The SchoolWeavers Tool: supporting school leaders to weave learning ecosystems

Abstract

Social capital has recently emerged as an effective approach to rethink schools as wider learning ecosystems where students, teachers, and families have greater access to learning resources through social interaction. In this sense, the literature has not provided research-based assessment tools that document school leaders’ abilities to weave social relationships between actors within the school and across the community. This paper presents an international experts’ validation of the SchoolWeavers Tool, an online resource that supports school leaders to assess the health and potential of their school ecosystem and provides meaningful feedback to weave social and professional capital and lift learning opportunities and educational goals. Theoretical validation was conducted in the first round by 15 experts from 8 countries with prior experience in network leadership in education, and in the second round, with 54 school actors from the same 8 countries. The final model provides an internationally validated tool that supports school leaders’ capacities to weave learning ecosystems and improve collective effectiveness, internal and external collaboration, innovation, and equity. Furthermore, the SchoolWeavers Tool creates research opportunities to analyze and discuss commonalities and differences regarding climate and culture in school ecosystems across the world, allowing school leaders and researchers to support systemic impact and sustainable improvement.