1.

Please delete words in red

2. Designate ONE person from your group to submit the paper

TITLE of PAPER/PROJECT: Replace with your title

Name 1
Name 2
Name 3
Name 4
Name 5

MANAGEMENT of EDUCATION CHANGE

Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Dr. Koen Lombaerts, Professor

Dr. Fred Mednick, Professor

[Date]

TYPE: Choose one and erase the rest: PRODUCT, SERVICE, SPACE, or SYSTEM]
Title

Please substitute headings with the titles or leave them the same

Abstract
(250 words maximum)

An Abstract is the entire paper in a condensed form, written for those seeking to learn more. An
abstract summarizes, usually in one paragraph of 250 words or less, the major aspects of the entire
paper in a prescribed sequence that includes: 1) the overall purpose of the study and the research
problem(s) you investigated; 2) the basic design of the study; 3) major findings or trends found as a
result of your analysis; and, 4) a brief summary of your interpretations and conclusions.
The abstract allows you to elaborate upon each major aspect of the paper and helps readers decide
whether they want to read the rest of the paper. Therefore, enough key information [e.g., summary
results, observations, trends, etc.] must be included to make the abstract useful to someone who may
want to examine your work.
How do you know when you have enough information in your abstract? A simple rule-of-thumb is to
step into the shoes of a reviewer evaluating your research, but with only one exception. The reviewer
has only your Abstract, nothing else. Is there enough information presented here? Too many
assumptions? Does it tell the whole story about your study? If the answer is "no" then the abstract
will need to be revised.
You may write the Abstract in the beginning to get a general sense of your argument and plan. It
would be a big mistake, however, if you just left it at that. Before you turn your paper in, re-read and
re-write your Abstract. If I were you, I would be suspicious if you didn’t think it needed
revision. That would mean that you crafted questions for which you already knew the answer…or
you did not ask the right ones.
Include the distilled summaries of Part 1 and 2 of your paper in the Abstract.

Key Words/Tags:

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NOTE on TABLE of CONTENTS: Students spend WAY too much time with formatting their
Table of Contents. They shouldn’t. It’s easy to do. If you don’t know how to use Headings for
a Table of Contents, I can teach it, or you can consult a tutorial. Three things to keep in mind.
1. For now, DO NOT change any of the headings and subheadings (below).
2. Never make changes IN the Table of Contents, either.
3. Just replace the text in red.
As you write your paper, make certain to right-click on the body of the Table of Contents.
 You will then see this:

 If you’re confident everything looks great, you can click update page #s
 I suggest, however, that you click “Update entire table.” Then, see what happens. if
things don’t look right, you can make the changes.

If you accidentally change a title, retype it and make certain to use one of the following styles:
 For Main Headings: (like Part I-IV), use the style: Heading 1
 For Sub Headings (like Focus | Multiple Perspectives), use Heading 2
CONFUSING? Here are some tutorials:
 Tutorial One: 13.26
 Tutorial Two: 4.23
 In Word itself, click Help, then search on Headings, and scroll down to Apply heading
styles and Create a table of contents
NOTICE, for your convenience (and the convenience of the reader, you can click on Return to Table
of Contents (in the footer)

DELETE THIS PAGE WHEN FINISHED

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Table of Contents

Again, keep all headings and sub-headings the same

Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... 2
Part I. Research on the Challenge .................................................................................................. 5
Focus | Multiple Perspectives ..................................................................................................... 5
Accounting for Bias .................................................................................................................... 5
Part II. Design Thinking Process ................................................................................................... 5
II-A. Documenting the Design Thinking Process ....................................................................... 5
II-B. Stakeholdership .................................................................................................................. 5
II-C. Mindsets, Methods, Extremes and Mainstreams ................................................................ 6
II-D. Visualization Process ......................................................................................................... 6
II-E. Essential and Crazy, What-if Questions ............................................................................. 6
II-F. Your Prototype: Vision Only ............................................................................................. 6
Part III. SMART Metrics | Selling Your Idea ................................................................................ 7
Is it SMART? .............................................................................................................................. 7
Is it Sellable? ............................................................................................................................... 7
Part IV. Reflections on Leadership ................................................................................................ 7
Applied Leadership Theory ........................................................................................................ 7
Educational Change Reflections ................................................................................................. 7
Part V. Appendices ........................................................................................................................ 8
Appendix V-1: Sources ............................................................................................................... 8
Appendix V-2: Survey ................................................................................................................ 8
Appendix V-3: Your Management Design and Structure........................................................... 8
Appendix V-4: Separate Assignment: Your Individual Contribution ....................................... 8

