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

1. Four Imperatives for Leading a Long-Term, Multi-Institutional Research Project IES Awardees Meeting—Sept 7, 2011

2. 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

3. 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.

4. The Collaborating Institutions

5. 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!)

6. Upshot • Cooperation and Division of Labor Are Ongoing and Complementary Strategies.

7. 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.

8. Upshot • The Project Leader Must Be an Analytic Problem Solver, but Equally Important Must Build and Protect Morale.

9. 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.

10. Upshot • Always Use Resources to Maximize Good Work While Staying True to the Original Questions and Objectives.

11. 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.

12. Upshot • A Complex, Multi-Institutional Research Project Can and Should Pursue a Complex and Dynamic Agenda.