RATIONAL DECISION MAKING

Rational Decision Making

What is Rational Decision Making (RDM)? Rational decision making is a process which helps in taking purposive and consensual decisions based on sound reasoning involving all the stakeholders concerned Purposive Consensual process Involving the stakeholders concerns Sound reasoning

Significance for School Leaders

a. Helps in dealing with multiple situations: Since a head teacher (HT) is involved in multiple situations like managing MDM; community interactions; administrative reporting or entertaining visitors, RDM helps in taking many decisions b. Helps in addressing varying concerns: There are varying concerns in front of an HT like meeting demands from authorities, community pressures, needs of the students, pedagogical issues, policy and programme pressures

Significance for School Leaders

Bearing on the quality and equity: RDM helps in taking decisions in consonance with the very purpose of existence of a school i.e. quality and equity aspects Resolve: RDM proposes to involve all the people concerned and seek their consultative support to resolve a situation properly and take appropriate actions that address the school development aspect effectively

How does RDM helps?

RDM is based on scientifically obtained data It allows informed decision-making Reduces the chances of errors, assumptions, guesswork, subjectivity Promotes consistent and high quality decisions reduces the risk and uncertainties associated with decisions It is a sequential approach that allows the decision maker to arrive at the optimal decision

Elements of RDM
See Video in step 3 to understand these terms better Cause:
Important to identify the causes of a problem in order to take decisions e.g. in the video in step 3, the actual causes of lack of parents involvement could be many.

Situation
Understanding the situations where we are in helps in reality check. The HT in the video takes note of both schools and parents apathy.

Personal efficiency (to Analyse & Reflect)

It is important to analyse and reflect upon the current situation before taking any decision. See video

Elements of RDM
See Video in step 3 to understand these terms better Information
Gather information about the problem and causes

Alternatives
Assess and evaluate the alternatives

Goals
Set the clear cut and achievable goals like the HT in the video set with her teachers during the meeting

Keep guiding values, principles and policies in mind Use a participatory methodology, if needed