During the curriculum development process, educators will experience change and various strategies will require that educators have a clear understanding of the differences between first order change and second order change
(See Figure 6 - Waters, Marzano, & McNulty, 2003).
"Assuming that all changes will have the same implications for all stakeholders, and/or using practices that might be appropriate for a first order change when a second order change is actually implied for stakeholders, will likely result in a negative impct on student achievement. Thus, in addition to focusing leadership efforts on school and classroom practices associated with improved student achievement, leaders must also tailor their own leadership practices based on the magnitude or 'order' of change they are leading" (Waters, Marzano, & McNulty, 2003, p. 7).
Questions for Educators:
1) How does the chart (Figure 6) change your views on curriculum development
efforts?
2) Does curriculum mapping involve first order change, second order change, or
both?
3) How do educators determine if a program or initiative will involve first order
change or second order change?
4) Reflect on a time during your career in education when an initiative failed or
was not as successful as it could have been. Did teachers and administrators
focus on the product, rather than the process? Would a careful analysis of
first order change versus second order change provided the leaders with
insight on how to support teachers, administrators and the change effort?
5) How can educators use this research to impact student achievement?
Reference:
Waters, J.T., Marzano, R.J. & McNulty, B.A. (2003). What 30 years of research tells us about the effect of leadership on student achievement. Aurora, CO: Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning.
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