Building an Innovative Curriculum:

A 4DX Plan for Execution

My innovation plan involves creating a Technology-Enhanced Project-Based Learning (TEPBL) curriculum for newcomer emergent bilingual (EB) students. TEPBL aims to engage students in authentic and meaningful learning experiences that develop their communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking skills. TEPBL is especially beneficial for newcomer EB students, who are students who have recently arrived in a new country and are learning a new language, because it can help these students improve their language proficiency, academic achievement, and motivation to learn a new language (read more in my literature review here).

Implementing TEPBL in the classroom requires a change in the mindsets and behaviors of teachers and students, as well as a change in the structures and systems of the school or district. To successfully implement TEPBL, teachers need to adopt a new role as facilitators of learning, rather than solely transmitters of knowledge. Students need to adopt a new role as active and autonomous learners, rather than passive and dependent receivers. The school or district also needs to adopt a new culture of innovation, collaboration, and support.

To facilitate this change process, I will explore the application of the 4 Disciplines of Execution (4DX) framework. 4DX is a proven methodology, created by Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, and Jim Hulin that helps teams achieve their “wildly important goals” by focusing on the vital behaviors that lead to results. 4DX consists of four disciplines: focus on the wildly important, act on lead measures, keep a compelling scoreboard, and create a cadence of accountability (Mcchesney et al., 2012). By applying these disciplines along with the Five Stages of Change, I believe I can create a clear and measurable vision for TEPBL (the ELLA curriculum), identify and perform the actions that will help TEPBL be successfully implemented, track and monitor progress, and provide and receive feedback and support from all key stakeholders.

Focus on the Wildly Important

Increase the academic achievement and language proficiency of newcomer emergent bilingual students by at least 25% by the end of the school year through engaging them in technology-enhanced project-based learning activities that are aligned with the curriculum standards and their interests and needs.

Act on Lead Measures

1. The number and quality of TEPBL learning activities that are effectively implemented by the teachers of newcomer EB students.
2. The amount and level of participation and interaction of newcomer EB students in the technology-enhanced project-based learning activities in the target language (English).

Keep a Compelling Scoreboard

A chart or spreadsheet that shows/tracks the baseline and target scores of academic achievement and language proficiency of newcomer emergent bilingual students, the scores of academic achievement and language proficiency of newcomer EB students based on assessments and performance tasks, and the gap or progress between the actual scores and the target scores..

Create a Cadence of Accountability

• Hold weekly WIG sessions during PLCs.
• Provide ongoing coaching and mentoring to teachers of newcomer EB students. This can include regular check-ins, observations, feedback, guidance, resources, and recognition.
• Regularly administer and review the results of surveys and interviews of newcomer EB students.

5 Stages of Change

Stage 1: Get Clear

  • Be a model of focus on the wildly important goal(s) by communicating the vision, purpose (WHY), and benefits of TEPBL for newcomer emergent bilingual students to the teachers, students, and other stakeholders.
  • Collaborate with key stakeholders to create a scoreboard that tracks student progress and results on the WIGs and the lead measures.
  • Schedule weekly wildly important goal sessions to review scoreboard, make commitments, hold each other accountable, and celebrate successes.

Stage 2: Launch

  • Remain focused and diligently implement the ELLA Curriculum within the 4DX process.
  • Follow the steps and principles of the 4DX framework and avoid the whirlwind/distractions or competing priorities that may derail or undermine the WIGs.
  • Identify model, potential, and resistor teachers/stakeholders by assessing the readiness, willingness, and ability to adopt the TEPBL curriculum.

Stage 3: Adoption

  • Make commitments that are aligned to the lead measures and the WIGs, and hold each other accountable in weekly WIG sessions.
  • Track results each week on a visible scoreboard and update the scoreboard with the latest data on the WIGs and the lead measures. Also, analyze data to identify trends, gaps, or progress on the WIGs.
  • Invest in the potentials through additional training and coaching by providing them with opportunities to learn from the models who are successfully implementing TEPBL.

Stage 4: Optimization

  • Acknowledge and appreciate the efforts and achievements of teachers who are consistently meeting their commitments and moving their lead measures toward their WIGs.
  • Encourage teachers to share best practices, resources, feedback, or encouragement with each other.
  • Notice and celebrate when potentials start performing like models and/or show significant improvement or growth on their lead measures or WIGs.

Stage 5: Habits

  • Provide teachers with personalized coaching and training to help them improve their skills, knowledge, or attitudes on the lead measures and the WIGs.
  • Monitor and evaluate performance on the lead measures regularly and provide feedback or recognition accordingly.
  • Celebrate the accomplishment of the wildly important goal by providing teachers with tokens of appreciation for their hard work and dedication.

Circling Back:

How the Influencer Model and 4DX Complement/Supplement Each Other

After reading Influencer: The New Science of Leading Change by Joseph Grenny, et al, I developed an Influencer Matrix/Model to support the implementation of my innovation plan. The Influencer Model and 4DX are both frameworks that can help change behaviors and achieve goals. They both emphasize the importance of identifying and focusing on vital behaviors that lead to desired results. Additionally, they both suggest strategies for motivating and enabling desired behaviors. However, I think the Influencer Model is more comprehensive and flexible in addressing different types of behaviors and contexts in which behaviors occur, while 4DX is more specific and structured in addressing goal-oriented behaviors and teams/teamwork.

Since both books have a clear distinction on how to impact change, I can combine elements from the Influencer Model and 4DX to create a more effective plan for my innovation project:

    • I could use the Influencer Model to identify the vital behaviors that I want to change or adopt for Technology-Enhanced Project-Based Learning.
    • Then, I can use 4DX to set clear and measurable goals for Technology-Enhanced Project-Based Learning and identify the lead measures that will indicate your progress toward achieving them.
    • Furthermore, I could use the Influencer Model to design strategies for motivating and enabling yourself and your team to perform the vital behaviors consistently and effectively.
    • Lastly, I would use 4DX to create a compelling scoreboard that tracks our lead measures and shows teacher/student performance against your goals. I can also create a cadence of accountability that ensures regular feedback and support among all stakeholders.

→ References & Credits

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