Adaptive Schools: A Framework for Developing Collaborative School Cultures

Another article, another dive into a trending educational framework- Adaptive Schooling.

Adaptive Schools is a framework introduced by Garmston and Wellman (2016). It is intended to be all-encompassing, providing the necessary tools for schools to build a community capable of navigating complexity — an environment where innovation thrives. This article paints a broad picture of Adaptive Schools; trying to cover the salient points and basic tenets, share some major research findings on how it impacts, dives into considerations for international school contexts and eventually tosses some limitations on the table.?

The purpose? To arm those at the helm with enough insight that allows them to make an informed decision as to whether or not Adaptive Schools provides resonance for their school.

Key Concepts and Principles

Adaptive Schools is essentially about building strong schools where collaborative leaders can address both the certain challenges today as well as the uncertain ones tomorrow (Garmston & Wellman, 2016, p. xii). It recognizes that schools are complex adaptive systems functioning within an increasingly VUCA world (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity).

The key concept of adaptivity can be defined as changing form yet retaining identity— which means evolving practices while staying connected to the purpose and values. This demands continuous exploration into three fundamental queries: Who are we?

Why are we doing this?

Why are we doing it this way?

In addition emphasis is put on the concept of focusing questions:

An inquiry into identity, purpose and process seeks answers to who we are, why we do what we do, and why we follow specific procedures. The Adaptive Schools recommends these reflective queries as instrumental in achieving coherence and purposefulness within adaptivity.

The Adaptive Schools framework is unique in that it focuses on both organizational and professional capacity building. This is achieved by nurturing five different sources of energy:

- Efficacy: The belief within a group that they can do their work well

- Flexibility: The ability of a group to change according to situations

- Craftsmanship: A commitment towards continuous learning and improving the quality of work

- Consciousness: Being aware about oneself, others, decisions and their impact

- Interdependence: Understanding the interconnectedness and value each individual brings

These energy sources drive capabilities among group members leading to shared leadership which involves facilitating, presenting, coaching and consulting. Specific tools such as dialogue and discussion protocols, norms of collaboration and strategies promoting balanced participation plus shared understanding through effective decision making are used. All efforts are geared towards ensuring shared responsibility for student learning as the end goal.

Shared Leadership

Another key aspect to Adaptive Schools is the idea that within teams, participants learn a shared leadership model wherein each member has a shared stake in facilitating (to make easier), presenting (to teach), coaching (to help take action) and consulting (to be an information specialist).

Holonomy (or playing to your strengths)

Another tenant of adaptive school frameworks is the belief that any organization is strongest when it plays in to the varying strengths of its members. There is an emphasis placed on honoring and featuring the strengths of its members and perhaps more importantly, group members are trained to set aside unproductive patterns of listening, responding and inquiring.

When trained accordingly, effective group members know when to assert and to integrate in the conversation; and know and support the group’s purposes, topics, processes and development. An adaptive group member understands their autonomic role builds community.

Shared Communication Skills and Norms of Collaboration

An ‘Adaptive School’ differentiates between DIALOGUE and DISCUSSION. Within that framework both methods of communication are monitored by the 7 Norms of Collaboration.

Dialogue: Adaptive schools operate under the notion that dialogue is reflective in nature. The goal is to hear others without judging. Suspension is the essential internal skill in dialogue, setting aside own perceptions, impulses, feelings. Yet as well, ‘suspension’ is meant to make thoughts and beliefs transparent and viewable. Well-crafted dialogue will lead to understanding with conflict resolution, consensus forming and building professional community.

Discussion: Active in nature the adaptive school defines discussion as a means to ‘shake apart’ Members seek out:

a) clarity about the decision making process;

b) knowledge about the boundaries surrounding the authority to make the decision;

c) and standards set during such meetings.

Members pay attention to themselves, the process of skilled discussion, and the details of the problem solving, planning, and decision-making process in which they are engaged. The purpose of discussion is to eliminate some ideas from a field of possibilities and allow stronger ideas to prevail.

