Framework for competent action in educational consulting: Fostering student success - For pedagogical consultants in the Quebec school system
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Suzanne Guillemette
Isabelle Vachon
Donald Guertin
Framework for competent
action in educational consulting:
Fostering student success
For pedagogical consultants
in the Quebec school system
Framework for competent action in educational consulting:
Fostering student success
For pedagogical consultants in the Quebec school system
Suzanne Guillemette, Isabelle Vachon and Donald Guertin
A study conducted between 2014 and 2018 identifies four exemplary professional
situations in pedagogical consulting in Quebec. These situations arise through the
mobilization, combined application, or adaptation of a collection of resources, skills,
and attitudes in a professional situation in order to take actions as part of a system.
Competent action develops in and through action. The professional interventions of
pedagogical consultants in Quebec school boards fall into four main areas of action:
advising, training, guiding and innovating. What characterizes competent action
is the ability of an educational consultant to take a step back in order to maintain a
reflective distance from this action.
Suzanne Guillemette is a professor in the Faculty of Education at Université de Sherbrooke
(department: Gestion de l’éducation et de la formation). Her research focuses on manage-
ment and guidance practices that support school personnel and, consequently, the
educational and academic success of students. She combines an action-research approach
with a collective coaching model that supports analysis of practice and reflexivity.
Isabelle Vachon has been a pedagogical consultant since 2003. She works as a resource
person with multiple Greater Montreal school boards. Isabelle holds a postgraduate
degree in pedagogy from the Université de Montreal. Since 2014, she has served as
president of the Association des Conseillères et des Conseillers Pédagogiques du Québec.
She also teaches a course on professional development in the Pedagogical Consulting
microprogram at Université de Sherbrooke.
Donald Guertin worked as a pedagogical consultant and specialist for Quebec’s education
ministry. Since retiring 12 years ago, he has remained active as a consultant. Donald’s
doctoral research developed a coaching approach to professional development that
promotes adaptation in order to act differently: “conceive differently, act differently.”
ISBN 978-2-89799-128-9
9 782897 991289
Framework for competent
action in educational consulting:
Fostering student success
For pedagogical consultants in the Quebec school system
Suzanne Guillemette
Isabelle Vachon
Donald Guertin
Framework for competent action in educational consulting: Fostering student success For pedagogical consultants in the Quebec school system Suzanne Guillemette, Isabelle Vachon and Donald Guertin © 2020 Les Éditions JFD inc. Catalogage avant publication de Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec et Bibliothèque et Archives Canada Title: Framework for competent action in educational consulting: Fostering student success – For pedagogical consultants in the Quebec school system Identifiers: Canadiana 20200090143 | ISBN 9782897991289 Subjects: LCSH: Educational consultants – Practice – Québec (Province) | LCSH: Academic achievement – Québec (Province) Classification: LCC LB2799.3.C3 G8513 2020 | DDC 371.1009714–dc23 Les Éditions JFD inc. CP 15 Succ. Rosemont Montréal (Québec) H1X 3B6 Email: info@editionsjfd.com www.editionsjfd.com All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or by any means whatsoever, is strictly prohibited with- out the prior written permission of the publisher. Translation: Pablo Strauss Other titles: Référentiel de l’agir compétent en conseillance pédagogique en soutien à la réussite des élèves ISBN : 978-2-89799-128-9 Legal Deposit: 3rd quarter 2020 Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec Library and Archives Canada Printed in Quebec
Framework for competent
action in educational consulting:
Fostering student success
For
pedagogical consultants
in the Quebec school system
FRAMEWORK FOR COMPETENT ACTION IN EDUCATIONAL CONSULTING: FOSTERING STUDENT SUCCESS
Preamble PROJECT COORDINATORS
Suzanne Guillemette, Ph. D.
In 2015 the Association des conseillères et des Professor
conseillers pédagogiques du Québec (ACCPQ) and
the Université de Sherbrooke undertook a joint Head of the professional Ph.D. program in educa-
research project to develop a framework for com- tion, and joint head of the microprogram in edu-
petent action in educational consulting to serve cational consulting (Microprogramme de 2e cycle
the various professionals working in the Quebec en conseillance pédagogique; offered in French),
education system. It was a far-reaching, long- Université de Sherbrooke, Faculty of Education
term project. As no such framework existed, (department: Gestion de l’éducation et de la
developing one had become necessary to clearly formation).
define the professional role of pedagogical con- Isabelle Vachon
sultants (ECs) in the school system. A wide range
President, Association des conseillères et des con-
of stakeholders have contributed to this overview
seillers pédagogiques du Québec (ACCPQ)
of competent action in the field of educational
consulting. Instructor, microprogram in educational consult-
ing (Microprogramme de 2e cycle en conseillance
Once the project was launched in 2015, an editor-
pédagogique; offered in French), Université de
ial team and committees were formed, and the
Sherbrooke, Faculty of Education (department:
project coordinators secured funding. The first
Gestion de l’éducation et de la formation).
steps were to formulate the research question,
Resource person, regional support for profes-
frame of reference, and methodology, with input
sional expertise, Greater Montreal
from the editorial team and Scientific Committee.
This groundwork equipped the research team to RESEARCH AND WRITING TEAM
define its research approach: this would be a col-
laborative, appreciative research project. The data Suzanne Guillemette, Ph. D.
collection phase ran from May 2017 to June 2018. Professor
This data then served to define four exemplary Head of the professional Ph.D. in education pro-
professional situations, and the research identi- gram, and co-head of the microprogram in edu-
fied three transversal professional cational consulting (Microprogramme de 2e cycle
requirements. en conseillance pédagogique; offered in French),
Université de Sherbrooke, Faculty of Education
People involved in the research (department: Gestion de l’éducation et de la
formation).
