IGS Casestudy 2009

www.thespeedthinkingzone.com

Speed Thinking Pilot Program

International Grammar School

Dr Ken Hudson, Founder,The Speed Thinking Zone

December, 2009


Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary

2. Introduction

3. Background

4. Pilot Program Objectives

5. Pilot Program Design

6. Results

7. Analysis of Results

8. Lessons Learned

9. Next Steps

10. Attachments


1. Executive Summary:The following report outlines the results of a Speed Thinking Pilot Program with a private HighSchool in Sydney, Australia. Dr Ken Hudson the inventor of Speed Thinking and a number ofteachers at International Grammar School conducted the pilot program in the last quarter of2009 (IGS is ranked among the top 50 schools in NSW).

Speed Thinking was originally developed for business people but Dr Hudson believed that finalyear students in particular would benefit from applying Speed Thinking to their studies and theirstudent life more generally.

A program which consisted of a number of 40-45 minute Speed Thinking workshops wasdelivered to year 12 students and teachers. The major aim was to determine the interest in andthe usefulness of this new skill and how it could be improved for students.

The results were very encouraging (albeit from a small sample). Students found this new skill,fun, easy to learn, effective and efficient. They believed it could be helpful in exam essays,getting started with assignments or homework, setting goals and reducing procrastination.

Teachers also found this new skill set fast, useful and innovative.

There are many lessons obtained from this pilot program which can only improve the appealand effectiveness of Speed Thinking to final year school students as well as other school anduniversity students.


2. IntroductionThe purpose of this document is to outline the results and implications of a pilot Speed Thinkingprogram conducted with the International Grammar School (IGS) in Sydney, Australia. Theprogram was aimed at year 12 (final year) students and teachers and was conducted fromSeptember to December, 2009.

‘IGS is a co-educational secular school offering quality teaching for preschool, primary and highschool students. IGS offers a bilingual partial immersion language program for all students frompreschool to the end of primary, and a strong high school languages program up to Higher SchoolCertificate’ (Source: IGS website: http://www.igssyd.nsw.edu.au/newsite3/index.php).

The key contacts at the IGS high school were:

- Dr Alan Dearn, Assistant Principal Senior School- Anthony Dennehy & Derek Patulny, Teachers and Student Services Coordinators

Dr Ken Hudson approached the school about his Speed Thinking concept.

He conducted all the face-to-face sessions, at the school on a voluntary basis and was not paid forany of his services.

Dr Hudson has a PhD in Organisational Creativity, MBA and B.Bus. He is not a qualified teacherbut was a part-time lecturer, for ten years at The University of Technology, Sydney, in the Schoolof Marketing.


3. BackgroundDr Ken Hudson developed Speed Thinking on the back of an insight whilst working with business peopleover a five year period. He established a creative thinking an innovation business called Idea Space whichhelped managers and leaders to create new products, growth opportunities and/or solve problems.

He noticed that when he gave managers less time then they expected or were used to (hence they had toaccelerate their thinking) they often produced amazing results. Their ideas were more original, theybecame more decisive and energized. Through trial and error, over a number of years and literallyhundreds of workshops he developed a new way to think in a time-pressured situation which he calledSpeed Thinking.

Speed Thinking was launched in late 2008 and consists of a four-stage process (i.e. start, evaluate, build,action), a two minute-nine possibility formula and new tool called Speedlinks with over 30 applications (formore information visit: www.thespeedthinkingzone.com).

Dr Hudson noticed that his eldest daughter who was in her final year of school could absorb coursecontent and would regularly do past exam papers but would be filled with panic and stress when she didher exams. He felt that in these situations Speed Thinking could help.

Dr Hudson’s experience with business people suggested that it would help with structuring reports,reducing procrastination, setting goals and creating new ideas quickly to name a few applications. This iswhat the pilot program sought to explore.


4. Pilot Program Objectives:

1. To determine the level of interest in and usefulness of, Speed Thinking for final yearschool students.

2. To determine the level of interest in and usefulness of, Speed Thinking for teachers offinal year school students.

3. To test the appeal of a number of different Speed Thinking Modules.

4. To obtain some student feedback on ways to improve Speed Thinking before rolling outthe program to other schools.


5. Pilot Program Design*

Stage: Audience Speed Thinking Module Number Date

1st Year 12 Leaders (2009) Overview & Goal Setting 12 Sept.

