Developing an Innovation Configuration Map for the Implementation of Competency-Based Learning: Guidance for School Leaders

Educational leaders today are well versed in the complex and often overwhelming nature of their respective roles. The difficulty of educational leadership increases exponentially when implementing innovative practices like competency-based learning that challenge every aspect of the traditional structure and function of schools, thereby requiring a strategic change framework to ensure fidelity and sustainability of the implementation. The transformative autoethnography research design guided this study, for the purpose of uniquely highlighting one administrator's reflections and perspective when creating an innovation configuration map draft that could be used to support implementation of competency-based learning. The map draft was shared with current and former educators who provided feedback on their perspectives of the elements within the map and the usability of the map. The data reveal the importance of educational leaders using a reflexive process and aligning experience and expertise with the change leadership process. Findings also demonstrate how important it is for educational leaders, particularly campus administrators, to access, understand, and use research-based tools to support strategic change implementation. Themes that emerged were (1) the importance of clarity of purpose and audience in the creation of the map, and (2) the importance of honoring a collaborative process when creating a map. Future researchers could use this transformative autoethnographic research design and additional components of the concerns-based adoption model to study or implement a similar and a different innovation, as well as benefit from the personal and professional growth this method offers. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]