Over the last three years, the following individuals
have worked closely on the research out of which Isabelle Vachon
the Framework grew. President, Association des conseillères et des con-
seillers pédagogiques du Québec (ACCPQ)
Instructor, microprogram in educational consult-
ing (Microprogramme de 2e cycle en conseillance
pédagogique; offered in French), Université de
Sherbrooke, Faculty of Education (department:
Gestion de l’éducation et de la formation).
Resource person, regional support for profes-
sional expertise, Greater Montreal.
Donald Guertin
Board member, Association des conseillères et des
conseillers pédagogiques du Québec (ACCPQ)
This project was funded by the Fondation Lucie et
André Chagnon.
4
Committee members PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT
AND RESEARCH TEAM
STEERING COMMITTEE Anne Beamish, Pedagogical Consultant, Respon-
Suzanne Guillemette, Université de Sherbrooke sible for Secondary ELA resources and profes-
sional development
Claudine Millaire, Superintendent, Commission
scolaire Pierre-Neveu, Association des directions Stéphanie Belley, Research Professional, Univer-
générales des commissions scolaires sité de Sherbrooke
Nicole Labrecque and Michel Turcotte, Commis- Alain Bertrand, Board Member, ACCPQ
sion professionnelle des services éducatifs, Asso- Kim Chaput, Research Professional, Université de
ciation québécoise des cadres scolaires (AQCS) Sherbrooke
Isabelle Pontbriand, Centre de transfert pour la Nancy Granger, Instructor, microprogram in edu-
réussite éducative du Québec (CTREQ) cational consulting (Microprogramme de 2e cycle
Marie-Ève Quirion, Fédération des profession- en conseillance pédagogique; offered in French),
nelles et professionnels de l’éducation Université de Sherbrooke, Faculty of Education
(FPPE-CSQ) (department: Gestion de l’éducation et de la
formation)
Claude St-Cyr, Fondation Lucie et André Chagnon
Marie-Josée Harnois, Board Member, ACCPQ
Isabelle Tremblay et Nathalie Morasse, Fédéra-
tion des commissions scolaires du Québec (FCSQ) Abla Kebieche, Research Professional, Université
de Sherbrooke
Isabelle Vachon, Association des conseillères et
conseillers pédagogiques du Québec (ACCPQ) Ginette Vincent, board member, ACCPQ
SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE Framework audience
Philippe Jonnaert, Senior International Expert, This Framework for competent action in educa-
World Bank, and Associate Professor in the tional consulting is designed, first and foremost,
department of mathematics, Université du Québec to serve ECs in the Quebec school system working
à Montréal in the elementary and secondary school, general
Louise Royal, Associate Professor, Université de adult education (GAE), and vocational training (VT)
Sherbrooke programs.
Jacques Tardif, Associate Professor, Université de The Framework should also be useful for Quebec
Sherbrooke school boards, and specifically directors of edu-
cational services. In addition, it can provide tools
PRAXEOLOGY COMMITTEE to professional associations interested in educa-
tional consulting.
Danielle Côté, Pedagogical Consultant, special
education, Commission scolaire au
Coeur-des-Vallées
Michelle Forest, Pedagogical Consultant, elemen-
tary mathematics and social studies, strategic
planning for schools in underprivileged areas the
Côte-du-Sud
Brigitte Gagnon, Pedagogical Consultant, support,
research, and development, Commission scolaire
des Hautes-Rivières
Nadine Martel-Octeau, Pedagogical Consultant,
RÉCIT, Pointe-de-l’Ile School Board
Marie-Claude Valiquette, Pedagogical Consultant,
French, Commission scolaire Chemin-du-Roy
5
FRAMEWORK FOR COMPETENT ACTION IN EDUCATIONAL CONSULTING: FOSTERING STUDENT SUCCESS
Acknowledgements The Praxeology Committee, whose members are
active educational consultants, reviewed prelim-
The research team would like to thank the school inary and emerging research data. The Commit-
districts that participated in the process, whose tee’s questioning, feedback, and proposals
collaboration has certainly helped advance know- enabled us to clarify results. Concrete examples
ledge about the profession of educational consult- formulated by committee members also served
ing. The Framework is the fruit of multiple ECs to validate research data.
sharing their professional practices. It is designed
to be representative of small, medium, and large The Scientific Committee, comprised of university
French-language school districts in Quebec. researchers, was tasked with interrogating the con-
ceptual framework used by researchers, and sug-
We would like to thank the following school boards gesting changes to ensure methodological rigour.
that allowed ECs to participate in group interviews
aimed at collecting the initial research data: Many partners contributed to the success of our
research, including the following:
• Commission scolaire des Chênes
• Association des conseillères et conseillers
• Commission scolaire de Laval pédagogiques du Québec (ACCPQ)
• Commission scolaire de la Seigneurie des • Centre de transfert pour la réussite éduca-
Mille-Iles tive du Québec (CTREQ)
• Commission scolaire des Navigateurs • Commission professionnelle des services
• Commission scolaire Pierre-Neveu éducatifs de l’Association québécoise des
• Commission scolaire de la Pointe-de-L’Ile cadres scolaires (AQCS)
• Commission scolaire du • Fédération des commissions scolaires du
Portage-de-l’Outaouais Québec (FCSQ)
• Commission scolaire René-Lévesque • Fédération des professionnelles et profes-
sionnels de l’éducation (FPPE-CSQ)
• Commission scolaire de la
Rivière-du-Nord • Université de Sherbrooke, Faculté d’éduca-
tion, Département de gestion de l’éducation
• Commission scolaire des Sommets
et de la formation
We would also like to thank the project
We are grateful for their support and sincerely
committees.
thank them.
