Districtwide Instructional Reform: Using Sociocultural Theory to Link Professional Learning to Organizational Support

Abstract

No Child Left Behind Act accountability pressures and calls to close achievement gaps between groups of students have challenged school districts to achieve systemwide instructional improvement. These policies create learning challenges for classroom teachers and for school and district leaders. This article engages questions about organizational support for professional learning in the context of reform initiatives. A theoretical lens-called the Vygotsky Space-is used to analyze case study data from a reforming urban school district located in the Pacific Northwest. A job-embedded professional development structure called the Elementary Studio/Residency Model is explored in depth as are the learning processes of one participating teacher. The teacher's professional learning experiences are then connected with leadership actions and institutional supports for learning. The relationship between organizational change and district leaders' attention to practitioner learning and innovation is discussed.

Using Social Network Analysis to Study How Collegial Interactions Can Augment Teacher Learning from External Professional Development

“…The costs of sustained, content-focused professional development are high, and continuous changes to teachers' assignments can render content-focused professional development received as part of a previous assignment relatively useless for teachers in their new assignment (Shear and Penuel 2010). Furthermore, even when teachers do have access to high-quality professional development, organizational conditions in schools and districts can limit teachers' opportunities to experiment with new practices in their classrooms or engage in deep conversations with colleagues about problems they face in implementing new practices (Bryk et al 2010;Coburn and Russell 2008;Gallucci 2008;Stein and Coburn 2008).…”

Examining organizational learning in schools: The role of psychological safety, experimentation, and leadership that reinforces learning

“…Further, researchers call for more and better empirical research to understand how the process of capacity building unfolds in schools (Copland & Knapp, 2006;Gallucci, 2008).…”

Structure and Functions of the Accountability Department in Virginia Sschool Divisions

“…Many researchers (e.g., Elmore & Burney, 1997;Gallucci, 2008;Hightower et al, 2002;Honig, 2004Honig, , 2008Honig, , 2009aHonig, , 2009bStein & Coburn, 2008;Stein et al, 2004;Supovitz, 2006) have explored what school districts actually do (and how they do it) to increase student academic achievement. Usually, the research studies take three to five years to track the district's reform processes.…”

“…54-58;Supovitz, 2006, pp. 129-155) , Honig, 2004;Stein & Coburn, 2008), providing professional development (e.g., Gallucci, 2008;Stein & D'Amico, 2002, pp. 61-75;Supovitz, 2006, pp.…”

“…Researchers (e.g., Gallucci, 2008;Honig, 2003;Honig et al, 2010) In addition to district size and student demographics, the district structure is another factor that may facilitate or hinder reform implementation. It is pointed out that the organizational structure "enables employees to undertake a variety of specialized functions" that are aligned with the organizational goals.…”