These shared communication strategies find a shared umbrella of collaboration skills through these 7 norms:

PAUSING allowing thinking time

PARAPHRASING to hear and understand

PUTTING INQUIRY AT THE CENTRE explore perceptions, assumptions, interpretations

PROBING increase the clarity and precision of thinking

PLACING IDEAS ON THE TABLE the heart of meaningful dialogue

PAYING ATTENTION TO SELF AND OTHERS being aware of what is being said, how it is said, how others are responding

PRESUMING POSITIVE INTENTIONS promotes and facilitates meaningful dialogue and eliminates unintentional putdowns.

Structure for Collaboration and Focusing Consensus

With adaptive schools, all of this work is designed to foster a shared set of communication standards and expectation setting so that initiative building can be as effective and clear as possible. In order to build that all important shared consensus, clear structures of how to hold and operate meetings are key. Adaptive schools recommend the following four steps:

1. Decide who Decides- Be clear and transparent on how each is expected to contribute and how final decisions are being made.
2. Define the Sandbox- Whatever the purpose of the group, be clear as to who the stakeholders, spheres of influence and scope so that efforts can be best maximized and energy isn't wasted.
3. Developing Standards- Have clear expectations of how to communicate, order of operations, clear and transparent scheduling and also have clearly defined roles within the group/meeting. Roles are defined as: engaged participant, facilitator, recorder, person with role or knowledge authority.
4. Design the Surroundings- Be targeted and thoughtful to the physical space and dynamics of where meetings are held. Based on what kinds of interactions are needed make sure the space provides what you need to make that work as effective and supportive as possible.

Cognitive and Affective Conflict and Facilitating Positive Change

In all group dynamics, conflict is going to be present. Instead of trying to avoid conflict, adaptive schools instead preach the importance of conflict- as long as it dwells in cognitive as opposed to affective conflict.

Cognitive conflict is that type of conflict that is issues based as opposed to affective conflict which is personality or resentment based.

With cognitive conflict, the focus on systems improvement- and should be celebrated as a means to make whatever the team is doing better. Obviously there needs to be norms of communication in place to make that as effective as possible, but it suggests that we shouldn't shy away from productive conflict.

A note on Communication Skills

With any adaptive school training, MUCH ENERGY AND TIME is dedicated to developing that shared language, communication skills and conflict resolution framework so that everyone is entering into collaborative processes with a good-faith and shared baseline.

Study on Influence

An increasing amount of research has been done into the effects of Adaptive Schools on teachers and school communities.?

Major takeaways include:

Better teamwork and growth in professionalism: In an investigation by Wheeler (2016) on the effects of Adaptive Schools training within one American school district, the results showed positive impact. This influence was seen in the way collaboration among professionals was being conducted; it became more purposeful with clear meeting structures plus use of collaborative norms and dialogue protocols, later resulting in collective responsibility.

A more unified "school system" fostering instructional leadership: Kershner & McQuillan (2016) studied a principal's application of Adaptive Schools principles within an urban elementary school. The feedback from staff led to greater clarity on mission and goals as well as how protocols promoted shared ownership towards challenges— thereby appreciating her instructional leadership through those strategies introduced via questions and dialogue structures.

School change efforts can find strong support from Adaptive Schools. A Canadian secondary school adopted this approach significantly and as a result metamorphosed from a typical high school to an innovative technology-driven learning community. They were able to establish certain structures such as the collaborative inquiry cycle and use of protocols alongside shared facilitation which played a significant role in promoting involvement of both staff and students in the change process.

Implementing Adaptive Schools has been shown to have a positive impact on school culture. Thiers (2017) conducted surveys among educators from 30 different U.S schools that had been using Adaptive Schools for over 3 years. Participants acknowledged its positive influence towards collaboration, trust, support, risk-taking willingness, commitment to shared goals - all aspects that are indicative of a healthy school culture. 85% perceived that the program led to improvements in student learning though the author pointed out challenges in determining its impact independent of other initiatives.

The research studies indicate that the Adaptive Schools can play a significant role in helping professionals work better together and be instrumental in creating environments where collaboration is at the center, all aimed at student learning. On the flip side, we need to appreciate that much of this research has limitations as it mostly focuses on a single school or district entity. What we need are more large-scale and longitudinal studies.

