AR+Project

Click on the link below for the First stage of this Action Research project. ||
 * A Cycle of Action Research represented below in the diagram shows the cyclicle nature of Action Research. The project that this wiki is dedicated to is still i n its infancy and would place somewhere in the first Cycle shown below. There is a lot of work to do still and as this work evolves, it will make clearer exactly what capabilities Numeracy leaders in schools require to be effective.
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 * Preliminary Collaborative Discussions

Discussions with both my mentor and Regional Network Leader (RNL) indicated that there is a need to explore what Numeracy leaders do in schools that have the greatest influence on student outcomes in Mathematics. For 18 months a Numeracy Network comprising of Numeracy Coordinators from 27 schools and 2 coaches, has been in place. The focus of this team has been on discussing and promoting effective numeracy teaching throughout the Network. One concern that the RNL, my mentor and I have is that we are not seeing any distinguishable improvement in student learning outcomes in Mathematics many of the schools in the Network and we have started to question and discuss why this might be the case.

In discussion with the RNL it quickly became obvious that she suspects the Numeracy Coordinators at each of the schools have not explored and made explicit what the necessary skills and capabilities are that make the difference to impact positively on student learning.

The focus of this action research project was generated from those discussions and it will be on determining which leadership styles and capacities Numeracy Coordinators in schools have the greatest impact on student learning outcomes. If we can identify these, the focus of the support that the Network coaches can provide can be narrowed to address these capacities and skills.

Previously we had interviewed 5 schools considered to be high performing (as identified from NAPLAN/SFO data) and investigated what works well in their schools and why they think their NAPLAN scores are high. School Principals and Numeracy Coordinators of each school were asked questions that came from Stonnington and Glen Eira (SaGE) Numeracy Project. The answers were collated, organised and presented to the Numeracy Network team.

In reflecting on this process it became evident that the interview and data collection process was flawed. Some schools clearly had favourable performances despite inferior procedures and systems in place. The Regional Network Leader (RNL) identified the need to examine practices in all schools in the Network and determine what aspects of Leadership could have the greatest positive influence on improving student learning in each Network school. As a group of three we started to explore the Victorian Developmental Learning Framework for School Leaders which helps to identify and describe the critical capabilities that leaders need to create the organisational conditions under which quality learning and teaching takes place.

The focus of our discussions then turned to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s (DEECD) Literacy and Numeracy Statement- Blueprint Implementation Paper as we looked to identify what leaders do that makes a difference to student learning. This paper “acknowledges the importance of distributing and sharing leadership across the school and beyond Principal Class members” (p.16) and that “Effective instructional leaders need a sound understanding of the disciplinary and pedagogical content knowledge that effective teachers of literacy and numeracy require.”

Our attention was drawn to the mention of both Distributive and Instructional Leadership and we engaged in dialogue around how the two leadership types might impact on student outcomes.

In examining aspects of the DEECD’s Literacy and Numeracy Statement- Blueprint Implementation Paper we decideded to construct a survey that focussed on the key capabilities that Numeracy Leaders need to ensure quality teaching and learning occurs in their schools. We also wanted to know how well supported each Numeracy Coordinator had felt by the Network in their role this year to get a sense of how effective our Network model of coaching and support has been.

Initial Needs Analysis

We determined that to acquire information from the Numeracy Coordinators of the 27 schools within the Network, a survey that can generate relevant information in a short period of time would be the most appropriate means of data collection. Using ‘Survey Monkey’ we designed a survey that, it is hoped, does not take too much time to complete, can be completed anonymously and is inexpensive to administer.

The survey, designed to be used longitudinally, aims to collect information about each school Numeracy coordinator with the Network and their perspective on their strengths and weaknesses as a leader. In identifying each of these we hope to encourage each coordinator to set a focus for self improvement.

<span style="color: #ab3f3f; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Once the data is collected and collated we are aiming to interview a small sample of coordinators and formulate questions around why they have rated themselves as they have against each of the survey statements.

<span style="color: #ab3f3f; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Using the Network’s data and in conversation with the Regional Network Leader we identified issues to be included in this survey and aimed to include clear, unambiguous statements framed positively. The survey combined a range of response types that included fixed, open and rating. The rating responses were put on a 7 point scale. The statements, which have been drawn from the DEECD’s Literacy and Numeracy Statement- Blueprint Implementation Paper aim to match the experiences and understandings of the Numeracy Coordinators at each school.

