Research

Builds a Better Professional Development Pie

Compelling V
ision of Good Instruction:
clearly pertinent to the instructional
improvement target, rests on sound
pedagogy, creates a sense of urgency
and excitement.
Motivating & Supporting
Professional Learning: for all
involved, not only for teachers,
but also instructional leaders
and others who have an
important part to playin
ways that reflect what is
known about high-quality
professional development for
powerful, equitable practice.

Instructional
Target:
Aimed at the interaction
among teacher,
students, and content
for particular grades
and subjects, and
seeking identified
system-wide
improvements therein
that serves all students.

Promoting Accountable
Practice Based in Evidence:
such that educators take
mutual responsibility for the
success of the instructional
improvement efforts, and
can demonstrate
responsible use of funds.

Theory of Action:
That identifies a
theory of the problem
with part of the
problem residing in
instruction itself, and
a theory of
intervention that
targets one or more
causes of the problem.

Mike Knapp, PhD

University of
Washington

Addressing Variable Capacity: among

people and units implicated in the
policy, such that those with less
capacity for realizing instructional
improvement are given support
needed to improve and those with
greater capacity become resources to
others practice and learning.
Building & Sustaining a Constituency for
Learning Improvement: among all
relevant parties, including educators, their
representatives (unions, associations) and
the community (parents and others.

Resource:

Realistic:

Realistic
assumptions
about
available
resources or
those that can
be predictably
generated
money, time,
expertise,
available
personnel, etc.

Little to no
susceptibility to
conditions in the
zone of wishful
thinking that
are out of reach
of the policy
strategy.

Learning Architecture: that enables relevant players and the system as a whole to learn from, through, and about
the policy as it unfolds over time and its impacts on improvement goals, sufficient to enable adjustments to the
design as warranted.
Source: Knapp, M. (2014), Policy Design and the Improvement of Instruction, unpublished paper presented at the Annual
Meeting of the University Council on Educational Administration, Washington, DC, November 2014.
Jean Anthony, L4L5
Photo Source & Inspiration: www.nytimes.com Science Builds a Better Pie July 2, 2013