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Part I. Research on the Challenge

Focus | Multiple Perspectives

If you focus this on a region, you’ll get a more accurate picture, even if you plan on scaling this
idea globally. Consider politics, historical perspective, the challenge itself, current approaches
(successes, failures). Cite solid research, statistics, patterns…
Multiple perspectives on the challenge: politics, historical perspective, the challenge, current
approaches, the outliers…Cite solid research, statistics, and patterns, rather than your opinion.
Accounting for Bias
Keep it objective. Don’t have all the answers in advance. I am especially concerned about this in
a world of alt-facts and fake news. Besides, researchers are increasingly cherry-picking their
facts to fit their pre-determined theories, rather than allow theories to emerge from objective
research. This will be difficult (after all, we’re human beings and by interacting with content and
people, we influence both), but take this seriously.

Part II. Design Thinking Process

II-A. Documenting the Design Thinking Process

Re-state the challenge question: “How might we…” Write in language that is accessible by a
general audience. Describe the [product, spaces, services, or systems] you have invented,
tweaked, merged…
This is where you prove that you not only have familiarized yourselves with the design process,
but also have gone through the steps. Be specific. From the very beginning, document your
process and you won’t get into trouble later. Focus on the first four:
 Empathize
 Define
 Ideate
 Prototype

II-B. Stakeholdership
Think about what you have read (and may continue to read) about stakeholdership and your idea,
design-process and outcomes.

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II-C. Mindsets, Methods, Extremes and Mainstreams

See http://www.designkit.org for essential resources. Details are important in this section. You may
have an audience in mind, but you may be surprised. Expose yourself to hacks, architects, lawyers…
 http://www.designkit.org/methods

 http://www.designkit.org/mindsets

 http://www.designkit.org/methods/45

II-D. Visualization Process

Draw this out. Consider design drawings, TOAST exercise

II-E. Essential and Crazy, What-if Questions

Pick some. Answer them. Did you ask yourselves hard questions, like: “How would Banksy
approach this design challenge?” Better yet, ask your own!

II-F. Your Prototype: Vision Only

In next year’s course on Case Studies, you will be actually building your prototype with
stakeholders. For now, refer back to your design process. Show a basic concept of what it
would look like.
 Before: drawings, ideas
 During: evidence of how you decided upon space, service, product, or system
 Afterward: What does it look like? Visually represent the prototype

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Part III. SMART Metrics | Selling Your Idea

Is it SMART?
To the best of your ability, how might this respond to SMART criteria? There is no expectation
that it will be fully prototyped, tested, and ready for market.
 Examine what makes this SMART
 Show the prototype
 Who, What, Where, When, Why, How?
 Sustainable?
 Scalable?

Is it Sellable?
 Give us a glimpse of a possible prototype
 Describe the Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How?
 Consider “How Ideas Spread: Diffusion of Innovation Theory”

Part IV. Reflections on Leadership

Applied Leadership Theory

Based upon readings and this process, decide upon (and provide a rationale for) which leadership
theory (see Leadership Theories at a Glance) you have determined to be most appropriate. Be
specific. Cite additional readings (not just those in Canvas). This will reflect on how deep you
went. If none of the Canvas-posted leadership theories fit the bill, then what other theories have
emerged? A combination of several?

Educational Change Reflections

What new points of view have emerged in understanding the relationship between leadership
theory and change? In short, has a new theory of change concept emerged? This will be
explored in depth in the Case Studies course.

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Part V. Appendices
Appendix V-1: Sources
Make a section for each:
 Books (annotated)
 People (title…or not)
 Disciplines
 Observations

Appendix V-2: Survey

 What kind of survey? Millions of models out there: Delphi, appreciative inquiry…
 Include the survey itself

Appendix V-3: Your Management Design and Structure

How did you manage and organize yourselves? Suggestion: I would do this before
ANYTHING else. Slack? Google Docs? Google Sheets? Record-keeping and documentation?
Responsibilities? Deadlines? Feedback? Accountability measures to keep everyone on track?
Benchmarks? How you addressed obstacles, celebrated successes.

DO NOT INCLUDE APPENDIX V-4: IT’S A SEPARATE ASSIGNMENT

Appendix V-4: Separate Assignment: Your Individual Contribution

What did YOU do to make this a success? What did you do for others when they weren’t even
looking? Be VERY specific. I will match this with a survey by your team on your performance
to keep everyone accountable.

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