<span style="color: #ab3f3f; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Potential respondents were provided with information about the purpose of the survey <span style="color: #ab3f3f; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">:“We are trying to get enough data that will help the SaGE Numeracy Leaders Network identify areas for targeted support and professional development opportunities that can be provided through our regular Network meetings and ensure that we continue to develop our capabilities and capacity to improve student learning outcomes in our schools <span style="color: #ab3f3f; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">.” <span style="color: #ab3f3f; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">We explained that it should take no more than five minutes to complete.

<span style="color: #ab3f3f; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">We trialled the survey on four Numeracy Coordinators from different Network and sought their feedback before conducting the survey.

<span style="color: #ab3f3f; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">We settled on the key following statements for coordinators to rate themselves against.

<span style="color: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive;">Beginning the Literature Review

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s establishment of the Bastow Leadership Institute and their continuing investment and commitment to Numeracy coaching across the State, suggests that developing the leadership style, capacity and skills of Numeracy leaders is valued. The creation of the Literacy and Numeracy Secretariat supports this assertion.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">If it can be determined that some leadership practices have a greater impact on student learning than others then we can begin to examine which of these practices should be displayed more frequently to make positive differences to student outcomes.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">This project aims to identify the capabilities that Numeracy Coordinators need to be effective in their role as a leader in their school. Indeed identifying what it is that Leaders in schools do that contribute to the “persistent disparities in educational achievement” (Robinson, Lloyd, Rowe p.636) is a goal. As Network coaches we are curious to discover the conditions and the key capabilities and leadership styles that most positively affect student outcomes.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">In developing and improving the leadership capabilities of Numeracy Coordinators in schools we predict that this will lead to improved teacher efficacy in teaching Mathematics, which in turn will lead to improved student learning outcomes.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">To do this three articles have been referenced, each with a different methodological approach attached to it and a review of the literature supports the notion that the leadership style and capabilities of Numeracy Coordinators impacts on student learning outcomes.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">This paper initially examines different leadership styles and five key dimensions, and their effect sizes, that leaders should focus on that their impact on student learning. Attention is then drawn to the impact that distributive leadership has before looking at three capabilities of effective Instructional Numeracy leaders.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">In examining the practices of leaders across a Network of twenty seven schools it is important to note that schools will be at different stages of development and will need to place emphasis on different leadership aspects. Heck and Hallinger (2009) note that “school leadership effects must take into account features of the organisational context” (p. 662) Different leadership practices may be required in different school contexts and it is relevant to establish early on that the capabilities identified in the literature do not happen in isolation, rather they are interdependent. Robinson (2010) contends that building instructional leadership capabilities involves “creating the appropriate institutional and external conditions so that relevant capabilities can be exercised and developed” (p. 3) Again, it is clear that the school climate and context are keys in developing the capabilities of school leaders.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Robinson (et al) in //The Impact of Leadership on Student Outcomes: An analysis of the Differential Effects of Leadership Types// suggest that by focussing on types of leadership we acknowledge that “leaders’ impact on student learning outcomes will depend on the particular leadership practices in which they engage”. (p. 637) Our aim, as coaches in a Network, is to develop an awareness among the Numeracy Coordinators that we work with of the relationship between their leadership practice and the learning outcomes of their students

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Two different strategies were used by Robinson, Lloyd and Rowe (2008) when trying to identify leadership styles and their impact. Initially they compared the impact of transformational and instructional leadership before examining the survey items used in studies, such as the Principals’ Instructional Management Rating Scale, of the leadership-student outcome relationship and determined there were five groupings of leadership dimensions that emerged. These 5 groupings were identified through a meta analysis of 27 studies published between 1978 and 2006 that linked leadership and student outcomes. The studies looked at the impact of leadership on a broad range of student outcomes and importantly academic outcomes in mathematics predominated. In all eight countries were represented in the studies, including Australia, however the majority were conducted in US schools.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Robinson et al. established that the mean effect size “for the impact of instructional leadership on student outcomes is three to four times greater than that of transformational leadership” (p. 655) and interestingly, they highlight other transformational leadership research “has an effect on staff attitudes, (although) those effects do not usually follow through to student outcomes” (p.655).