The Steering Committee, made up of represent-
We would also like to extend our warm thanks to
atives of various associations, was responsible for
the Fondation Lucie et André Chagnon and to
verifying research feasibility by approving each
Claude St-Cyr, director of the CAR project (col-
research phase to ensure the approach was
laborer, apprendre, réussir). Without their financial
coherent with the desired outcomes. Members
support and their valuable input, this research
had the opportunity to guide and propose actions
would not have been possible.1
to optimize the process.
This translation was made possible by funding
from the Lucie et André Chagnon foundation,
through the CAR project under the direction of
André Chamard.
The
1 CAR project aims to strengthen the professional expertise of administrators and teachers and foster a culture of collab-
oration within schools.
6
Preface by Claude Lessard 2
Originally, educational consultants in Quebec were Much water has passed under the bridge in the
known as educational development officers. In the last quarter century. Our education system has
1960s, as part of the educational reform mapped undergone manifold reforms and innovations. Its
out by the Parent Commission, a decision was decentralized nature has facilitated the prolifer-
made to abolish school inspectors — an entirely ation of local experiments, with varying levels of
male profession under the province’s Départe- success. These mixed results have led to calls for
ment de l’Instruction publique (department of greater stability and rigour in educational innov-
public education). As the name suggests, inspect- ation, due to the widespread feeling today that
ors were responsible for visiting elementary such changes are not as simple and easy as we
schools to ensure teachers adhered to Quebec’s once thought. As a result, scepticism toward the
official curriculum3. The Parent Commission felt value of change has grown pervasive among
that giving educators greater freedom to act was stakeholders in the education system. Before
more valuable than enforcing conformity. Teach- making changes, people now demand evidence of
ers, it argued, should be granted greater auton- their effectiveness. Often, there are calls for pilot
omy and encouraged to take the initiative in projects to ensure that proposed changes are both
implementing pedagogical and instructional realistic and feasible. Without necessarily embra-
innovations. The role of educational development cing the status quo, the contemporary zeitgeist is
officers, who reported to province’s new ministry more measured in its zeal for reform.
of education, and later of educational consultants, Over the last half-century, every new reform has
who are employed by school districts, was thus included a role for educational consultants, who
conceived, from the outset, as part of an impera- must take the new ministerial directives, designed
tive of innovation. The ultimate aim was to kindle for province-wide implementation, and make
a more active, student-centered pedagogy in the them meaningful and applicable for educators.
Quebec school system. This came at an historical The same holds true when school boards and
moment when people were questioning the trad- institutions, in response to their own strategic
itional order and calling for change, which was planning exercises and success plans, undertake
often seen as a good in and of itself. to reassess not only their own practices but those
Out of these revolutionary origins, a spirit of of classroom teachers as well. In response to
innovation and a call to revitalize the professional changing times and local circumstances, educa-
practice of teachers has been woven into the pro- tional consultants (ECs) have been assigned a
fessional DNA of educational consultants, whose range of mandates and tasks. Based on circum-
role is after all to breathe new life into teaching stances, contexts, and employer priorities, they
practices and school communities. There is ample have worked to establish a role for themselves,
evidence that teachers of the era were eager for attain recognition, and define their purpose within
this very breath of air. a system often characterized by mixed messages.
During periods of reform, educational consultants
This
2 preface was originally written in French. Its translation has been approved by the author, Claude Lessard. To read the
preface in the original, see the French-language version of this document: https://www.usherbrooke.ca/gef/conseillance/
referentiel-agir-competent/
It
3 is germane to remember that inspector–teacher relationship was a gendered one, in which men held the position of power
while women were confined to a subordinate role.
7
FRAMEWORK FOR COMPETENT ACTION IN EDUCATIONAL CONSULTING: FOSTERING STUDENT SUCCESS seemed essential; in times of budgetary con- strengths and debating fresh possibilities. There straints, they have often appeared dispensable. is a need for balance in order to avoid “excessive” Teachers have also shown ambivalence: some questioning or criticism that can create an appreciate the assistance available, while others unproductive defensiveness and discomfort or, resist any and all questioning of their methods, on conversely, excessive complacency that may cause the grounds of professional autonomy. blindness and leave shortcomings unseen. This In the context of uncertainties about the roles of balance is not easy to achieve and maintain, though educational consulting, this Framework fulfills a it becomes possible in the presence of the right vital function. It grew out of an analysis of the real conditions, such as long-term relationships of work performed and evaluated by education pro- trust. This could be the subject of reflection and fessionals, and seeks to address what some stake- sharing of experiences among professionals, part holders might view as a problematic subjectivity of their use of the Framework to support their own which leaves the profession vulnerable to a range professional development. of pressures and demands from all levels of the Pedagogical consultants cannot do their jobs with- education system. This new Framework is a tool out questioning the practices of teaching person- designed to help all stakeholders understand what nel. Yet this questioning can take a variety of forms. educational consulting can contribute to the oper- For the purposes of this preface, we will contrast ation of the education system. It will also make it two broad approaches without getting bogged easier for fellow educational consultants to share down in the possible subtleties between these two experiences and better define a knowledge base extremes. On the one hand, we might promote an specific to their four core roles: advising, training, open questioning of teaching practices, with the guiding, and innovating. To the extent that the ultimate goal of making teachers sufficiently Framework formalizes the actual work of educa- autonomous to intelligently question their own tional consulting, care must be taken to ensure it practices (i.e., by making attentive, granular stu- remains a working tool for clarifying concepts and dent observations, relating them to their specific sharing knowledge, under the ownership of a pro- teaching and pedagogical actions, and grasping fessional community, and does not promote an what could be achieved by further refinements to overly rigid or normative concept of the work edu- their teaching. In this approach, the educational cational consultants do. The fact is, there are many consultant attempts to “normalize” the process of different ways to advise, train, guide, and innovate. questioning teachers about their practice, which I see the Framework primarily as a tool to analyze will empower them to transform these practices and compare some of these different ways, since themselves. This is what we mean by open ques- professional practice will always be highly coloured tioning, a practice that aims to empower a reflect- by the local context and people who inhabit and ive practitioner. bring these contexts to life. In other words, the Even if we don’t explicitly reference it, we are close Framework is a tool to situate and define, rather to one of John Hattie’s core principles: effective than determine, professional practice. teachers are aware of the effect of their teaching; I would like to illustrate this point by discussing an they actively seek to ascertain the effect of their activity integral to the work of educational consult- actions on students, their learning, and their reac- ing: questioning teaching practices. In their work tions. They give students high-quality, specific, with teachers, ECs exist within a constellation of personalized feedback, and will also seek to tensions: between questioning and valuing existing understand how their students understand, practices, between recognition and suspicion, criti- assimilate, and apply this feedback to further cism and solidarity, respect for teachers’ expertise learning. In short, teachers and their students and the evolution of the overall profession toward learn to get into each others’ heads, hence the greater equity and efficiency, reinforcing existing expression “reciprocal teaching”. 8
