Facilitation

= **Westmoreland Intermediate Unit Educational Summit** = =Goals for Process=
 * 12:45 PM ****Leveraging Collective Intelligence: Collaborative Action Plan**


 * Big Ideas**: Capacity building- An increase in the abilities and resources of individuals, teams, and the community to manage change. Sustainability-The creation of long term plans to move the vision forward in participating districts at the end of the program.


 * Essential Questions:** How do we identify where we are? What does educational leadership look like in a 21st century teaching and learning environment? What is our collective vision and plan to address 21st Century teaching and learning?

If using technology is so easy, why is implementation so difficult? To prepare our students for the 21st Century all stakeholders must take collective action. Sheryl will guide us through the steps needed to build momentum and garner buy-in from the entire school community. Participants will discuss ways to plan collectively and strategically for the future, develop a professional development plan for 21st Century skill building, and make sure all students have equitable access to a 21st century education.

=**PowerPoint to Use on 8/4**=

=**Facilitator Guidelines**=

Post It Note chart paper (large paper) (1 per 100) Small Post it Notes on tables (each person needs 10 pieces) Each person will have one strip of colored dots (6 or 7 dots) The scribe will need a laptop
 * Supplies Needed:**

You also might want to have one sheet of chart paper that can serve a the //parking lot// where people can put post it notes of ideas they do not get to share and would like to have included in the conversation.

=Schedule= //**12:45 Welcome and overview -10 minutes**// Explain what we will be doing in this section of the agenda.
 * I. Introductions and a quick setting of context**

__//**12:55- Round Robin Discussion – 25 minutes**//__ As the facilitator, I’m going to stay neutral. But I may play “devil’s advocate” from time to time if I think that will stimulate the discussion and bring out concerns or views that need to be considered. If I keep pressing you to explain your views, I’m not trying to put you on the spot. I’m just trying to get as much information from you as I can.
 * II. Have a facilitated discussion on barriers and restraints to managing change and shift in schools. What is preventing them from being successful at implementing change?**

(Name of co-facilitator) will take notes and work with me as we have our discussion. The purpose is to maintain a record of every discussion. The information we record will help you understand more clearly the items that need to go into your final mission plan. We will not record the name of persons as they speak, only who is in attendance.

We will cover one question with your introduction embedded during the Round Robin portion. Each of you will have one shot – uninterrupted – at this question. When each of you has had 1-2 minutes (or less) to say what you want about the first question, we'll move on to our next agenda item. Only if time allows, will we have a general discussion at the end of this round robin discussion. It is important that we stay true to time. There are 24 of us so we will each have about 1 min to speak.

Remember, this activity is not a discussion. If you want to use part (or all) of your 1 minute to respond to what someone else said, that's fine. If you change your mind about what you want to say because of what someone else says, great. But no back and forth please; we don't have time for it. If an issue comes up that you would like to discuss, you can add it to the “Parking Lot” sheet, and if we have time at the end, we'll discuss the parking lot ideas. Any questions?

- Introduce yourself and then in round robin style address the prompt provided in 1-2 min depending on the number of learners in your group. - Discussion will be recorded but your ideas will not be published with your name unless permission is granted in advance. - Be as honest as possible.

=**Read the question aloud to the group and begin. . .**= ==Assume that you are convinced that change is needed and that student directed inquiry, project-based learning and collaborative technology use is a better way to engage students with the content and provide a deeper learning experience than traditional methods- What barriers or constraints are keeping this from happening in your school or district?==

//**1:20- Generate proactive solutions**// Now that we have discussed the challenges that have or could possibly prevent us from achieving the goal, let’s start to brainstorm some possible solutions to over coming these challenges. Think in terms of: “What’s working now?”“What actions can be put into place to overcome the barriers mentioned?” “What can individuals do?” “Or what innovative ideas can you suggest that aren’t related to overcoming barriers?”
 * III. Using** **the Post IT notes and w****orking as individuals, jot down at least 5 ideas that are proactive solutions to overcoming a barrier or restraint you heard related to the reculturing of schools around 21st Century change.** **Only put 1 idea per note.** **You could also list innovative ideas you have for how to implement the needed change. Be creative. Think out of the box. (10 min)**

//**1:30- Sharing in Pairs**// Ok. Stop writing. Now I would like for you to get into pairs, working with the person next to you, and looking at your combined Post It notes start to categorize the ideas into chunks under 5-6 overarching topics.
 * IV. Working in pairs, talk together about your ideas and chunk them together under emerging categories such as: (Time, Community, Professional Development)**

Note to Facilitator While they are chunking into categories together start to make charts with topic headings and put up around the room. Work quickly and quietly– listening to what the pairs are suggesting for headings as they organize their ideas into categories. Start the process– try to capture as many headings as possible and put the charts up on the walls while they are working in pairs. (make room for voting next to the title)

//**1:40- Categorization**// Look around the room at the charts we have created. If you do not see a heading you have created while organizing your ideas please call it out. The rest of you come put your Post It notes under the right topic heading. Some of you will have the same categories– this is intended. The work you have done is amazing! Your ideas are incredible! We have 2-3 minutes to get your Post Its organized on the big charts.
 * V. Make sure we have all the content areas represented on the charts. Then put the sticky notes on the corresponding chart.**

//**1:50- Weighted Ranking of Generated Categories**// You have strips of dots. Look at the categories represented on the charts. Decide which topics you are most passionate about that you would like to see developed into a collaborative action plan. Represent your passion by dots on the corresponding chart. You can put 1 dot on several charts. Or all your dots on one chart, or any combination thereof.
 * VI.** **Using the dots, choose a category you are most passionate about developing. (What you see as greatest need area)** **You are voting for the big bucket category, not individual ideas or Post Its.**

Note to Facilitator While they are voting– recalculate your time. We hope you have at least 25 minutes left. But this is where you will make adjustments. Once you see how many minutes you have left– allot them accordingly.

//**1:55- Crafting of Recommendations in small groups**// Get into groups. Take one chart per table. (based on votes) As a group look at the ideas represented on the chart and craft a bulleted plan for implementing 21st Century change in your schools. You have 25-30 minutes.
 * VII. Get** **in groups and then read and organize all the ideas represented on your chart. Then discuss to see if any group member has additional ideas to add. Talk about ideas that create excitement in the group. The ideas is to develop team mission statements around this category that can be incorporated in to your team mission plan.**

Note to Facilitators__ Facilitators circulate and guide process along– interjecting tough questions to deepen discussion as the groups explore the ideas represented. Scribes can use this time to capture information from charts in room. Goal is for each group to get at least three recommendations crafted. Make sure you get their recommendations in writing before end time.


 * 2:20- Share Out - Facilitators will share (have highlights to share )**

Collect all written input. Thank them for their hard work and ideas.
 * 2:30 - Close**

=**Duties**=
 * 1. Co-facilitate entire process**
 * 2. Scribe the Barrier's discussion in Word and email to sheryl@plpnetwork.com**
 * 3. Gather all the post it notes and charts and roll up for Sheryl to take back and type up**


 * At Some Point Facilitators will Debrief with Sheryl**

What points of consensus emerged in the discussion? On which points were the participants’ responses divided? On which points did participants reveal a wide range of responses?