2nd. Year 12 Leaders (2010) Overview & Goal Setting 10 Nov.

3rd Year 12 Students (2010) Overview & Brainstorming 9 DecOverview & Essay Design 10 DecOverview & Essay Design 12 Dec

4th Year 12 Teachers (2010) Overview & Essay Design 30 Dec

• All sessions were 40-45 minutes in length to coincide with the length of normal student school periods.• Sessions were held either at lunch time or in students free periods.• All sessions were voluntary.• At least one IGS teacher attended all sessions.


6. Results:

a. Approx. 40% of the total year 12 students attended a speed thinking session. This wasslightly below expectations but most students were only given a few days notice by email,it was voluntary and most of the sessions were held in the second last week of school.

b. The qualitative feedback from the teachers attending the sessions was positive.

- ‘It was great to see you in action. The feedback from the kids has been very positive,’Anthony Dennehy, IGS Teacher (20/9/09 email).

- ‘I have spoken to most of the kids who went and they have been very positive aboutwhat they have learned today,’ Derek Patulny, IGS Teacher, (3/12/09 email).


Results Continued:c. Year 12 Student Leaders were asked two questions at the end of aSpeed Thinking Session*:

What do I think of Speed Thinking?

- It will help me with limitingprocrastination

- It is a good way to get started.

- It is impulsive

How might I use Speed Thinking?

- In exams or writing essays

- Starting homework or assessments

- Setting goals and priorities

- Brainstorming

- Planning my week

* Most popular responses


Results Continued:d. At the end of a session participants were asked for three words that woulddescribe Speed Thinking:

Students*:- Quick

- Effective

- Efficient

- Enjoyable

- Fun

- Interesting

- Easy

- Useful

* Most popular responses, a complete ‘student word cloud’ is included in the attachments.

Teachers: - Fast

- Innovative

- Helpful

- Spontaneous

- Different

- Flexible

- Challenging

- Useful


Results Continued:e. Students* were asked to give a score a number of statements between 1 and 7, where 1 wascompletely disagree, 7 completely agree and 4 was neutral.The highest scoring statements were:

- Speed Thinking will assist me to brainstorm new ideas

- Speed Thinking will assist me to more efficiently manage my time

- Speed Thinking is easy to learn (this is the only difference between males and femalesacross all the statements—females scored this statement higher)

- Speed Thinking is a good way to help me get started with my assignments

- I believe that I can be more productive using Speed Thinking

- Every student should learn Speed Thinking

- Speed Thinking will aid my confidence before an essay type exam

f. Students were then asked if they would recommend Speed Thinking to a friend or colleague from 0 to 10(0 is not at all, 5 is neutral, 10 is extremely likely).Speed Thinking scored an Average rating of 7.38 with a range from 5-10.

* Among 31 students after attending a single speed thinking session, a complete tableof statement results is included in the attachment section.


7. Analysis of Results:

-Although it is only one high school and the numbers are small it is reasonable to conclude that SpeedThinking is a new skill that would benefit most final year students and teachers.

- Students find it easy to learn, and believe that it can lead to improvements in effectiveness, productivityand efficiency. They can quickly see a practical application for Speed Thinking in their school (and otheraspects of their life?).

- Speed Thinking can help students to get started on assignments, exams and because it is fun andenjoyable might help them better deal with the stresses of their final year studies.

- Speed Thinking can also provide teachers with a new set of skills and tools to help students performbetter in exam type situations.

- In a more developed program it is reasonable to conclude that it will have extremely high referral rates.


8. Lessons Learned:

- It is important to present Speed Thinking as a new skill that complements but does notreplace existing student critical thinking processes.

- Speed Thinking is not about content—that is the teachers role. It is a skill which enablesstudents to think faster and better in time-sensitive situations (e.g. exams).

- To engage students (and teachers) Speed Thinking has to be practical, useful andimmediately applicable.

- Year 12 students do many things quickly (e.g. texting) so Speed Thinking feels like anatural extension of what they already do but provides a structure.

- Students liked the visual, nine bubbles nature of the Speed Thinking tool calledSpeedlinks (see the attachments for a real example of a students output).

- The essay application of Speedlinks had the most immediate appeal, followed by GoalSetting then Brainstorming.