To this approach we might oppose that of closed approach promotes professional judgment and
questioning, i.e., questioning designed to assess a autonomy; the second advocates strong regulation
real practice’s degree of conformity to or deviance of a practice that is subject to overarching rules.
from a predetermined ideal proposed or imposed Some may object that I am opposing two ideal
from outside. Such an approach, even when it types that never appear as such in real life. This is
doesn’t openly adopt an inquisitorial tone, inevit- likely the case, since the professionals working in
ably runs the risk of putting people at fault. Under the school system have a greater capacity to apply
certain circumstances and in some situations, these “overarching” rules to their own practice
closed questioning is of course perfectly appropri- than I have suggested above. Be that as it may, my
ate. For example, accounting audits of organiza- goal here is to state, in no uncertain terms, that
tions are designed to ensure an organization the work ethic of educational consultants leads
complies with a number of pre-established rules. them, first and foremost, to promote the empower-
In the event of deviation or non-compliance with a ment of teaching staff: to enhance their ability to
rule, the organization must make a correction, or do the ideal work they wish to do in their class and
face serious penalties. with their students, in harmony with their col-
Clearly, my own preference, and the one espoused leagues. Practice in Finland would appear to dem-
in this Framework, is for open questioning of onstrate that competent, autonomous teachers
teaching practices designed to enhance educators’ generate more lasting student learning than robust
capacity for reflection. This choice is an important systems to monitor and control results4.
one, because it strikes a balance between the two Let us hope, then, that this Framework will help to
major currents that have run through educational guide educational consultants and empower
practice for the last century: continuity, which teachers for many years to come!
respects existing practices while promoting their
Claude Lessard,
development and evolution from within (through
emeritus professor of sociology of education
internships, immersion, mentoring, an analysis of
Faculty of Education
practices, action-centered research, collaborative
Université de Montréal
research and activity-based learning); and the
option of breaking with current professional prac-
tice and effecting fundamental change from with-
out, by imposing external prescriptions inspired
and based on theories or, as we have seen more
recently, on “hard evidence.” Our profession has
two competing models of professionalization: one
that takes its source in the hands-on professional
experience and expertise of teachers, and is
designed to advance the profession by making edu-
cators more autonomous and reflective, and
another that seeks to make teaching more effective
by imposing actions from above and achieving
(forced or voluntary) teacher acquiescence for “evi-
dence-based” best practices (by implication uni-
versal and independent of context). The first
There
4 is great irony in the fact that the OECD, the major proponent of results-based management
and competition, recognizes through its PISA program the excellence of a country whose strategy
for improving education rests on premises that run counter to OECD recommendations.
9Table of contents
INTRODUCTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Chapitre 1. BACKGROUND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Chapitre 2. FRAMES OF REFERENCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2.1 From role to competent action. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.1.1 Role. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.1.2 Practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.1.3 Competence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
2.2 Competent action. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
2.3 Exemplary professional situations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
2.4 Situational intelligence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.5 Professionalization and professional identity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Chapitre 3. METHODOLOGY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.1 A collaborative, appreciative research process. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
3.2 Scientific, Steering, and Praxeology committees:
Fostering collaboration, ensuring validation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
3.3 The sample. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
3.4 Research operationalization. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
3.4.1 Group interviews (phases 1 to 4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
3.4.2 Online questionnaires (phase 5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
3.4.3 Final interview group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
3.5 Analytical framework of data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
3.6 Ethics procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
11FRAMEWORK FOR COMPETENT ACTION IN EDUCATIONAL CONSULTING: FOSTERING STUDENT SUCCESS
Chapitre 4. RESULTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
4.1 Exemplary professional situations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
4.2 Transversal dimension: Ethical action. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
4.3 Transversal dimension: Communication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
4.4 Transversal dimension: Situational intelligence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Chapitre 5. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
BIBLIOGRAPHY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
GLOSSARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
APPENDIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
12Introduction
At a time when large organizations everywhere The Framework guides the professional develop-
are prioritizing professionalization, it has become ment of ECs. It also provides a tool for the inte-
critical to develop a framework for competent gration of people entering the profession
action in educational consulting to enhance the (primarily teachers).
sense of professional identity of educational con- Finally, this Framework helps promote a common
sultants (ECs). professional culture: it strengthens the shared
The resulting Framework identifies and outlines professional identity of educational consultants.
professional actions that foster students’ educa-
tional success. It equips educational consultants 2. FRAMEWORK STRUCTURE
with examples of exemplary educational situa- The Framework has two parts. The first is con-
tions faced by ECs. The great innovation of this textual, describing the problems and challenges
Framework is to provide not just a list of expected our education system faces today. It presents mul-
competencies, but to identify typical situations tiple frames of reference that define selected con-
representative of the profession. Our ultimate goal cepts, and details the methodology of this work,
is to provide specific, consistent guidance for Que- including a discussion of best practices, oper-
bec school boards. ational steps and their implementation.
