Innovating Education: 4DX Plan

ePortfolios can have a profound impact on student learning, engagement, and academic growth. Through the lens of the 4 Disciplines of Execution (4DX), we are committed to effectively executing our goals and driving meaningful change in our school community. In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, it is imperative that we equip our students with the necessary skills to thrive in the 21st century. EPortfolios offer a dynamic platform for students to showcase their learning, document their progress, and reflect on their educational journey. By integrating ePortfolios into our curriculum, we aim to foster a culture of personalized learning, student agency, and continuous improvement in our elementary school and for them, beyond. 

As a teacher, I am no stranger to the whirlwind. The amount of day to day tasks can sometimes be daunting and slightly overwhelming. ePortfolios can change some of those tasks and make the day to day a little easier once they are established and put into use. The key is to find a balance between addressing the urgent demands of the whirlwind and making strategic investments in activities that drive long-term success.To ensure that we don't get distracted with the general busyness that we all have we will put emphasis on our wildly important goal and have clear expectations and plans to make it possible. 

“To achieve a goal you have never achieved before, you must start doing things you have never done before”(McChesney et al., 2016). Our 4DX plan is designed to provide a structured framework for achieving our objectives in implementing ePortfolios at our elementary school. By focusing on the wildly important goals (WIGs), acting on lead measures, maintaining a compelling scoreboard, and creating a cadence of accountability, we can drive successful outcomes and realize our vision for innovative and student-centered education. Throughout this journey, collaboration and communication will be paramount between all people involved. We invite all stakeholders – including educators, administrators, students, parents, and community members – to actively participate in this transformative process. Together, we can harness the power of ePortfolios to empower our students, enrich their educational experiences, and prepare them for lifelong success.

4DX

During the process of creating significant changes in our school, we will be successful by implementing these 5 stages of change. First comes the Getting Clear stage, where goals are identified and strategies are developed, aligning with the principle of setting clear and compelling Wildly Important Goals (WIGs) in the 4 Disciplines of Execution (4DX). After this, the launch stage marks the initiation of action, developing the identification and implementation of lead measures driving progress toward the WIGs. As efforts unfold, the adoption stage sees the integration of new practices, mirroring the establishment of a compelling scoreboard to monitor and measure performance against the established metrics. We will be creating a live document for our scoreboard that will include the progress goals, as well student progress. With widespread acceptance, the optimization stage begins, emphasizing the creation of a cadence of accountability to sustain progress and address challenges with change, in line with the 4DX principle of maintaining accountability rhythms. In The 4 Disciplines of Execution, McChesney states, "your ability to execute your highest priority goals with excellence will determine your success more than any other factor"(2016). Keeping that in mind during the process is crucial. Finally, the habits stage underscores the long-term continuation and reinforcement of changes, fostering a culture of innovation and aligning with the objective of 4DX. Through these stages, we will navigate the journey of transformation, leveraging the principles of 4DX to drive successful change and innovation.

Innovator Model vs. 4DX

While creating both the Influencer plan and 4DX plan for my school, I realized that while they are both plans for driving change, they differ in strategies and perspectives. The Influencer Model is more focused on behavior change and offers a broader range of strategies, while 4DX is centered around achieving strategic goals with a disciplined approach to execution. The Six Sources of Influence can work together with the 4 Disciplines of Execution to drive positive change in our school while changing behaviors to embrace more of an innovative environment. I do believe that both can be beneficial while driving change in our school. 

References

McChesney, C., Covey, S., & Huling, J. (2016). The 4 Disciplines of Execution: Achieving Your Wildly Important Goals. Simon and Schuster.