This analysis prompts them to develop hypotheses about the relationship between what they observe in their schools and what they learn about the influences of organizational culture on behavior and the conditions that support powerful learning. The Ventures curriculum is designed to enable participants to develop a school transformation strategy based on careful study of the organizational culture in their schools. Lecturettes, dialogue, videos, readings, reflections and group-generated knowledge are the main instructional strategies used. Vision writing, data collection and analysis, current reality documentation, and portfolio collections of change activities are the applications of learning and a part of each participant's intersession work. During the three years in the Ventures Program, participants collect and analyze a variety of data.
Participants propose a school transformation strategy aimed at improving student learning.
As their transformation strategy is implemented, CSLA staff provides coaching. Completion of Ventures includes a presentation, before a panel of peers, reflecting upon the transformation strategy portfolio which reveals the synthesis of participants' experiences and understandings. This portfolio presentation is judged against criteria that relate directly to the seven performance indicators for the Ventures Program. The following is a tentative calendar with training dates for participants joining during the 1999-2000 year. Dates are subject to change.