planning like a boss

What is your next move? Planning using the PIM process is sure to help you figure it out.

On a cold morning in January 2017 a team of nearly 30 teachers and administrators assembled to complete a comprehensive needs assessment regarding professional learning and digital practices throughout the district. Fresh on my doctoral coursework mind at the time was using the PIM process to identify what was working well and not so well in our district’s digital practices. This continuous improvement cycle made up of three components, planning, implementation, and monitoring guided our learning journey.
 
In the book Activate, planning is “characterized by a comprehensive needs assessment, a process of inquiry that generates hypotheses for action, and delineation of SMART goals” (p. 137). The authors later explain that inquiry becomes advanced when the needs assessment data are triangulated with practices (antecedents) that promote achievement. I like to think of this process as a treasure hunt! Since our purpose was professional and digital learning, we used the Office of Educational Technology’s Future Ready Schools Learning Toolkit as a planning resource for the PIM method. Let me walk you through the process.

TEST YOUR PLAN
​This inquiry process engaged educators in classroom observations, the analyzing of multiple data sets including review of district and building strategic plans, professional learning practices, policies and procedures, assessment data and more. So what do you do after trudging through loads of data? You test it. After a thorough review of the results and triangulation of data, the following hypotheses (examples) were generated:

1. IF the conditions are created for the effective use of mobile technology at school THEN students will purposefully utilize technology that is aligned to twenty-first century learning outcomes.
2. IF students and teachers grow their technological capacity for learning with technology THEN a transition to a student-centered classroom where students demonstrate their learning may occur.
3. IF teachers build capacity in technological framework theory and application THEN units and lessons will purposefully and properly call for technology usage with aligned outcomes.​ ​

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The use of the If/Then statements assist in answering what do you want to know, and ultimately help frame the SMART goals.

As if that is not enough, the hypotheses helped frame the following SMART goals:

1. By September 2017, the board of education adopts policies and procedures needed to create the conditions necessary for the effective use of mobile technology.
2. By October 1st of 2017, all teachers will have completed the two-hour training on Introduction to Chromebooks and device management software and have an 80% first attempt pass rate on the summative assessments delivered in Canvas.
3. By the end of the 2017-2018 school year, professional development will be provided to teachers to assist in the effective use of incorporating technology with pedagogy demonstrated by technology successfully incorporated into one unit of instruction.

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​​PLAN YOUR WORK AND WORK YOUR PLAN ​-Napoleon Hill

These were our results using the PIM process for planning. With a little front-loading of time and energy you too can be constructing your plan for greatness using this process. In future posts I will demonstrate the remaining two stages of this continuous improvement model, implementation and monitoring. Until then, here are suggested resources to help guide your planning, implementing, and monitoring (PIM) journey for continuous improvement.​

• Allison, et al., (2011). Activate: A leader’s guide to people, practices, and processes. Englewood, CO: Lead + Learn Press.
• Reeves, D.B. (2011). Finding your leadership focus: What matters most for student results. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
• Reeves, D.B. (2010). Transforming professional development into student results. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
• Office of Educational Technology

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