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Further their findings show 5 Leadership Dimensions that impact on student outcomes. These are


 * Establishing goals and expectations
 * Strategic resourcing
 * Planning, coordinating and evaluating teaching and the curriculum
 * Promoting and participating in teacher learning and development
 * Ensuring an orderly and supportive environment

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">This highlights our need, as coaches, to ensure that the Numeracy Coordinators we work closely with have a common understanding of what their primary role as a leader in a school should be.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">It was recognised that these dimensions are “unusual in that it does not include the typical distinction between leading through tasks and organisation and leading through relationships and people.” (p. 659) Each of these dimensions is reliant upon the “integration of knowledge, skills and personal qualities.” (Robinson 2010, p.3) This confirms my assumption and belief that the human aspect of leadership forms an integral part of an effective leader’s make up. Having the capability to articulate and embed each of the five dimensions listed above as common practice must be complemented by having strong professional relationships with all school stakeholders.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Perhaps then, in addition to researching how the Leadership capabilities of Numeracy Coordinators in Schools impact on student learning outcomes, we need to explore more closely the personal qualities that leaders must possess to be effective.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">As Robinson (et al) suggest “Effective leaders do not get the relationships right and then tackle the educational challenges <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">- they incorporate both sets of constraints in their problem solving.” (p. 659) <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">With regard to strategic resourcing it was reported that leaders “can influence student achievement through their decisions about staffing and teaching resources” (p. 661) although the effect size was just 0.31. One interesting aside noted is that schools with scarcer teaching resources, the leaders’ ability to secure instructional resources had a strong effect. This could be important to consider when examining schools in our Network that do not have vast resources to call upon.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">“Leaders in higher performing schools are distinguished from their counterparts in otherwise similar lower performing schools by their personal involvement in planning, coordinating and evaluating teachers and teaching.” (p. 662) It was noted that leadership involvement in coordinating curriculum across year levels and participating in a cycle of classroom observation and feedback that helped improve teaching were characteristics of higher performing schools.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">“Teachers’ uses of data to evaluate student progress, adjust their teaching, plan their weekly program and give students feedback was a strong indicator of school quality, and level of school quality had a significant <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">influence on student achievement in reading and math.” (p. 662) <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">A fourth dimension, promoting and participating in teacher learning and development, was proven to have a large effect (0.84) and provides a wake up call to school numeracy leaders to be actively and positively involved with their staff as leading learners within their schools.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Ensuring an orderly and supportive environment had a smaller mean effect (0.27) and suggests that leadership of effective schools is characterised in part by establishing environments that are safe and supportive.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Robinson et al, in their discussion, concluded that “the closer educational leaders get to the core business of teaching and learning, the more likely they are to have a positive impact on students’ outcomes.” (p. 664) It is acknowledged that in all of their analyses there were only a limited number of published studies included in their study but nevertheless the comparison between transformational and instructional leadership styles indicated that the impact of the latter is three to four times that of the former. One reason offered for this is that transformational leadership is more focussed on developing relationships between leaders and followers, however the quality of these relationships does not necessarily predict the quality of student learning outcomes. Instructional leadership relies on a greater focus on specific pedagogical work and strong professional relationships.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Interpersonal and motivational skills are important for Numeracy Leaders to possess in order for improved teaching and learning to occur. Incorporating these skills into establishing clear educational goals and participating in teacher learning and development are both important. As pointed out in Robinson et al. “Leaders’ involvement in teacher learning provides them with a deep understanding of the conditions required to enable staff to make and sustain the changes required for improved outcomes.” (667)

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Finally, “The leadership in the higher performing schools was reported by teachers to be, among other things, more focussed on teaching and learning, to be a stronger instructional resource for teachers, and to be more active participants in and leaders of teacher learning and development” (Robinson et al. p. 657)

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">The message that being a strong instructional leader is vital for improved student outcomes is getting louder and louder the more we examine the literature but a study by Heck and Hallinger examined “How does distributed leadership contribute to the improvement of learning in schools?” (p.660) Exploring the importance of both instructional and distributive leadership reminds us again of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s (DEECD) Literacy and Numeracy Statement- Blueprint <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Implementation Paper where both leadership forms are documented. <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">The Heck and Hallinger study used a growth modelling method to measure changes over time in the hope of getting “a greater insight into how changes in distributed leadership contribute to growth in student learning.” (p.661) They proposed that a change in distributed leadership will have a positive affect on student learning and academic capacity. “If we are to improve schools in a systematic way, then collecting high quality information about school processes and outcomes over time is essential <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">.” (p.661) <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Heck and Hallinger define school improvement leadership “as an influence process through which leaders identify a direction for the school, motivate staff, and coordinate an evolving set of strategies towards improvements in teaching and learning.” (p.662)

