MENU

Conducting a needs analysis

Classifying the challenges

Key area of focus

Building community consensus

Defining a goal and outcomes

The rationale

1.1 Conducting a needs analysis

Text here on the purpose of a needs analysis that helps schools narrow down their top priorities Text here on the purpose of a needs analysis that helps schools narrow down their top priorities Text here on the purpose of a needs analysis that helps schools narrow down their top priorities Text here on the purpose of a needs analysis that helps schools narrow down their top priorities Text here on the purpose of a needs analysis that helps schools narrow down their top priorities

What questions might your school ask that could help get you started?

Here are some guided exploratory tasks you may like to choose from. Choose one or more that you think most resonates with your school context and goals, that want to explore in more detail. Use these provocations as a starting point for your schools reflective process. Find ways to extend beyond the task and dig deeper by considering factors such as, causation and influences, resources and systems, aspirations and vision, organization and accountabilities, communication and responsibilities.

1. What are some of the ways your school facilitates positive change? What role to different stakeholder groups play? For example: board members, senior leaders, lead educators, classroom teachers, specialists, parent groups, and students. What are five areas of positive change that if were made possible, could advance your school’s vision, mission, and educational philosophy?

2. What are the five greatest attributes of the learning environment your school has established and what are at least three contributing elements or factors that make each of these great attributes sustainable? What are the ways each of these attributes contribute to IB programme implementation?

As a team representative of stakeholders in your school community, select one of the attributes and think about some steps you could take to further develop conditions to enhance students’ learning experiences.

3. What are the current strategies the school uses to encourage students to pursue the full IB diploma? Identify all of the school policies that help create a culture of continuous learning and growth for both students and teachers. Make a list of some questions you could use to survey stakeholder groups to gain new insights into what the community believes about continuous learning and growth, and your IB programme(s).

4. How are students developmental goals aligned to the learning experiences your school provides? What are some of the indicators that students are conscious of their approaches to learning and are taking ownership for developing their own learning strategies? What are some strategies your school has used to nurture attitudes to learning for each stakeholder group in your community?

What steps could be taken to ensure every member of your school community fully understands how IB approaches to learning, teaching, and assessment develop lifelong learners? How will you measure the impact of the steps you could take?

If your school decided to formulate your own exploratory task other than the four areas provided above, and you found the activities engaging, thought provoking, and illuminating, please share with the IB by completing this form…

The Degree of influence

There are some things that schools know to be within their sphere of influence to create positive change, and there are some things that fall into a category of what is beyond their control. Sometimes the things that are classified as beyond our control still have a role to play in how IB programmes are implemented. Some of these matters may be related to funding, hiring, government and university recognition, attitudes and beliefs, information gaps, etc.

ACTIVITY 1 SORTING WHAT IS WITHIN CONROL AND WHAT IS BEYOND

Using the findings documented in the reflective activities your school community have conducted, separate all of the influencing factors for improvement that are within your control from those that seem beyond your control. As you engage in this way, your team might begin to think of new aspects of this area that play a role in developing or limiting development in this area. Encourage this type of thinking. Extend the lists of what is possible to improve, remove, redefine or change, as well as contributing factors that still feel beyond your control.

ACTIVITY 2. EXAMINE THE BEYOND CONTROL CATEGORY AND TAKE SOME TIME TO CREATIVELY EXPLORE

From the list of impactful factors that have been classified as beyond your school communities sphere of influence, discuss each of them and think of at least one possible way to navigate this challenging area. If an obstacle cannot be removed, what will happen if it is left unaddressed?

It is highly likely that these factors are extremely complex. And your exploration of these challenges has provides the school community an opportunity to gain greater understanding of the challenges your school faces in specific areas. After your team has had a chance to thoroughly discuss the issues at play in each challenging area, give these factors a rating from 1 to 5. 1 - the least difficult to address 5 - the most difficult to address

Pick the lowest scoring area of challenge, and think of three strategies that will either reduce the impact this issue or factor has on the health and vitality of your school and your IB programmes, over time; or, can help shift thinking, attitudes, and practices that feed this obstacle.

Workshop your school’s priorities

Visible thinking routines - Ron Ritchart (Project Zero, Harvard University, has developed practical support resources to help educators and schools engage in thinking routines. Making thinking visible empowers learners and communities to deepen understanding and build the capacity to discuss and further explore complex topics, issues, and problems. The following models are provided on Ron Ritchart’s resource page at https://www.ronritchhart.com/info-graphics and can be integrated into your school needs analysis, and you seek to uncover the following:

• What are expectations have been set for your IB programme(s)?

• What actions have been taken to support or shift these expectations?

• What has been the result of actions your school has taken?

• What has been learned so far, that can help lead you forward in your next development?

Explore barriers to growth in your school context

This mapping exercise was introduced in Networking Session Four.

Mapping the Central Problem and Causation - The IB is working in partnership with schools to understand the more prevalent barriers that continue to limit students from participating in the Diploma Programme. First, a Central Problem is identified, and a sample of Contributing Elements are named to present categories to help schools orient to to focus areas they believe to be most relevant to their situation. The Contributing Element chosen should become the programme development focus area. Each of the Contributing Elements to the Central Problem carry with them definable components that caused them to develop or become established either with intention, or without.

Download the model and the template [PDF]

Access the working document, here.

SWOG analysis for IB Schools: Growing and Sustaining the DP

How do the IB Programme Standards and Practices support school improvement?

4 examples of common areas of focus for Programme Development, one standard and practice, and three ways each of these practices help support change in the related focus area.