EADM 829 Assignment 5 Beau Gallerneault

PROFOUND IMPROVEMENT
BUILDING CAPACITY FOR A LEARNING COMMUNITY

CORAL MITCHELL & LARRY SACKNEY

Coral Mitchell
Mitchell is a Professor at Brock
University in the Education
Program. Her contributions to
the area of Educational
Administration have been
immense and as such she was
awarded 2017 Distinguished
Service Award from the
Canadian Association for the
Study of Educational
Administration.

Larry Sackney
This book explores how building capacity in the
Prior to his passing in 2011, domains of personal, interpersonal and
Sackney was an Emeritus organization will lead to a profound improvement
Professor of Educational
in teaching and learning and professional
Administration in the College
of Education at the University development. The book challenges the current
of Saskatchewan. In 2002, Dr. education structure that is mechanistic in nature
Sackney received the and that is not supportive of members of the
Distinguished Service Award
from the Canadian Society for education community coming together with a
the Study of Educational shared vision.
Administration, and in 2004, The authors provide framework of how to build
he was awarded his university’s
capacity with in each of three domains focusing on
third Distinguished Research
Supervisor Award. In 2012, he individual and group engagement to build
was awarded a Life organizational practices and routines that build
Membership by the upon the strengths and leadership of those in the
International Congress for
School Effectiveness and learning community.
Improvement in Malmo,
Sweden.

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Chapter 1: A Learning
Community Contextual
Elements
A Learning Community
Personal Capacity Contextual Elements
Chapter 2: The Search for
Knowledge
Mitchell and Sackney highlighted three pivotal
Chapter 3: The Construction
dimensions of a learning community that take into
of Knowledge
account the complex dynamics of the individuals within
Interpersonal Capacity in it. Their position is that when capacity is built within
these dimensions it promotes and enhances
Chapter 4:Building the professional learning and leadership.
Learning Community Climate

Chapter 5: Building the Team Personal Capacity

Has to do with the active and reflective
Organizational construction of knowledge. Building capacity in
Capacity this domain challenges values, assumptions,
belief systems and practices.
Chapter 6: Opening Doors
and Breaking Down Walls
Interpersonal Capacity
Chapter 7:Sharing This domain is concerned with building a collective
Leadership and Sharing meaning for the individuals within the learning
Power community. Capacity building in this area is about
bringing people together for a shared purpose.
Chapter 8: Making it So

Chapter 9: Retrospect and Organizational Capacity

Prospect This domain is concerned with building structures that create
and maintain sustainable organizational processes. Capacity
building concerns itself with building flexible systems that
support new and old ideas.

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 Personal Capacity

The Search for

Knowledge
Image source: https://blog.nauticindex.com/accuracy-basic-nautic-
tools/

Internal Search External Search The Searches in Mutual

Relationships

Mitchell and Sackney Through the use of The authors note that the
highlight that building Network Theory we can internal and external
personal capacity starts with searches should be in
see that thoughts and
the pursuit of personal constant dialogue with each
behaviours are partially
knowledge. other (p.27).
dependant on the ties
individuals establish with
Educators need to ensure that When either of these
other people in their
their espoused theory and searches are isolated it will
social and professional limit the amount of personal
theory of use are aligned (p.
circles (p.23). growth an individual will
18). When they are not, one’s
professional practice will lack have.
Both strong and weak ties
integrity and congruence. are important as the latter
Portraiture, peer coaching
provides psychological
To help one “walk the talk”, relationships and personal
stability while the latter growth plans are some
the authors suggest using
opens the door to learn effective strategies to
personal reflective practices
about new ideas and promote balance and
such as descriptive journaling
to avoid discrepancies in ones encourage diversity. growth in the relationship
intention and effect. between the internal and
In order to build personal
external searches.
capacity there should be
a balance between the
two.

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 Constructing Personal
Knowledge

Building personal capacity entails

deconstruction (analysis and reflection) as well
as reconstruction (action) (p.31). Image source: https://
mobilebusinessinsights.com/
2017/09/the-essential-
building-blocks-of-an-iot-

Process of Knowledge Construction

A constructive view of learning would suggest that it is a process of active construction and that process results
in a qualitative change in understanding. Within the learning environment, knowledge construction is product
of both context and activity.

From an organizational context, learning occurs in a number of different ways; however Mitchell and Sackney
highlight that action learning or research is the most useful strategy for professional and organizational
development as it blends a number of learning techniques, thus providing flexibility (p.34).

Action Learning (Research) involves working on real problems, focusing on the learning acquired and taking
action on the solutions developed. It uses reframing to move into the experimental phase and involves critical
thinking and reflection. It also builds upon pre-existing knowledge but re-examines it critically to see if its goals
are matching its outcomes. It’s a flexible approach to school development through critically informed action
and reflection that is grounded in the real, complex and often confusing circumstances and constraints of
contemporary school life.