The second part presents the research results,
1. WHY A FRAMEWORK FOR COMPETENT
and specifically the four exemplary professional
ACTION IN EDUCATIONAL CONSULTING?
situations and their components. These situations
Frameworks like this one are necessarily complex arise in the daily professional practice of ECs
and specific to each profession. This Framework working to foster student success in Quebec. Each
in particular can be seen as a structure to help us situation is broken down into sections—profes-
understand exemplary professional situations— sional requirements; EC actions; resources, skills
those that capture the essential nature of this and attitudes; observable outcomes; and the
profession—thereby positioning and guiding our facets of the reflective distance required of ECs.
professional development. We then present the types of constraints on their
The Framework for competent action in educa- work that ECs may encounter. Finally, we discuss
tional consulting helps define, recognize, and how this Framework can help us situate educa-
enrich the profession. It breaks new ground tional consulting in the Quebec school system. A
through its collaborative, appreciative approach glossary of the concepts used in the Framework
to documenting real-life situations, outlining is included at the end.
exemplary situations, and providing insights to
inform EC’s professional practice, all with a view
to advocating for, supporting and highlighting the
vital work educational consultants perform.
131. Background
I
n 2017, the Quebec government published its Policy on Educational Success, whose policy orien-
tations created new expectations around student success in the school system. The Policy describes
an innovative shared vision of success, and sets objectives while defining three broad areas of
intervention out of which challenges and policy orientations emerge. Since these issues reflect the core
functions of educational consultants (ECs), the importance of defining the competent action of these
education professionals is more timely than ever. While fostering continuity, Quebec’s new Policy also
seeks to enhance the effectiveness of the province’s public education system.
Endrizzi and Thibert (2012, p. 6) stress the import- pedagogical reforms (Conseil Supérieur de l’En-
ance of acting to ensure that schools “are con- seignement, 2014b; Guertin, 2013). However, they
cerned with improving student performance by also sometimes model teaching practices in sup-
focusing on the teaching and learning processes”1. port of the professional development of teachers,
The research generally and literature meta-an- with minor interactions with students. In 2008, in
alyses specifically have shown that teachers are response to agreements with school administra-
the primary actors in student success (Hattie, tion, their work had already begun focusing on an
2009). Other studies demonstrate how members advisory role (Royal et al., 2013). Quebec’s Conseil
of school administration also impacts student supérieur de l’éducation (CSE, 2014, p. 73) recog-
success (Gurr, Drysdale, and Mulford, 2006; Hal- nizes four main areas of action in ECs professional
linger, 2003, 2005; Hattie, 2009; Marzano, Waters, practice:
and McNulty, 2005). Often, school administration • Consulting and advisory services in support
will use a school district’s educational services of educational institutions.
resources to support its staff’s professional
development. • Training in support of the objectives in
school boards’ strategic plans.
In recent decades, the mandates, roles, and
responsibilities of ECs have evolved to meet the • Training based on management agreements,
school success plans, and statistical data on
needs of school staff for support, training, guid-
student results.
ance, and advising (Lessard, Héon, Ognaligui, and
Verdy, 2003; Royal, Gagnon, and Ménard, 2013). • Support for school administrators in their
Since 2000, ECs have worked primarily as trainers role as educational leaders.
and guides overseeing the implementation of
Quotation
1 translated from the French. To read the original quotation, see the French-language version of this document: https://
www.usherbrooke.ca/gef/conseillance/referentiel-agir-competent.
