The IIRP Graduate School announces the latest issue in the Presidential Paper Series. Creating Cultural Change in Education: Implementation Science and Human Capital Theory is written by Keith Hickman, Vice President of Partnerships.
Using a decade of experience implementing restorative practices into K–12 through the Whole-School Change Program, combined with research from Johns Hopkins and RAND, Keith argues that two additional resources could be used to improve results. Implementation science can ensure that the program is enacted with fidelity and a human capital framework can maximize resources and provide sustainability. He explains how their use could result in co-created strategic plans, additional identified resources, data monitoring, and evaluation.
Keith writes: “Instead of situations where front line staff, teachers, and counselors bear the direct burden for the effort and are expected to deliver results with few resources and limited support, they will be engaged as collaborators from the preparation phase and supported as partners throughout the process. The results for students could be transformative rather than transactional, offering them opportunities for meaningful engagement and belonging within a school system”
Restorative practices has received national recognition for its positive impact on school climate and culture when addressing student and staff conflict. Keith suggests that implementation science and human capital theory can help transform the introduction of the program from something that is often reactive to a proactive experience.
Creating Cultural Change in Education: Implementation Science and Human Capital Theory is available for download here, and also through our Presidential Paper Series at the IIRP Bookstore.
