Patterns to Outcomes - A reflection on Pattern Language and its application in student engagement Note: When we talk about complexity, we refer to the concept as defined in Cognitive Edge website1: A complex system is a system composed of interconnected parts that as a whole exhibit one or more properties (behavior among the possible properties) not obvious from the properties of the individual parts. A system’s complexity may be of one of two forms: disorganized complexity and organized complexity. In essence, disorganized complexity is a matter of a very large number of parts, and organized complexity is a matter of the subject system (quite possibly with only a limited number of parts) exhibiting emergent properties. When you apply a purely programmatic or Service Design focused lens to address existing complex social and economic challenges (e.g. when you implement a program designed to address a complex problem within a certain environment), you run the risk of oversimplifying the context and potentially creating undesirable outcomes. There are many examples of this, such as policies to reduce fishing in Pacific islands2 that ultimately led to the contrary outcome of decreasing fishing stocks. In Mastering Systems Change by Christian Seelos and Johanna Mair3, they remind us of the importance of mastering the systems causal architecture. That is, understanding the cause and effect of activities that we are involved in. Through examples they share the relevance of robustly transforming the causal system architecture, and how if we don't do so, things may be as bad as or even worse than before. In contrast, seeking to understand the impact of our activities in the context and embracing the complexity of systems that our ideas will operate in, can lead to new ways of seeing challenges and allowing for innovative solutions to emerge. Over the past few years, we have been embracing systemic challenges and applying different approaches to usefully map the interdependency of elements within systems and identify levers that may influence positive change. We have been exploring different methods to assist making sense of complexity that help us move quickly into action. This exploration uncovered an approach from architecture called Pattern Language which is both highly adaptable and a great addition to the systems thinking toolbox. Education engagement Pattern Language’s Patterns What is Pattern Language? The term Pattern Language was first coined by the architect Christopher Alexander in 1977. In his book4 of the same name, he describes Patterns (see ‘What is a pattern?’ below) that other architects might follow to make successful design decisions. In this book, we present one possible pattern language (...). This language is extremely practical. It is a language that we have distilled from our own building and planning efforts over the last eight years. You can use it to work with your neighbours, to improve your town and neighbourhood. You can use it to design a house for yourself, with your family. or with other people to design an office or a workshop or a public building like a school. And you can use it to guide you in the actual process of construction.5 PURPLSOC (an Austrian founded global community in pursuit of pattern languages for societal change) have been developing a deeper understanding of how Pattern Language can be useful in other domains and disciplines. And ultimately be used as a tool to create social impact. Their ebook the Pursuit of Pattern Languages for Societal Change6 references different examples drawn from papers presented at their World Conference in 2015. These examples are as diverse as a pattern language for dementia (which consists of 40 patterns, categorized into three different groups: words for those living with dementia, words for caring families, and words for everyone) and a set of 24 behavioral properties that capture “wholeness” in a lively human activity (an investigation of pattern languages of human action). What is a Pattern? A Pattern is a piece of information that appears repeatedly. In the context of a Pattern Language it frames a problem and an opportunity area to assist with implementing a solution. The elements of this language are entities called patterns. Each pattern describes a problem which occurs over and over again in our environment, and then describes the core of the solution to that problem, in such a way that you can use this solution a million times over, without ever doing it the same way twice.7 A Pattern Language example describing a single Pattern within the Pattern Language for baking Chocolate Chip Cookies : • Pattern Name: Chocolate Chip Ratio • Context: You are baking chocolate chip cookies in small batches for family and friends • Consider these patterns first: Sugar Ratio, Flour Ratio, Egg Ratio • Problem: Determine the optimum ratio of chocolate chips to cookie dough • Solution: Observe that most people consider chocolate to be the best part of the chocolate chip cookie. Also observe that too much chocolate may prevent the cookie from holding together, decreasing its appeal. Since you are cooking in small batches, cost is not a consideration. Therefore, use the maximum amount of chocolate chips that results in a really sturdy cookie. • Consider next: Nut Ratio or Cooking Time or Freezing Method Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pattern_language Adopting Pattern Language into complex social contexts In the following case study we share how we used Pattern Language to help us reflect on the multilayered challenges of student engagement. We’ll outline how we broke down the complexity into concrete patterns that helped build a common understanding of the problems while linking them to evidence based solutions that help schools take action. Our Pattern Language is based on thorough ethnographic research we undertook with five schools and an evidence base horizon scan (identifying rigorously evaluated solutions from around the world) compiled by our evaluation partners Clear Horizon (https://www.clearhorizon.com.au/). In essence, we found that Pattern Language offers a way to navigate complexity and take action towards implementing concrete solutions. TACSI team working on framing the Education engagement Pattern Language CASE STUDY How we used Pattern Language in an educational context? We used Pattern Language to build on themes which emerged from our ethnographic research exploring student engagement. We visited and met with people in a series of schools that had been identified as Positive Deviants, that is schools that were enabling great education outcomes for students despite current system challenges. Richard Pascale, Jerry Sternin and Monique Sternin in their book The Power of Positive Deviance8, frame Positive Deviants as: (...) the few individuals in a group who find unique ways to look at, and overcome, seemingly insoluble difficulties. By seeing solutions where others don't, positive deviants spread and sustain needed change. We hang-out -or as we like to frame it, we rigorously hang-out- with students, their families, community organisations and institutions, teachers, support staff, deputy principals and principals and heard about the complexities of the education system. We also learned about how those complexities change from individual to individual and for each school depending on its context. The patterns we defined (based on the emergent themes from our research) were clustered into three types of Patterns that impact student engagement at school: • Conditions for success: these are the circumstances that allow ideas to become actions in the school environments that we visited. For instance: ‘Leadership support’ or ‘Safe space to try new things’. We share the detailed description of these Patterns later. • Process to follow: these are the methods and practices we observed were being used to approach challenges and frame new ways of doing things. For instance: ‘Talking to the people involved’ or ‘Try, test, learn’. • Principles to shape: these are the priorities or behaviours we witnessed being used to keep the most important things top of mind while providing guard rails to keep ideas on track. For instance: ‘Positive behaviour focus’ or ‘Family engagement’. Pattern card examples developed in the Education Engagement Pattern Language The Patterns we articulated have been framed in the positive - in alignment with the Principle to Follow: ‘Positive behaviour focus’-, taking a strength-based approach and focussing on solutions rather than problems. Here is a concrete Pattern example: • Pattern Name: Leadership Support • Context: You have an idea about how to solve a student engagement challenge and want to test it in a small way. (This would be contextualised for the situation and school within which the Pattern was identified and being used) • Consider these patterns first: Trusting two way relationships, Safe space to try new things, Share learnings • Problem: The leadership team in the school doesn’t support the initiatives that the team are trying to implement, and as such it’s very likely that these new ideas won’t be successful. • Solution: The leadership team ensures that the school staff are given the permission and opportunity to share and test their ideas. The knowledge, ideas and input of all staff is valued by the leadership and staff are encouraged to ‘have a go’ at solving the challenges they face around student engagement. • Consider next: Supports for staff, Policy support, Community of support If you are interested in receiving the full deck of Student Engagement Pattern Language cards please get in touch with us at [email protected] Defining where to start and how to navigate the Pattern Language was critical. For this tool to be useful to schools in their unique contexts - and with limited external support - we chose to develop a series of canvases to specify a starting point and a roadmap that schools can follow. Together with schools we defined the following process: 1. Reflect on strengths: starting with existing strengths choose a foundational Pattern to build upon at your school.