Weaving Learning and Flourishing Ecosystems in Schools: The SchoolWeavers Case Study in Catalonia, Spain

• In Event: Leading Schools Toward Ecosystems for Learning and Flourishing

Abstract

Framework
The Catalan and Spanish context has a renowned tradition in educational innovation and transformation. However, schools are at a turning point due to changes at methodological, organizational, and conceptual levels, partly influenced by the pandemic and post-pandemic effects, as well as other causes (Díaz-Gibson, Civís, & Comas, 2022; Martínez-Celorrio, 2016). Post-pandemic, school leaders must regenerate communities for improved learning and well-being, but lack resources and tools to facilitate systemic change focused on the health of human relationships (Economist Impact, 2022; UNESCO, 2022).

Objectives
The paper analyzes the school leaders’ experience with SchoolWeavers as a tool to diagnose the health of the learning ecosystem and to weave learning and flourishing in 5 schools in Barcelona, Spain. The research takes place in schools where the leadership teams have been promoting student-centered instructional initiatives since 2018. The leaders and researchers involved in the study are part of the SchoolWeavers project, a Research-Practice Partnership that aims to build leadership capacity around the role of culture, learning ecosystem, and relationships in successfully implementing instructional initiatives.

Data and Methods
The study examines five diverse schools in Barcelona, serving students aged 9 to 12, with varied governance, urban/rural locations, and sizes. Data collection includes interviews with 15 school leaders and an online questionnaire with 1105 responses from school leaders, students, families, teachers, admin staff, and community staff. It evaluates the holistic perception of school-based ecosystem health and development, assessing dimensions like trust, empathic communication, shared purpose, collaboration, and innovation, as well as learning outcomes such as personalized learning, equity, and academic achievement.

Results
The experience of these international school leaders demonstrated that the SchoolWeavers Tool becomes an effective catalyzer to develop a collaborative and innovative culture and enhance learning outcomes. The tool facilitated community engagement through a participatory process involving diverse groups of stakeholders, including leaders, teachers, students, staff, community professionals and families. Through close collaboration, valuable insights were gained, and collective learning occurred regarding the tool's impact. The tool was highly regarded by school teams as it provided a comprehensive diagnosis of the current state of their educational ecosystem, including the learning climate, culture, and relationships. Teams emphasized that the tool allowed them to make informed decisions and create a climate of trust within the organization, enhancing learning processes. It provided valuable information on key aspects such as trust and innovation, guiding priorities and highlighting areas for improvement. By collecting the perceptions of the entire community, the tool helped identify where additional efforts should be focused, ensuring resources and efforts were aligned with the experiences of students, families, and teachers.

Significance
The tool’s potential extends beyond data collection, inspiring transformative practices, visualizing climate and culture outcomes. It fosters deep systemic change, grounding decisions in belonging and flourishing. Facilitating a profound understanding of data, revealing strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities within the ecosystem. Overall, the SchoolWeavers Tool provides a new approach to change and improve schools and education systems by prioritizing deep and meaningful relationships among actors in the educational ecosystem.

Authors

• Jordi Diaz-Gibson, Ramon Llull University

• Mireia Civis, Ramon Llull University