Bringing Adaptive Schools to International Schools

For those leaders in international schools who have the Adaptive Schools on their radar, here are some nuggets to chew on when it comes to implementing this framework:

Put your money where your mouth is: When it comes to quality training, there's no cutting corners. The foundation and advanced seminars under the Adaptive Schools framework should be seen as primary opportunities for individuals to fully grasp what the approach entails. By training a group of facilitators through these core programs, it ensures not only a high-level implementation but also creates capacity that can sustain such efforts over time.

Garmston & Wellman (2016) suggest initiating Adaptive Schools with a small experimental cluster of educators who show keen interest in acting as the 'champions' for this work. Thiers (2017) discovered that schools which strategically involved early adopters before going school-wide had an easier implementation process reported.

Merge with pre-existing priorities

Portray Adaptive Schools as a core component, not an outlier or shiny new thing. Seek genuine ways to infuse these principles and tools within ongoing efforts of organizational enhancement. For instance, utilize protocols in data analysis sessions or specific guiding questions during strategic planning discussions for operationalization of the components of adaptive schools to steer them towards their intended goals.

The utilization of Adaptive Schools principles and tools by administrators stands as a strong positive reinforcement model at the leadership level. According to Garmston & Wellman (2016, p. 22), "Groups are more likely to operate at the top level of their capability when leaders and facilitators parallel the Adaptive Schools practices they want to see from the group." This underscores the importance for leaders to mirror desired group behaviors in their own actions, thus suggesting that leaders should invest in their own professional development towards competency.

Take your time and ensure continuous support: Achieving true adaptability is a process of development. Wheeler (2016) identified that some staff members perceived Adaptive Schools simply as a set of strategies post initial training; thus, continuous learning opportunities were necessary to foster a deeper grasp of the underlying conceptual framework over time. It is advisable to consider multi-year plans which facilitate gradual application of the concepts.

Evaluate compatibility with your culture and make adjustments accordingly: For international schools, it is essential to evaluate the cultural appropriateness of Adaptive Schools within their specific context critically. Some strategies or ways in which conversations are structured may not align with all cultural backgrounds. Always maintain an inquisitive and adaptive stance— gather input from varied voices so as to tailor the work in a manner that upholds the unique cultural tapestry of your school community.

Possible Drawbacks and Shortcomings

Although Adaptive Schools provides a strong framework for building collaborative cultures, it is essential to acknowledge critiques and potential limitations:

Geographic boundaries of research: Most of the literature regarding Adaptive Schools is concentrated in the United States and Canada. There should be more studies that consider how it is applied in other parts of the world and what results it leads to.

Collaboration can be deemed useless if taken hostage by over-structuring. It could strangle what is intended to be genuine partnership at birth, argue Garmston & Wellman (2016), who recommend principled adaptation whilst still allowing for true experimentation. This will be up to leaders, then, to determine when the system supports and when it suppresses.

Like with many new initiatives so much of Adaptive Schools is about developing and sharing a similar language and framework for experimentation. The question remains- can it act as an effective channel towards building those collaborative inquiry communities which respond to all learners in context-sensible innovations?

The proof will inevitably be in the pudding.?What's cool about adaptive schools is that it's not a one size fits all look or application- it just takes effort to get stakeholders on a similar page.

References:

Garmston, R. & Wellman, B. (2013). The adaptive school: A sourcebook for developing collaborative groups. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers.

Garmston, R. & Wellman, B. (2016). The adaptive school: A sourcebook for developing collaborative groups (2nd ed.). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.??

Hargreaves, E. (2019). Feeling less than other people: Attainment scores as symbols of children's worth. FORUM, 61(1), 53-66.

Kershner, B. & McQuillan, P. (2016). Complex adaptive schools: Educational leadership and school change. Complicity, 13(1), 4-29.

Thiers, N. (2017). Measuring the impact of Adaptive Schools. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. University of Washington, Seattle, WA.

Wheeler, W. (2016). Adaptive Schools: Investigating impact, continuity and change in one school district. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. University of Louisville, Louisville, KY.