Critical+Conversations...


 * Critical Conversations: Innovation and Accountability: Complementary or Contradictory?**

//Conversation Thought Leader: Bernajean Porter// //Moderated by Anytime, Anywhere Learning Foundation//

[|Grappling with Accountability] http://www.bjpconsulting.com/articles/grappling.html

Accountability is about everyone taking responsibility to arrive where you want to go. Data of some kind has to be on the table for decision making. We need to agree on the types of data to be used to create the data sets at the right time.

Really define what innovation and accountability mean? Break it down to the classroom for teachers. How are we engaging our students? What benefits do we have from CFF? CFF has created the opportunity for the talks about professional development. Create the culture for innovation. //My thoughts:// Get everyone on the same page and move from there.

Change roadblocks from stop signs to opportunities for strategizing.

Better thinkers make for better test takers.

Triangulation talk - Multiple Points of Assessment

Audience member: Turned 1 hour faculty meeting into 21st century learning to create culture within building. Seems successful for teachers - question is what effect on students.

Audience member: Don't be resigned to having kids do old things in new ways. Are we really required to make better test takers. True accountability is whether our students are good people - no test for that. Except that society is moving forward. BP Response: What would we see along the way to see that we're getting there. Single point tests are an issue. We should be inventing the solution collectively. Redefine the things to give us the accountability we want.

Audience member: Non-CFF from PA - Want to make students better problem solvers, independent thinkers. Have students perform better because of skills. Look beyond horizon and lay a plan. Try to be ahead and not 2 steps behind.

Audience member: From Indiana - the test is about minimum standards. We are not talking about minimum standards. Find ways to measure engagement and interest and meet those minimum standards.

Audience member: Innovation versus transformation. Are you fitting the tool into present structure or adjusting structure. Our approach over the past years has been a waste of time. Assess mindshifts from changes over 5 years.

Get out there and tell what you're doing - do PR for what is going on. Give outsiders a frame of reference for the changes we're trying to make. BP- the power of story.

Audience member: People do what you inspect, not what you expect. IU 11, Dan - Is what we're talking about big enough?

BP - Don't spend your time fighting against what you don't want - define what you do want and go from there.

Gibson Quote: The future is already here, just not evenly distributed yet.