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Variables that can affect student achievement include school size, student population make up and teacher stability. Understanding the context of the schools in which the Numeracy Coordinators work is important. In a Network of 27 schools consideration must be given to how we can ascertain the context of each. Perhaps we will need to interview the Principal of each school to determine the context.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Data was collected over a three year period from a cohort of some 13, 389 students in Year 3 in the United States of America. Information from staff over three consecutive surveys in three specific aspects of distributed leadership was collected. These were:
 * <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">To what extent does the school leadership make collaborative decisions focussing on educational improvement
 * <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">To what extent does the school leadership emphasise school governance that empowers staff and students, encourage commitment, broad participation and shared accountability for student learning
 * <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">To what extent does the school leadership emphasise participation in efforts to evaluate the school’s academic development

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">It was found that “where people perceive stronger distributed leadership, schools appear better able to improve their academic capacity” (Heck and Hallinger p.680)

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Distributing particular types of leadership practices and creating a focus on strategies to improve teaching and learning such as developing instruction, are required according to the study. The results however fail to identify which leadership practices should be distributed, nor how they could be distributed among staff.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Hallinger and Heck (2009) suggest that future research in educational leadership should focus on how leaders make a difference rather than keeping attention on what leadership is <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">. <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Vivianne Robinson’s 2010 paper- From Instructional Leadership to leadership Capabilities: Empirical Findings and Methodological Challenges tentatively examines what leadership capabilities are required to be an effective instructional leader. Robinson argues that three interrelated capabilities are essential for effective instructional leadership. <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">(a) using deep leadership content knowledge to (b) solve complex school based problems while (c) building relational trust with staff, parents and students (p.1)

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">The impact of leaders on student outcomes is dependent on what the leaders actually do. Robinson states that “Evidence about effective leadership practices is not the same as evidence about the capabilities that leaders need to confidently engage in those practices.” “The knowledge of effective leadership practices is not the same thing as knowledge of the capabilities required for enactment” (p. 2) Clearly, having knowledge around leadership skills and practices is not enough to improve student learning outcomes, having the capability to put these into practise is vital.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">A challenge for the coaches in the Network is clearly to move beyond supporting coordinators’ quest for leadership knowledge, to developing their skills in implementing effective leadership practices. This challenge will need to be considered when delivering professional learning at our Network meetings. Rather than simply discussing the notion, for example, that classroom observations and teacher feedback is something that might make a difference to student learning, exploring the capabilities needed to effectively observe the classroom and provide feedback to teachers might be one example of how the coaches’ focus can shift towards developing capabilities of Numeracy Coordinators rather than concentrating on knowledge transmission.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">The research for Robinson’s (2010) paper was limited due to the fact that there are few studies published that analysed the relationship between student learning outcomes and leadership capabilities. Three research studies were used to identify some of the capabilities required for effective instructional leadership and Robinson attempts to develop a list of the capabilities required for effective instructional leadership from the three research studies.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Whilst no data on student outcomes was collected in the first of these studies (Leadership Content Knowledge undertaken by Nelson and Sassi 2000), the knowledge needed to engage in some leadership practices was investigated. The critical aspect of how principals (with varying degrees of understanding of maths teaching and concepts) conduct classroom observations, was examined. Whilst the research (a series of school based observations of 5 principals) was focussed on principals “its findings are equally applicable to any teacher with responsibility to giving feedback to colleagues after observing their teaching.” (p.8) It was established that those Principals with a deeper knowledge of the features of constructivist pedagogy and mathematics helped extend “the students’ mathematical understandings.” Developing Numeracy Coordinators’ pedagogical content knowledge would support the development of improving student learning outcomes.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">A second Leadership capability looked at by Robinson is that of being able to solve complex problems. Citing research carried out by Leithwood and Steinbach (1995) in <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">which they compared the problem solving skills of 4 expert and 5 typical principals, it was found via one on one interviews, that expert Principals were more likely to “delegate (and) gather data” (p. 15) They also sought the interpretation of others and questioned their own assumptions about the problem. They were participated more freely and facilitated group discussions

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Another leadership capability identified as essential to being an effective instructional leader is that of building relational trust. Research conducted by Bryk and Schneider, cited in Robinson (2010), where qualitative and quantitative evidence around the impact of relational trust on student achievement was examined, it was found that “the level of trust between members of a school community affected changes in student achievement in math” (p.16) Trust is a critical component to achieving goals over time and that if school members lose trust with each other their commitment to improving the quality of the school’s instruction is bound to reduce. Hence it is another key factor to focus on in our Numeracy Network meetings <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">. <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Furthermore their study in over 400 Chicago schools showed that as trust levels increased, teachers reported a willingness to trial new things, have more conversations about teaching and learning and had a stronger focus on student learning.