Facilitation of Knowledge Construction

Is a continuous process of learning and teaching within the learning community. This knowledge for
staff may come through professional development opportunities; however they note that
professional development should honour existing knowledge and build upon it as well as build upon
the realities of the educators and their shared experiences, to find out whats working and not and
what can be reconstructed.

They highlight that the construction of new knowledge in a school needs to acknowledge the past in
a respectful way, while providing opportunities for innovation and improvement. It was highlighted
that this can occur through unplanned informal learning opportunities in which staff can share new
practices and ideas with each other.

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 INTERPersonal Capacity

Building the Learning Community Climate

Learning takes place through interactions with and between a number of people who operate as a
community of learners. It is a heavily contested process of negotiation among different people
with different knowledge bases, different histories, different hopes and aspirations, different
personal styles and emotions, and different desires and needs. This is a dynamic process that
moves in cycles of periods with activity and inactivity.

The nature of learning implies that there needs to be two conditions of the school culture.

Affective Climate Cognitive Climate

Elements of an Affective Climate Relies on collection reflection and personal

conversations and is heavily influenced by social
Affirmation: This element is concerned with constructivism.
valuing the input of others by providing Ideas about learning, teaching and curriculum and
opportunity for all to have input assessment need to be negotiated with all members
of the learning community. The social construction of
Invitation: For those who are quiet or do not knowledge is expected to emphasize authentic
contribute should be invited to. These efforts learning
need to be sincere to encourage participation. Reflective practices are difficult but should be built into
the school structure and carefully facilitated.
Trust: Staff need to trust in each other and Through Professional conversations individuals can
know that their leaders “walk the talk”. explore each others mental models and help to
develop common understandings. These are in
Caring: Should permeate from all aspects of depth conversations among educators about specific
the school from curriculum to relationships professional issues, problems, concerns, perplexities
and organization. and mysteries.
Provides opportunities to develop new
Relationships:Learning community is a understandings. All do not need to agree but there
community of relationships and through these should be a mutual respect that leads to a reconstruct
relationships and connections individuals of the collective narrative. (p.52-56)
learn. (p.46-51)

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 Building the Team

Whats in a team ?

Mitchell and Sackney highlight that teams in a learning community

are made up of members who are charged with a moral purpose
and with clear and present responsibility for the growth and
development of one another and the school.

In order for the team to be successful, there needs to be

collaboration with the team members. As they stated in this
chapter, team members represent the cognitive scaffolds for which image source:https://coursehorse.com/nyc/
classes/professional/construction/4-hr-
others can stand on to gain new insights. supported-scaffold-

As the realm of education is extremely complex, collaboration with all team

members (including students, parents and community stakeholders) is
important. Collaborative practices also support personal capacity growth
as it encourages networking.

Developing and Maintaining and Effective Team

The authors acknowledged that teamwork is not an easy process and as such there needs to be ongoing
investment in team development to promote understanding and to develop capacity to work well in an
interpersonal milieu. In order to develop and maintain an effective team they encourage the following 10
conditions:

1) Positive team norms 6) Civilized disagreement

2) Clear sense of purpose 7) Consensus

3) Relaxed, informal and comfortable 8) Trust

4) Participation is inclusive 9) Leadership is shared

5) Active listening 10) Continual maintenance

As this is a collaborative process, there is a strong emphasis on shared responsibility in terms of vision and work to
build and maintain an effective team (p.60).

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 Organizational Capacity

Opening Doors and Breaking Down

Walls

Organizational capacity to support improved teaching and learning is enhanced when structures create
opportunities for growth and development while addressing deficits that lead to isolation and separation in
school systems. The structures the authors have highlighted that are important in developing
organizational capacity are socio-cultural, collaborative processes and structural arrangements (p.78).

Socio-cultural Structural Arrangements Collaborative Processes

Failing to address negative Re-structuring and developing The authors suggest that in
new structural arrangements
undercurrents can lead to a the learning community,
in schools allow for innovation
toxic learning environment the discourse needs to be
and collaborative practices.
and contribute to isolation structured around the
of team members. Efforts perplexities of teaching
Developing flexible structures
should be made address that support personal and learning rather than
these concerns in a development, professional around mundane events or
collegial way to promote learning such as mentoring institutional information.
inclusiveness. programs can create
environments for growth. It was highlighted that this
Misconceptions discourse should be
surrounding the need for Mitchell and Sackney also accessible to all in the
ongoing learning affects suggest that shift from learning environment.
morale and contribute to a hierarchal leadership to one Through this collaborative
culture of fear. They note that disperses power will processes such as
assist in creating a learning
that knowledge gaps professional discussions
community that works with
should be perceived as amongst team members it
the team as opposed to
opportunities for growth. will help for individuals and
creating pockets of control.
Investing in a positive the group to make sense of
socio-socio-cultural In order for structural different events, conditions
structure will promote arrangements to be successful or circumstances of the
individuals to want to there needs to be strong lines learning environment.
contribute to the learning of communication.
environment.

