Thematic Session 1– Educational Planning – People

Session Sponsors: Drs. Polka and Brinkman

This session will focus on the conceptualization of educational planning as a discipline, examining salient Ideas about leadership approaches, professional development, and organizational assessments of people in school settings that have informed the planning field globally over the years. Consistent with ISEP’s 50^th anniversary to address change and continuity in educational planning, session presenters will explore topics related to classical and contemporary approaches to human resource planning with the focus on: leadership approaches, professional development, organizational assessments, and other people oriented perspectives, debates, and controversies including conflicting theories that have shaped planning for the development and evaluation of educational leaders throughout the world.

Possible topics for session presenters include (but are not limited) to the following:

Thematic Session 2 – Educational Planning – Things

Session Sponsors: Drs. Cash and Koonce

This session will focus on the conceptualization of educational planning as a discipline, examining salient Ideas that have informed the built facility, technology, and furnishings in support of the school community globally over the years. Consistent with ISEP’s 50th anniversary to address change and continuity in educational planning, session presenters will explore topics related to classical and contemporary approaches to facility design and redesign with the focus on 21st-century skills development, instructional support, student responses to the environment, and other built facility oriented perspectives, debates, and controversies including conflicting theories that have shaped the field of school design throughout the world.

Possible topics for session presenters include (but is not limited) to the following:

• The changing nature of school design research in education
• The link between the built facility and student and faculty performance/attitudes
• A process for designing the built facility – purpose leads to form
• The relationship between classroom furnishings and instructional practices
• The challenges of historical buildings (heritage sites) in access, design, and function
• How educational facilities adjust to contemporary pedagogical demands, practical uses, or economic constraints
• How schools can adapt to an increasing and changing population, as well as, social, curricular, or pedagogical developments.
• How historical legacy and memory can be, or has been, preserved through basic design and instructional changes
• Case studies from different geographical areas, providing a basis for reflecting on the significance of educational facilities for education within an international framework
• Architectural solutions to design adjustments for current student needs
• Identifying spatial, functional, and technological modifications and guidelines to cope with educational change and contemporary challenges

Potential Themes and Keywords: architecture; design changes; renovation and redesign; planning for a new school; planning partners for shared school use; furnishings and instruction for the 21st century; and retaining the legacy while recharging the function.

Thematic Session 3 – Educational Planning – Ideas

Session Sponsors: Drs. Ford & Tekleselassie

This session will focus on the conceptualization of educational planning as a discipline, examining salient Ideas that have informed the field globally over the years. Consistent with ISEP’s 50^th anniversary to address change and continuity in educational planning, session presenters will explore topics related to classical and contemporary approaches to planning, where the focus includes ideas, perspectives, theorists, theories, debates and controversies that have shaped the field throughout the world.

Possible topics for session presenters include (but are not limited) to the following:

• The changing nature of strategic planning research in education
• The link between strategic planning and organizational outcomes in education (such as student outcomes)
• Strategic planning as a strategic development process
• Key partners/stakeholders in strategic planning
• Common elements/frameworks of “best-laid plans”
• The link between strategic plans and site-based plans in education
• Systems thinking and strategic planning
• Why do strategic plans fail?
• Strategic planning and accountability
• Strategic planning as a catalyst for organizational change in education
• What has been learned about planning from international/comparative experiences and studies.
• Strategic planning and social change, national and global perspectives

Potential Themes and Keywords: strategic planning theory; strategic plan outcomes; plan implementation; site-based versus strategic planning; strategic priorities; planning partners; strategic planning and educational change/reform.