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">“In its simplest terms, effective instructional leadership probably requires leaders to be knowledgeable about how to align administrative procedures and processes to important learning outcomes, to be highly skilled in using their knowledge to solve the myriad of problems that arise in the course of improving learning and teaching an their own contexts and to use their knowledge, their problem solving ability and their interpersonal skills in ways that build relational trust in their school community.” (p.21)

Conclusion

<span style="color: #307873; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">This Action Research project evolved from a Network concern that the professional learning opportunities provided by numeracy experts, support offered by Network Teaching and Learning Coaches and the establishment of a Network Numeracy Learning Community were not impacting positively on student learning outcomes in schools. As a Network we determined to find out why. In going through the process of improving the way the Network does things by developing better knowledge and understanding we are aiming to find answers.

<span style="color: #307873; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Working with Numeracy Coordinators across a Network of schools that had good working relationships, trusted each other and were, mostly, motivated to learn has been a great foundation for this project. Having built strong relationships with a diverse group of people will make change easier to deal with later on. With a cohort of 27 Numeracy Leaders ensuring that cooperative working relationships are maintained and conflicts are kept to a minimum has been a challenge. Having quality, consistent and accurate communication among all Network team members has helped to maintain the established positive relationships. This has been achieved in part through listening attentively to each other and advising others about what is happening, on a regular basis.

<span style="color: #307873; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">One aim has been to tap into the expertise and experience of the teachers across the Network and encourage them to actively participate in this work. However, with the limited time available to convene meetings in large numbers, the participation of others has not been what it could be. An example of this is the fact that the survey (Appendix B) created involved input from only 4 Network staff out of a possible 27. In hindsight, providing the time and opportunities for others to share their knowledge and thoughts and not rushing the data collection process would have seen higher levels of personal investment from the Network members. One goal now, as a researcher, is to develop a real partnership with the other members in the team.

<span style="color: #307873; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">The pressure to find an immediate solution to the problem of under performance in Numeracy in schools across the Network has unfortunately meant that not all relevant groups affected have been included in the research. Principals, upon reflection, could have been consulted and viewed the issue from a different perspective. Working with other stakeholders to refine the project will be integral as we respond to any emerging needs highlighted in the data collected.

<span style="color: #307873; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Once the data is collected it will be time for critical reflection and the chance to critique what has already transpired. Once done, this will give a clearer understanding of how to design and conduct the next cycle of action research. Certainly there has been a focus to gather some quantitative data but referencing this against some qualitative data may be included in the next cycle. The survey used to gather data includes some precise statements that participants were asked to rate themselves against which may have been misleading.

<span style="color: #307873; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">This project is in the first of many cycles. It has been planned, acted upon, and without the data to observe, has been reflected upon at many points throughout. Once the data has been collected and the analysis begins, the challenge will be to assist the Network team members to develop a collective understanding of what the data is saying and then getting them to commit to any changes in their practice that with support, could lead to improved student learning outcomes. This could be a turbulent time and implementing these changes across the Network will be a bumpy ride.

<span style="color: #307873; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Sharing the information that is collected through our Numeracy Network community, encouraging individual coordinators to constantly add to their knowledge base and even encouraging others to engage in their own action research will be important steps in making the changes necessary to improve student learning across the Network

<span style="color: #307873; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">One challenge for us is to determine which leadership practice needs to be the focus at individual schools. Having the structures, Robinson (2008)calls them ‘dimensions’, in place to allow for a Numeracy leader’s capabilities to be exhibited is essential

<span style="color: #307873; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">Spillane and Seashore Louis, cited in Robinson (2010 p.7), claim that “Without an understanding of the knowledge necessary for teachers to teach well <span style="color: #307873; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">- content knowledge, general pedagogical knowledge, content specific pedagogical knowledge, curricular knowledge and knowledge of learners - school leaders will be unable to perform essential school improvement functions such as monitoring instruction and supporting teacher development.” <span style="color: #307873; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 90%;">From the review of the literature it is apparent that key factors impacting on student learning outcomes are skilful instructional leaders with high levels of pedagogical content knowledge who are also skilled in establishing and building relational trust. Providing opportunities to support and grow Numeracy Coordinators’ capabilities in their knowledge of Mathematics and leadership skills would seem to be the goals of our Network. ||
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