Milwaukee Mathematics Partnership

1
Milwaukee Mathematics Partnership

• Changes in School Learning Networks from 2006 to
  2009
• Carl Hanssen
• Hanssen Consulting, LLC
• DeAnn Huinker
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• MSP Learning Network Conference
• Washington, DC
• January 2010

Based upon work supported by the National Science
Foundation Grant No. 0314898.
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Agenda

• Context
• Questions Methods
• Review Sociograms
• Results
• Conclusions Discussion

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MMP Goals

• Comprehensive mathematics framework
• Distributed leadership
• Teacher learning continuum
• Student learning continuum

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MMP Status

• Funding
• Year 7 MSP Phase I Award
• Year 2 MSP Phase II Award
• Year 2 sustaining funding from the State of
  Wisconsin for released MTL positions
• Important strategic shiftimplementation of the
  released-time MTL Model beginning in the second
  half of 2007-2008 school year.

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Key Questions

• What changes have been observed in school-based
  learning networks from 2006 to 2009?
• How does Social Network Analysis help us
  understand changes in learning networks?

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Methods

• Open SNA survey approachno fixed list of network
  members
• Key SNA QuestionList individuals you have
  communicated with about mathematics education in
  thepast several months.
• Demographics collected for eachindividual named
  on the survey

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Analysis

• Sociograms
• MTL
• MTS or
• Teachers
• Principal
• Literacy Coach
• Others in school
• Others outside

• Statistics
• Total Respondents
• Total Named
• Network density
• In-School density
• MTL In-Degree
• MTS In-Degree

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MMP Distributed Leadership Continuum
Low
High
1
2
3
4
5
Loose Network MTL Not Central Few Links to
MTL MTS Outside Few Links to MTS Leadership
responsibility of few
Tight Network MTL Central Many Links to MTL MTS
Inside Many Links to MTS Leadership is shared
among many
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Evolution of Distributed Leadership

1. MTL is active within the school
2. Teachers begin extensive collaboration
3. MTL Teacher collaboration extends outside
   school (MTS may become heavily involved in the
   school)
4. MTL is used primarily as a resource
5. Teachers assume math leadership

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Sociograms Review

• Work in groups of 2-3
• Evaluate the sociogram-pairs for distributed
  leadership characteristics (10 minutes)
• Make a judgment about learning network changes in
  that school
• Report back

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Pair A
12
Pair B
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Pair C
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Summary Results (n11)
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Summary Results (n11)
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Summary Results (n11)
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Conclusions

• Introduction of the MTL role has had an impact on
  changes in school-based learning networks.
• The shift to a released-time MTL model is
  manifested in lower in-school network density but
  higher MTL importance.
• This change has presents an alternative to past
  perspectives on distributed leadership.

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AlternativeEvolution of Distributed Leadership

1. MTL is active within the school
2. Teachers begin extensive collaborationTeachers
   increase communication
3. MTL Teacher collaboration extends outside
   school
4. MTL is used primarily as a resourceMTL becomes
   focal point for math
5. Teachers assume math leadershipTeachers defer to
   MTL for math leadership

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Next Steps

• Continue collected SNA data from 25 case study
  schools in 2010 and 2011
• Examine trends
• Look at relationships to other metrics