15FRAMEWORK FOR COMPETENT ACTION IN EDUCATIONAL CONSULTING: FOSTERING STUDENT SUCCESS Pedagogical consultants have played multiple conceptions color professional identity: there are roles over the years, from experts in teaching subject-centred ECs, pedagogy experts within a practices to facilitators, guides, and collaborators specific field, ECs who focus on the student– (Conseil supérieur de l’éducation, 2014; Guille- teacher relationships, trainers for adults, agents mette, Royal and Monette, 2015; Royal et al., 2013; of change, and, lastly, those whose work is defined Guertin-Wilson, 2014). As the profession has based on a specific topic or targeted student changed and the ECs’ mandates grown more population. diverse and complex, the point has come where Having distanced themselves from the teaching educational consulting needed a Framework for profession, ECs must carve out their niche within competent action. This Framework has mobilized the school district. To achieve professional auton- a combination of human and material resources, omy, they require recognition for their practice. within an awareness of varied situations and con- And because the profession of educational con- texts. The ability to self-regulate our practices and sulting is directed towards experienced adults, an professional action requires reflective distance. adult education approach is needed. A dearth of From this perspective, the quality of EC actions is adult-education-specific reference material has often measured by how they inform, train, guide, been detrimental to the construction of profes- plan, innovate, document research outcomes, sional identity in educational consulting. ECs have suggest organizational improvements, resolve compensated this shortcoming with professional complex problems or situations, collaborate, and development sessions and “modes of socialization more (Duchesne, 2016). As Lessard notes, the specific to the profession”2 (Dubar, 1991, in Ori- work of ECs will always be, by its very nature, anne and Draelants, 2010, p. 16). challenging, because it is designed to help teach- Unlike teaching staff and school administration, ers become more critical and independent, which who use competency-based frameworks, ECs can in turn cause teachers to resist the influence have a classification plan that sets out, with brought to bear on them (Lessard, 2016). greater specificity, the tasks and attributes of the Broad trends in the education world have profession. This frame of reference is not well-de- demanded that that ECs work steadily, and often veloped enough to define a profession in which simultaneously, in a range of environments. Their ECs are called upon to provide training, guidance, work is complexified by the multiplicity of rela- and advisory services (Guertin, 2013), while also tionships established with various education sys- fostering innovation. In recent decades, an evolv- tem actors. The work of ECs therefore presupposes ing range of tasks associated with the profession a culture of collaboration (Saint-Arnaud, 1995, of educational consulting, along with the cyclical 2008). Lessard (2016) notes that ECs intervene in requirements of school organizations, have made the institutional sector in mandates that involve it difficult to define the profession of educational implementing policies designed to foster educa- consultant and, by extension, to establish a pro- tional success or pedagogical and educational fessional identity. For all these reasons, we believe innovations. Their actions also have a relational a framework for competent action for educational character when they support people or groups for consulting will enhance recognition for the professional development purposes. profession. ECs are most often drawn from the ranks of As Le Boterf (2007) has noted, frameworks serve teaching personnel. Though both professions professional development by defining core activ- work in similar contexts, the professional transi- ities and professional requirements to be tion to educational consulting involves a change developed with a view to professionalization. Wit- from front-line teaching to working on peda- torski (2007, p. 167) notes that professionalization gogical practice. A further layer of complexity is is meant to be an ongoing process. A framework woven into the very fabric of educational consult- for competent action can only be considered ing practice. According to Lessard (2016), Quotation 2 translated from the French. 16
CHAPTER 1. BACKGROUND
provisional, because it is linked to “a social permitted us to identify the key professional
dynamic in which situations, actors, objects, and actions, the necessary resources, skills, and atti-
learning methods are constantly evolving”3. tudes, and professional requirements to be
To date, some research has defined professional developed to improve professional action in these
competencies for educational consultants, with a situations. Certain school boards have already
focus on their role as drivers of change. In 2008, established frameworks to better define the role
Lafortune(a), Lepage, Persechino, and Bélanger of educational consultants within their
listed eight competencies for supporting profes- organizations.
sional change and developing capacity to influence In this context, it is worthwhile to develop this
innovation. And in 2012 Charlier and Biémar docu- Framework of competent action in educational
mented the skillset exhibited by group leaders consulting, to shape professional identity while
who are drivers of change. It is clear that the def- specifying actions taken to support the educa-
initions of competencies set out by these two stud- tional success of students. This is precisely the
ies are also mandates specific to ECs. purpose of the research behind this Framework.
This Framework for competent action defines Three objectives were formulated to further guide
exemplary professional situations for educational our process: 1) Describe real professional situa-
consultants. Already, action research conducted tions that foster student success, 2) Identify exem-
at the Université de Sherbrooke has laid the plary professional situations, and 3) Formulate
groundwork for defining two professional situa- the components of competent action in educa-
tions for educational consulting. It has also tional consulting.
Quotation
3 translated from the French.
172. Frames of reference
T
o better understand underlying issues facing educational consultants, we set out some elements
that constituting a conceptual framework. We will also justify our choice of the term “competent
action” over such notions of role, practice, or competence.
Connections
between key
concepts
Family of exemplary professional situations
–
on P
ssi
ro
fess
– Profe
Role Détermine Identity
ionaliza
ism
on
al
ti
n
Professio –
Output of constants
Competent action
Characterization
Manifestation Call for
Deployment
Real professional situations
Figure 1. Connections between key concepts in the frames of reference
19FRAMEWORK FOR COMPETENT ACTION IN EDUCATIONAL CONSULTING: FOSTERING STUDENT SUCCESS
To understand educational consulting we must Charlier (2010, p. 141), practice is “comprised of
introduce two key concepts illustrated in Figure 1: representations, personal theories, rules, behav-
real professional situations, and exemplary pro- iours, know-how, emotions, knowledge, routines,
fessional situations. We have chosen the concept and objects.”2 Unless it is situated within a con-
of competent action (Masciotra and Medzo, 2009; text, practice does not give rise to full-fledged
Masciotra, Morel, and Mathieu, 2011; Le Boterf, competent action in the way a real professional
2013; Jonnaert 2006, 2009; Boutet 2005) to explain situation can. In other words, rather than reflect
the attributes and characteristics of the profes- on reconstructed practice, we have chosen to
sional work performed by ECs. We believe that the build awareness around the intention to act, in
notions of role and competence are insufficient to connection with a professional activity, within a
place educational consulting practices on a footing real situation, which fosters enaction. In this way,
of professionalism and professional identity. We educational consultants act in such a way that the
find that this concept of competent action can more resources mobilized contribute to the meaning
effectively situate ECs within their professional assigned to a situation (Varela, cited in Barth,
reality. 2002; Masciotra and Medzo, 2009). This concept
better accounts for competent action.