8. Lessons Learned:

- Students are still (quite rightly) cautious about applying Speed Thinking to all their schoolwork. The aim is to show students the most appropriate times to use Speed Thinking.

- An on-line Speed Thinking tool-kit would be highly valued (e.g. perhaps an ipod application?)

- A more interesting way of promoting Speed Thinking to students needs to be developed (e.g.using video’s for example).

- Speed Thinking could be applied to other age groups but final year students with the on-goingexam pressures are a natural place to start.

- 40 minute sessions provide an intensive Speed Thinking experience and fits within an existingschool time-table but it works better when only one application is covered e.g. goal setting.

- The one thing that students would like to see improved was to be given more time hence theneed for an array (perhaps giving students a choice?) of different 40 minutes speed sessions.


9. Recommended Next Steps:

- Distribute this report to the IGS teachers and other educators for feedback.

- Offer Speed Thinking to final year students at IGS in term one of 2010.

- Design with the teachers and educators a series of 40 minute Speed Thinking modules depending on their needs and requirements. For example:

- Speed Thinking an introduction - Design your essays in minutes

- Set your Goals quickly - Stop Procrastinating and get started.

- Run an accreditation program with some of the IGS teachers.

- Investigate opportunities in Australia and Overseas to expand the Speed Thinking program.

- An online Speed Thinking tool Kit called Speedlinks and a new youth oriented website is under development.


10. Attachments


54.80.0745.52I believe most teachers should learn Speed Thinking

51.60.0745.50Speed Thinking will help me in an exam

58.10.0745.77I believe that I can be more productive using Speed Thinking

71.00.0745.93Speed Thinking will assist me to more efficiently manage mytime

71.03.2725.90Speed Thinking is easy to learn

74.20.0746.13Speed Thinking will assist me to brainstorm new ideas

54.80.0745.67Speed Thinking will aid my confidence before an essay typeexam

54.80.0735.75Every student should learn Speed Thinking

61.30.0745.86Speed Thinking is a good way to help me get started with myassignments

Mean Min. Max. Low rating %[1/2]

High rating %[6/7]

Students were asked to give a score between 1‐7, where 1 was completely disagree and 7 wascompletely agree, 4 was neutral (after completing one Speed Thinking session).


48.49.7725.23It surprised me how quickly I can think

35.53.2725.00Speed Thinking will stop me procrastinating

0.074.2512.13I am more likely to put off my homework with SpeedThinking

29.00.0634.90Speed Thinking is fun

45.23.2715.23I feel more energized after doing Speed Thinking

51.60.0735.50Speed Thinking will help me to better structure my essays

61.36.5715.47Speed Thinking will help with group work

48.40.0745.40I believe that Speed Thinking can help me improve myresults

38.73.2725.32Speed Thinking is an effective way to set goals

Mean Min. Max. Low rating %[1/2]

High rating %[6/7]

Students were asked to give a score between 1‐7, where 1 was completely disagree and 7 wascompletely agree, 4 was neutral.


IGS Student Word Cloud:What three words would youUse to describe Speed Thinking (results from 31 students)?


The SpeedLinks Tool

Name: Real Student

The Essay Challenge:Compare and contrast Speed Thinking withTraditional Thinking.

Students were initially asked to create nineinteresting questions about this essay in twominutes (this is the output of a real student).

Who discoveredSpeed

Thinking?What part of

the brain doesit use?

Are theirtechniques toimprove ST?

Would it help onesubject more than

another?

Is there anage barrier

to success?Can youuse STeveryday?

How does STeffect stress?

How does one’spersonalityeffect ST?

What environmentsare most conduciveto ST?

1.2.

3.

4.

9.

8.

7.

6.

5.


The Essay Challenge:Compare and contrast Speed Thinkingwith Traditional Thinking.

Students were then asked to capture thenine key points of their essay in twominutes using the previous questions as aguide (this is the output of a real student).

Define ST Define it’sfeatures.

How is itsimilar?

How is itdifferent?

Discuss thePros &

Cons of STST andprocrastination

Conclusion

Discuss impactof ST on different

ages

Discuss the impactof personality on

ST & TT

1.2.

3.

4.

9.

8.

7.

6.

5.

The SpeedLinks Tool

Name: Real Student

Education

IGS Casestudy 2009