Research
Research-Based & Empathy Oriented
Research is only as good as the meaningful application of its outcomes. For us, this means taking a balanced approach between the subjective and objective areas of learning and leadership.
Certified in qualitative research, we believe in exploring the experiences of students, staff, and community members through a mixed-methods approach. This means we combine both qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the complexities of people and experiences with tangible takeaways. As we apply research to ensure the impactful implementation of learning spaces, key topics include building-level culture and climate, components of change, and an actionable vision to lead to success. More details can be found below.
Building Culture & Climate
The ability to change and evolve as a group is supported through a healthy organizational culture and climate. These two elements work in tandem, each influencing the other through the beliefs, actions, and attitudes of the people it contains. Understanding the unique elements of your culture and climate is the first step in determining the ideal journey of change and growth for your team.
The overarching identity of an organization, evolved through its history and built on foundational values, behaviors, and beliefs. Culture influences every member of the community and reflects the external perspective of the organization. Positive school cultures can be characterized through collaboration, creativity, courage, a people-centric approach, and a growth mindset.
Organizational cohesion is where culture and climate intersect – connecting the core values and beliefs of an organization with the everyday actions and perceptions of its members. A cohesive organization aligns its practices with its principles, fostering trust and autonomy within the greater structure. Unified leadership and clear communication of strategy, expectations, and outcomes are essential for cohesion, allowing culture to thrive and climate to flourish.
Climate represents the current atmosphere within an organization – its present personality, shaped by the ongoing perceptions of every team member. While climate remains relatively stable, it can be influenced by significant internal or external events. A positive school climate is marked by high morale, camaraderie, confidence in leadership, and genuine engagement.
Components of Change
Change can be a challenging process for any individual or organization. For schools striving to improve through strategic change, a deeper understanding of the change process and its components is crucial for achieving successful outcomes.
Not all change processes are equal, nor are they experienced uniformly. Changes can be classified as either first order (small modifications within an existing structure) or second order (transformative changes challenging or replacing current frameworks, methods, or understandings). It’s important to recognize that what one person sees as a first-order change may be experienced as a second-order change by someone else.
Regardless of the nature or magnitude of change, elements of loss always exist in the process. Even when a change is viewed positively, stakeholders must still grapple with the loss of old habits, belief systems, and routines. Acknowledging the sense of loss educators may feel and allowing them space to process these emotions is essential.
For change to be successful, it must be intrinsically motivated. This requires individuals within the organization to first develop their own understanding of and commitment to the need for change. Investing in shared visioning at the outset can help inspire change and understanding, rather than trying to secure buy-in after changes have already been implemented.
An Actionable Vision
A shared and actionable vision is essential to a healthy organizational culture and can significantly enhance the success of change initiatives. Creating this vision involves:
Effective visioning isn’t a top-down process. Involving everyone who will be expected to embrace the vision in its creation is crucial for success.
Educators often lack time in their busy schedules to reflect on their personal beliefs about their practice. Providing opportunities for such reflection and for sharing insights with colleagues ensures that educators approach the visioning process with clarity about their own beliefs and goals.
As the actionable vision takes shape, it’s important to establish a shared language. This common language enhances the vision’s actionability by enabling educators to easily communicate and think about it in a unified way.