2.1 From role to
competent action
2.1.3 COMPETENCE
We have defined competence as a form of knowing
Three concepts are traditionally combined to how to act that takes shape in one or more com-
describe professional action: role, practice, and plex professional situations to achieve a precise
competence. It will be worthwhile to define them effect. Competence arises out of the mobilization
here, to show their limitations within this Frame- and combination of internal and external resour-
work of competent action. ces from which an appropriate, situation-specific
professional practice emerges. Also inherent in
2.1.1 ROLE competence is an analysis and explanation of an
The role played by a given actor within an organ- actor’s chosen way of doing and acting. Le Boterf
ization corresponds to their social position within (2008) considers it overly restrictive to limit the
a group, an organization, or society at large. Roles concept of an actor’s professional action to include
develop as a set of activities, behaviours, and only attributes and characteristics of the profes-
tasks, which are sometimes fixed and sometimes sion. A framework of competencies limits the
evolve in response to the values and expectations fields of operation and action. However, the pro-
of the entity to which the actor belongs. Roles pro- fession is at risk of being defined by expectations
vide a model of behaviours to be adopted. While rather than by real situations of professional
they situate actors, their predominant definition action. Le Boterf (2010) further notes that descrip-
derives from a position within an entity. But the tions of professions are often essentially regula-
concept of role cannot fully describe the attributes tory in perspective.
and characteristics of the profession; it positions
Role, practice, and competence are notions that
the person within their organization, but does not
have often been used to define the attributes of
confine them to a set of assigned tasks, as in a
professions. We feel, however, that it is more
classification scheme (Gouvernement du Québec,
accurate to characterize a profession through the
2011).
competent action of its members. This competent
action emerges out of real practices, and is
2.1.2 PRACTICE
defined in the light of exemplary professional
Zapata (2004, p. 77) defines practice as an “activity
situations.
performed upon reality with an express or
unstated goal of changing something.”1 For B.
Quotation
1 translated from the French.
Quotation
2 translated from the French.
20CHAPTER 2. FRAMES OF REFERENCE
2.2 Competent action Davel and Tremblay (2011, p. 83), we believe that
“acting as a competent practitioner is synonym-
Initially, competent action develops in and through ous with knowing how to successfully take one’s
action. Describing these actions can outline a sys- place within a field of practice… Knowledge, the
tem (Masciotra et al., 2011), and demonstrate an individual and the object of knowledge must be
actor’s ability to adapt to a professional situation. conceived as being produced jointly within a situ-
It then becomes possible to identify the situational ated practice.”3
intelligence that drives the actor in action, within
Competent action manifests concretely in the
the logic of “enaction” (Masciotra and Medzo,
unique context of a real situation. It is comprised
2009). Since each situation is unique, educational
of representative professional requirements; a
consultants must self-regulate their professional
collection of resources, skills and attitudes; rep-
actions to make them appropriate to a given con-
resentative key actions, expected results, mani-
text. They mobilize, combine, and adapt a set of
festations of reflective distance, and constraints
resources to adjust their actions to a real
(Le Boterf, 2010; Jonnaert, 2006, 2009).
situation.
2.3 Exemplary
Le Boterf (2013) defines competent action as the
ability of professionals to mobilize internal and
external resources to resolve a problematic situ- professional situations
ation or act on a complex situation. In addition, Competent action does not exist in isolation from
competent action relies on the actor’s ability to the professional situations in which it is deployed
pause and achieve the necessary reflective dis- and made concrete. This means that, once
tance to assess how to mobilize resources in deployed, competent action becomes observable;
response to the real situation. By the same token, this is in fact the very definition of “deployment”
they are preparing to reapply their learning in (Tardif, Fortier and Préfontaine, 2006; Le Boterf,
later situations. 2010). Within this Framework, the profession of
The interplay between resource mobilization, the educational consultant is defined based on com-
real outcomes in a given situation, and reflective petent action deployed in real professional situ-
distance favour the development of operational ations, rather than the study or analysis of work
schemes that include both cognitive and conative assignments, expected competencies, or
dimensions (Kolb, 1984). In this sense, profession- assigned roles. As Masciotra and Medzo (2009)
als develop their ability to adjust their practice note, completing a task is insufficient to explain
through self-questioning (Guillemette, 2017). an individual’s position of enaction. The task, in
Competent action can be seen in professionals in this view, does not constitute the entirety of the
action when they transform a professional situa- professional situation, but is merely one compon-
tion by mobilizing and combining their resources, ent of it. Competent action cannot be reduced to
including their professional experience, in a way a practice, because practice itself is not compe-
that preserves their capacity for reflective dis- tent action, but rather the locus where competent
tance from, or during, this action. action manifests. Professional situations elicit
Initially, competent action develops in and through competent action.
action—this is precisely what differentiates a From an analysis of real professional situations,
framework for competent action from a frame- we can develop a conceptual map of what we will
work of competencies. Competent action is the call exemplary professional situations. Exemplary
action itself; a competency is something different professional situations will not correspond exactly
altogether: a theoretical, or distanced, description to the reality observed in the field. Our map
of the action. With competent action, we get closer includes properties that are present in multiple
to the core of professional practice. Professional real professional situations, and as such repre-
knowledge cannot be reduced to the mere ability sents situations that are similar in both their aims
to make or do something, but must pass into and their activities. It gathers real professional
action itself (Masciotra and Medzo, 2009). Like situations with enough common and convergent
Quotation
3 translated from the French.
