision Statements in Strategic Planning” Referred from: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/purpose-mission-vision-statements-strategic-planning-13161.html

Mullen, Edward J. (2008) Outcomes Measurement. Social Work in Mental Health. Vol 2(2-3), 77-93

O'Neil, Jan (2000). SMART Goals, SMART Schools. Educational Leadership. Vol 57(5) 46-50.

Slavin, Robert E. (2002). Evidence-Based Education Policies: Transforming Educational Practice and Research. Educational Researcher, Vol. 31(7), 15-21