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 Sharing Leadership and Sharing Power

Mitchell and Sackney highlight that learning and the development of a learning community
can best develop in an environment of shared leadership and shared power (p.93). The following
identifies conditions in which leadership can be shared in an organization

Leadership as a Systematic Condition Leadership as a Cultural Condition

Administrators need to create conditions in Elements this condition would include trust,
which power can flow through multiple caring, commitment, common knowledge, equity
and democracy. This can be developed through
levels while drawing upon expertises and
dynamic harmonization, dialogue team building
strengths of those in the learning community and effective communication.

Leadership as Influence
Leadership as a Political Condition
This represents a dynamic relationship where
Occurs in schools on micro level. Critical
leader and follower roles are interchanged and
leadership and discussion allow for imbalances to
influence can be multi-directional. When
be identified and readjusted while promoting
managed in a positive way, it can influence
fairness and equity.
positive change in the learning community.

Leadership as Change
Leadership as Direction
Leaders need to assist staff to understand how
Leadership is important in guiding school new initiatives fit as well as how it can benefit
processes and in enhancing teaching and their professional practice. Effective leadership
learning. helps to build upon the strengths of the past by
developing new and innovative strategies.

Image source: http://

glenwoodia.com/
classes-forming-now-
for-mills-county-
leadership/

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 Making it So

A Framework of Practice

Engaging the Administrative Creating Sustainable

Cadre Conditions
The Principal should model active Conditions must support
professional learning and individual and collective
collaborative engagement. professional learning.
Development can occur top down, This can be done by
outside in, inside out and bottom understanding the culture in the
up. school and deciding on what
Principals have the ability to norms and values need to be
influence others in the school to retained and which ones need to
create and develop learning be changed.
communities.

Develop a Learning Going through Phases and

Architecture Cycles
The development of learning teams can It is important to recognize that
assist in implementing new curricula, this is not a linear process and that
strategies and reporting procedures.
there will be phases. Three
Learning agents are also valuable i
learning phases will include:
creating opportunity and space for
professional learning. naming and framing, analyzing
In order to sustain ongoing development, and integrating and applying and
structures need to be implemented that experimentation.
support flexibility and feedback. This part
of the framework is critical in bringing life
to the learning community.

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 Retrospect and Prospect

A look to the past to make a case for the future

The current structure of schools, schooling as well as teaching and learning are mechanistic in nature and
due to the bureaucratic processes impedes individual and team professional growth as well as from an
organizational standpoint.

A learning community places the lifeworld at the centre of the educational process. By investing and
valuing the individuals in this system, it encourages contributions and collaboration towards a shared
vision. Through the sharing of accountability and responsibility it places importance on building
organizational structures that are flexible while acknowledging learning community as system. As such it
is cognizant that changes in one area will have an effect in others.

Transitioning from one worldview to another presents itself with a number of challenges. It was
highlighted that transitioning will signify loss for some and that as such there needs to be allowance for
grieving to occur. To support this, the past should be honoured with respect and integrity. It is important
that Educational Leaders, allow for the learning community members to develop their own transition path
the leadership and learning that occurs. This can be supported by allowing for flexibility and investment
in professional development to assist in building capacity.

Critical Review

Mitchell and Sackney did an admirable job at presenting learning communities as ecosystems
and how they need to be nurtured to be sustainable and grow. By illuminating the personal,
interpersonal and organizational elements of this system, they were effectively able to
demonstrate how increased capacity in one area will promote growth in another. Using case
examples from their previous research and experience was beneficial in developing a deeper
understanding of their theory and how it relates to practice.

Drawing upon Senge several times in their book, they present the importance of looking at
learning communities and the education system as whole, and how changes in one area may
have the potential to affect several other areas in both positive and negative ways, thus
representing a systems thinking approach to developing a new image of how we view schools.

Given this I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for strategies at
developing renewal within the education system that not only engages individuals but also
groups and organizational structures with a wholeness perspective on focus on critical
reflection. Educational Leaders can look to this book at as a blueprint in helping to place focus
on the humanity elements in the education realm.

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 Discussion Questions

1) In what ways can we promote critical ?

2) How can we as professionals build upon current

networking opportunities and practices?

3) How do we honour old tried and true practices

while implementing new and innovative ones?

Mitchell, C., & Sackney, L. (2000). Profound Improvement: Building Capacity for a
Learning Community. Lisse: Swets & Zeitlinger.

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