21FRAMEWORK FOR COMPETENT ACTION IN EDUCATIONAL CONSULTING: FOSTERING STUDENT SUCCESS
characteristics that they can be experienced Situational intelligence refers to people’s “under-
repeatedly, either by the same person or by standing of situations and how to be effective in
another person within a similar context. This is them, either by adapting existing assets, or by
what Le Boterf (2006, p. 109) calls a “typical pro- constructing new resources”6 (Jonnaert, 2006, p.
fessional” situation, while authors like Allal 23). Jonnaert (in Fabre, 2006, p. 37) adds that
(1999), Jonnaert (2006) and Scallon (2004) use the “competence is really situational intelligence: it
concept of “family of situations.” In the context of makes possible the activity of a person within the
these guidelines, the term “exemplary”—a trans- problematized space of situations.”7 Attending to
lation of the French term “emblématique” used situational intelligence brings us closer to an idea
by Guillaumin (2012), is more suitable for formal- of competence. In the words of LeBlanc (2001, p.
izing the characteristics specific to educational 244): “Since any action is perceived as an inten-
consulting, as a typical and representative pro- tional action, this imposes an interdependent
fessional situation. relationship between the intention and the conse-
quence of a behaviour. Such a conception makes
2.4 Situational intelligence it possible to envisage action as invested in a
search for skills.”8
A distinction must be drawn between the objective
In the course of interactions, actors “adapt” their
of an activity, associated with its content; the situ-
behaviour according to the degree of acquies-
ation’s intent, which is tied to the meaning of an
cence or resistance they perceive in their listen-
action; and situational intelligence, which is asso-
ers. This dimension of action is difficult to define,
ciated with the concepts of the actor organizing
as it is part of the actor’s subjectivity and depends
their action. Situational intelligence drives the
on their degree of receptivity. Therein lies the full
self-regulation of, and attaches ethical meaning
meaning of enaction (Masciotra and Medzo, 2009),
to, a given action. Everything occurs within a situ-
namely the ability to modulate and regulate one’s
ation of professional action—the key concept of
interventions in real situations. It relates to the
our research. Moreover, actors transcend the
intelligence of actors with regard to situations
action itself by gaining awareness of their actions
(Masciotra, 2003, cited in Jonnaert, in Fabre,
through their sensory-cognitive receptivity. Their
2006): “Competence... is itself situated, and is
action is then self-regulated based on the percep-
inseparable as much from the person who
tible manifestations of the constructed concep-
develops it, as it is from their actions, and the situ-
tions. The act of educational consulting is
ation constructed by these actions (Jonnaert, in
supported by this awareness of professional
Fabre, 2006, p. 33).
action. Their conceptions, and the aim pursued,
answer the following question: “Why are we acting The meaning that an actor assigns to their action
in this way?”4 (Guertin, 2012, p. 36). According to lies not in the context, but in the intelligent rela-
Vergnaud (1996, in Barbier, J.-M., p. 277–278): tionship they establish with the situation, ele-
ments of which have the potential to incite
“In interactions with others, in interpretations profound questioning. Meaning is constructed by
of intentional and unintentional signs in their the individual, through the relationship estab-
lished between what is, what is perceived, and
behaviour, in choices involving speech and
what is expected; it consists of awareness in
silence, the selection of what to say and its form,
action. However, the meaning ascribed to an
questions, doubts and affirmations, there mani-
action develops through internal dialogue. It
fests a knowledge that is at once highly import-
ant and decisive to the individual’s adaptation to
their environment.”5
Quotation
4 translated from the French.
Quotation
5 translated from the French.
Quotation
6 translated from the French.
Quotation
7 translated from the French.
Quotation
8 translated from the French.
22CHAPTER 2. FRAMES OF REFERENCE
brings us inexorably back to the relationship that Perrenoud (1994, cited in Conseil Supérieur de
the actor establishes with “knowing how to act a l’Éducation, 2014, p. 10) defines professionaliza-
certain way”9 (Guertin, 2012, p. 36). tion as “access to an ability to solve complex and
varied problems by one’s own means, within the
2.5 Professionalization framework of general objectives and ethics, with-
and professional identity
out being constrained by the need to follow
detailed procedures designed by others.” By their
Wittorski (2007, p. 155) defines professionalization action, and in their reflective attitude toward the
as an identity transaction between a subject and profession, educational consultants “strengthen
the environment which is part of a “dynamic of the construction of identity and an awareness of
social construction of skills.”10 He explains the professional uniqueness” 12 (Perrenoud, 2001,
process thus (ibid., p. 158): cited in Portelance, 2010, p. 24).
Like professionalization, identity construction
“Professionalization is… not merely a social consists in a tension between the identity we
intention (from the organization’s standpoint), attempt to ascribe to the profession, what the pro-
which has as its ultimate aim the development fession represents for the organization, and the
of people at work, but also an identity perform- vision actors have of their daily actions. For
ance, or transaction of self-recognition (from Kadourri (2002, cited in Wittorski, 2007, p. 154),
the individual, through the acts performed) and “identity should be thought of in transactional
effective recognition from the environment terms, meaning that it is dynamic and not static:
a process of managing disparities and tensions,
(attributing the qualities of competence and pro-
rather than a stable state.” Clearly, identity is
fessionalism to a subject).”11
negotiated socially, but also through action. Pro-
fessionalization serves as an identity transaction
Professionalization is therefore a dynamic,
between a subject and the environment which is
ongoing process that enables us to develop a
part of a “dynamic of social construction of skills”
practice whose objectives are professional
(Wittorski, 2007, p. 155).
development and, more specifically, professional
identity. It enhances the ability to respond to the Thus, considering the professionalization of edu-
high expectations within the education system, cational consultants for whom student success
and to adapt continuously to independently resolve forms the core of their actions, there is a need to
complex and varied problems. identify real professional situations that are rel-
evant for supporting the educational success of
Professionalization demands ethical action and
students, in order to identify exemplary profes-
encourages professionals to contend with the
sional situations.
unpredictable nature of their unique work context.
Quotation
9 translated from the French.
Quotation
10 translated from the French.
Quotation
11 translated from the French.
Quotation
12 translated from the French.
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