Designing approaches that sustain change
Designing approaches that sustain change
Research suggests that approaches are more likely to be sustained in the longer-term if mechanisms to embed the change have been established at multiple levels of the system (Coburn, 2003; Fullan, 2007, 2011). You can start putting these mechanisms in place or planning right at the start of a new focus.
Table 2 shows the factors that Play.sport school leaders considered were likely to support longer-term sustainability of approaches. Many similar factors are mentioned in literature about leadership and sustainability of approaches.
Table 2: Processes and structures that influence longer-term sustainability
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Factor |
Sustainability is supported when … |
|---|---|
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Schools have Health and PE leaders at a whole school and syndicate level |
Schools have:
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|
New approaches align with the overall direction and goals of the school, so staff want to continue them |
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New approaches are embedded in school processes |
New approaches are embedded in collaborative Health and PE, or integrated, planning processes and templates |
|
The school makes connections between new approaches and other ongoing or new PLD |
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Schools resources staff to continue building practice |
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Revised PE approaches are built into teacher capacity building processes |
Goals related to revised PE approaches are built into
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Student leadership processes are valued |
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Schools seek input from their community to identify new needs and ideas |
Schools have formal processes for
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Schools have processes for inducting new leaders or teachers into new approaches |
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An exit strategy or down-sizing of PLD and support is planned |
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School staff have ongoing access to networks or resources that provide new ideas or resolve tensions |
School leaders and teachers have ongoing access to new ideas connected to new approaches:
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Ongoing support is offered to schools that need it |
Schools can access ongoing support from a range of community partners or local networks or schools |
It is often assumed that change processes follow a linear trajectory over time until the new approaches are fully implemented. Evidence suggests that, instead, schools journey through a series of growth phases and plateaus (Fullan, 2004). Schools are more likely to keep moving forward if they continue to build approaches and access new ideas. Dips (a return to old practices) are likely if schools get stuck on a new challenge and do not have access to resources that assist them to move to a new growth phase. Dips can be caused by schools turning their attention to new PLD that does not align well with the existing initiative or multiple changes in staff.
Below are two examples of how schools were working to ensure they continued to move to new growth phases.
Next year the plan is to get all teachers onboard. We have a new AP role. In this role [a lead mentor teacher] will sit with each syndicate to do planning … We have some new staff … but we have some strong teachers in each syndicate … It is important to choose your leaders carefully so they can lead practice at your school.
(School leader)
Our new [Play.sport related] strategies are now in our appraisal system. Every teacher has a goal which involves an inquiry into an aspect of the changes we have made in the strategic plan. Teachers meet with me once a term and we work together and highlight progress at the end of year. We have a good system of surveying and getting data each year [for review and needs-analysis] including parent surveys.
(School leader)
Change in Action
These examples of good practice show the impact that can be made if changes are made by schools to their physical activity and physical education approaches. School leaders, teachers and kaiako can use these ideas to encourage and support similar approaches in their schools.
