Four Imperatives for Leading a Long-Term, Multi-Institutional

Research ProjectIES Awardees Meeting—Sept 7, 2011

ST Math At Scale An Innovative Paradigm to Boost Math

Achievement Among All Learners Funding

US Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences (IES)

Four years (2009-2013)

Participating Schools Approximately 50 low-performing elementary

schools in Orange County, California

ST Math Software Designed to develop deep intuitive

understandings of fundamental mathematical concepts: Fractions, proportions, symmetries, and functions

Video game metaphor Universally motivating

Activities challenge children to apply their spatial-temporal skills to solve problems.

The Collaborating InstitutionsUniv of California, Irvine

Michael E. MartinezAnnemarie ConleyGeorge FarkasJeneen GrahamMelissa KibrickDavid LeeJana LeyrerJennifer LongLindsey RichlandTeya RutherfordKaterina SchenkeNatalie Tran (CSUF)Elizabeth van Es

Mind Research InstituteAndrew CoulsonFran AntenoreAbby Daniels

Orange County Department of Education

Stephanie SchneiderLauren Duran

Imperative 1: Know That Each Institution Has Unique Strengths and Liabilities

Product Developer: The Demonstrated Efficacy of Its Product “It Works, Doesn’t It?”

County Department of Education: Political Goodwill with District Superintendents and Principals “Let’s Make This Work, But Not Rock the Boat.”

Research University: The Integrity of Research Our Mission is the Find the Truth. (And to Publish It!)

Upshot Cooperation and Division of Labor Are

Ongoing and Complementary Strategies.

Imperative 2: Make Continuous Efforts to Keep Morale Strong Among All Participants

Things Will Go Wrong. Admit Fault and Take Criticism Graciously, Especially When It Comes From Your Institutional Partners. As a Project Leader Your “Cred” May Go Up.

Go Easy When Others Drop The Ball. Blame is Poison. This Is A Long-Term Effort. Do Good Work and Enjoy

It. The Two Are Synergistic. Give Credit and Recognition Liberally.

The Longer Term Product Is a Climate of Trust and Commitment.

Upshot The Project Leader Must Be an Analytic

Problem Solver, but Equally Important Must Build and Protect Morale.

Imperative 3: Be Alert To Emergent Opportunities A Long and Complex Project is Not Executed From

an Unalterable Master Plan. People Enter and Leave the Project; Some Strategies

Work, Some Don’t; The Political Landscape Changes. You May Find That The Project Picks Up Momentum

After the First Year. Momentum Can Build Along With Excitement’

Listen To New Ideas. Even if You are Skeptical, the Ideas of Project Staff

Can Bring Out Their Best Talents.

Upshot Always Use Resources to Maximize Good

Work While Staying True to the Original Questions and Objectives.

Imperative 4: Tolerate Project Splintering and a Degree of Chaos

A Complex Project Can Accommodate Offshoot Efforts that Capitalize On New Ideas and Talents. Those Offshoots Can Be Led By Knowledgeable

Participants, Whether Faculty, Students, or Staff. The Result May Be Several Subprojects That Can Yield

Multiple Papers or Presentations Each Project Year. The Project Leader Must Welcome Complex Activity.

A Degree of Conceptual (Not Logistical) Chaos is the Heart of Discovery. When the Project Staff Try Out New Ideas and

Explanations, the Project is Intellectually Optimized.

Upshot A Complex, Multi-Institutional Research

Project Can and Should Pursue a Complex and Dynamic Agenda.