Chapter 7: Sustaining the Momentum
Chapter 7, “Sustaining the Momentum,” discusses appreciative inquiry, action research, scaling up, and assessment and evaluation. Appreciative inquiry is “a valuable approach to sustaining learning and change in communities and networks” (Nussbaum-Beach, 110). In other words, appreciative inquiry is a change management approach that focuses on identifying what is working well, analyzing why it is working well, and then doing more of it. The 4-D model is one of the many appreciative frameworks that exist. This model contains four steps: discover, dream, design, and destiny. During “discover,” people share stories with one another that illustrate when they feel the group or community is at its best. During “dream,” the entire community envisions the future as if the high points members found in discover are not extraordinary but everyday occurrences. During “design,” the community creates a design for the organization based on the ream stage. Lastly, during “destiny,” the community implements the changes.
Action research is a “collaborative activity among committed colleagues looking for answers to everyday, real problems related to the classroom instruction, systemic change, or a more global issue (Nussbaum-Beach, 112). In simpler terms, action research is “learning by doing.”
Depth, sustainability, spread, and shift provide the momentum your work needs to move forward. This is known as scaling up. Depth refers to a change in practice that has meaningful results. Sustainability is maintaining meaningful, profound changes over substantial periods. Spread is viewed as additional numbers of buildings, teachers, or classrooms involved in the reform effort. Lastly, shift is a change in the ownership of the reform effort. A fifth dimension, evolution, is often suggested. Evolution is adapting and revising the initial effort.
Assessment and evaluation allows learners to assess efforts and evaluate participation. Formal and informal instruments are available. The CBAM is an informal assessment that consists of a 15-minute walkthrough. Walkthroughs have a protocol: they do not interrupt instruction, they provide teachers with feedback, and they allow teachers to discuss opportunities for additional improvement.
Evaluation/assessment of service delivery is an important aspect for all health care professionals. As a future OT, I would be the one evaluating and assessing. Occupational therapy evaluations and occupational therapy assessments are important in determining a certain skill set or deficiency. Without these, I would not be able to fully understand what my patient needs in order to succeed. On the flip side, it is important for the OT’s themselves to be evaluated. There are constantly new methods and ideas being discovered and it is important to make sure the OT’s are using them correctly and efficiently. This is a part of the reason why an OT’s license must be renewed every two years.
Works Cited:
Nussbaum-Beach, Sheryl, and Lani Ritter. Hall. The Connected Educator: Learning and Leading in a
Digital Age. Solution Tree Press, 2012.
Customer satisfaction is a very big factor in the health care field. I can relate to you well since I also want to become an occupational therapist. It is important to understand what kind of pain and how much pain your patient can endure/tolerate. Doing this, you would need to be able to communicate or evaluate efficiently using, as this chapter calls, appreciate inquiry. You are correct in the fact that the patients assess the occupational therapist also, so he or she can also learn and develop new ideas.
ReplyDeleteI would also be using the Evaluation and Assessment aspect found in Chapter 7, because as a scientist it is sometimes required that I have to be my own biggest form of encouragement and my most judgemental critic. Formulating new projects or proposals, I would have to make sure the research I want to conduct is clear in its intent and conveyed properly so those outside of my career can see the importance. Also, criticizing my own work would allow me to see the deficiencies that others may find. In many cases, a scientist's colleagues will assess their work and provide feedback both positive and negative to help them.
ReplyDelete