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Tony Bryk Presentation - President of the Carnegie Foundation

  1. Introduction to Inquiry Issues
    1. T. Burke presented the idea that professional work is diverse (Policy, Engaging in practice/Urban/Social Entrepreneurs) but the goal must be to improve teaching and learning.
    2. We must also build knowledge base by applying discipline-based theory and building tools to inform practice.
    3. This can be done through the lens of organizational sociology, with discussion on how organizational structure affects learning.
    4. It is vital that projects build a spirit of respect, trust, and a capacity to work together.
  2. Foundations Futures Agenda
    1. Universal schools (a system of public schools) based on social needs that enhance the learning process.
    2. The central question is how change will occur that enhances and promotes learning.
    3. Since we ask for ambitious learning goals, we must become a fully engaged knowledge-based economy.
    4. Requires sophisticated social communication skills.
    5. We seek invention of new institutions focused more on individual learning.
    6. As with organizational sociology, we see the essential problem as a problem with organizational structure.
  3. Observation I: The Science of Performance Improvement
    1. The problem is not that there is not enough knowledge, but that there is not systematic use of the knowledge. We are not using well the knowledge that we have
    2. We must develop a disposition for learning.
    3. A discussion of problems of practice came up. The discussion related to learnability and the building systems around practice
      1. Learnability: What we can do reliably is more important
      2. than getting the best answer. Being effective is related to getting the job done. If the solution is so complicated that no one can do it, it is useless.
      3. Building around Practice: We need to not only do what we do well, but be able to measure the outcome or impact. You cannot improve performance if you cannot measure success.
  4. Observation II: Disruptive Innovation (Clay Christiansen)
    1. Large scale innovation is not refinement and usually does not come up through the ranks.
    2. Large organizations innovate through total disruption of the status quo and redesign around practice.
    3. Disruptive organizations are clear in what they want to accomplish, work from the desired outcome backwards, and continuously improve.
  5. Some questions/ideas for consideration
    1. Can we construct innovations that pass the learnability test?
    2. How do you narrow options while living with ambiguity? (Design, educational engineering and development, tasks)
    3. How do you continuously improve with continuous feedback?
    4. How do you engineer for improvement?