Leading Technology in Schools Donald Saunders ITEC 545

Leader vs Manager Have personal and active attitudes toward goals Develop fresh approaches to long-standing problems Are comfortable with high levels of risk Are intuitive and empathetic, thinking about what events and decisions mean to participants Create turbulence to intensify motivation and produce unintentional outcomes Tough-minded problem solvers Dedicated task completers Compromisers Bureaucrats Protectors of the existing order of affairs

Have personal and active attitudes toward goals

Develop fresh approaches to long-standing problems

Are comfortable with high levels of risk

Are intuitive and empathetic, thinking about what events and decisions mean to participants

Create turbulence to intensify motivation and produce unintentional outcomes

Tough-minded problem solvers

Dedicated task completers

Compromisers

Bureaucrats

Protectors of the existing order of affairs

Leadership When it ain’t broke, that may be the only time you can fix it

When it ain’t broke, that may be the only time you can fix it

Management If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it

J.P. Kotter’s 8 Step Developmental Change Process Helps overcome individual and group resistance to technological change Relies on high-quality leadership and excellent management from principal and staff

Helps overcome individual and group resistance to technological change

Relies on high-quality leadership and excellent management from principal and staff

Step 1 – Establish a Sense of Urgency The school must feel a need for change in order to benefit the school and students Must have support of all administrators Must have support of at least 75% of department heads, lead teachers, and majority of other teachers or process will not be sustained

The school must feel a need for change in order to benefit the school and students

Must have support of all administrators

Must have support of at least 75% of department heads, lead teachers, and majority of other teachers or process will not be sustained

Step 2 – Create a Guiding Coalition Similar to a committee Size depends upon the size of the school Must consist of a good representation of the school (supportive and non-supportive teachers) Must have a common goal

Similar to a committee

Size depends upon the size of the school

Must consist of a good representation of the school (supportive and non-supportive teachers)

Must have a common goal

Step 3 – Develop a Vision and a Strategy The committee, as well as the school, should have a focus or a goal Once the vision is developed, then a strategy to accomplish that vision must be implemented Strategy should consist of a timeline and a budget

The committee, as well as the school, should have a focus or a goal

Once the vision is developed, then a strategy to accomplish that vision must be implemented

Strategy should consist of a timeline and a budget

Step 4 – Communication the Vision The committee is responsible for communicating what the vision is The committee is responsible for ensuring the vision is understandable

The committee is responsible for communicating what the vision is

The committee is responsible for ensuring the vision is understandable

Step 5 – Empowering Employees for Broad-Based Action Activity – Design a fair system of how to check out a mobile computer lab (sometimes referred to as COW’s, computers on wheels) thinking about reservations, times per day, and length of time before you can sign them out. The committee needs to remove or plan for any obstacles that may arise with the implementation of new technology such as: Availability – who can use it and when Student grouping – is it on individual use or group use Space – where will it be, will it be accessible Training – who will educate the educators Alignment – ensuring teachers have access to technology and can demonstrate newly acquired skills Consistency – make sure everyone is sending the same message

Activity – Design a fair system of how to check out a mobile computer lab (sometimes referred to as COW’s, computers on wheels) thinking about reservations, times per day, and length of time before you can sign them out.

The committee needs to remove or plan for any obstacles that may arise with the implementation of new technology such as:

Availability – who can use it and when

Student grouping – is it on individual use or group use

Space – where will it be, will it be accessible

Training – who will educate the educators

Alignment – ensuring teachers have access to technology and can demonstrate newly acquired skills

Consistency – make sure everyone is sending the same message

Step 6 – Generating Short-Term Wins Focus on short-term goals to keep everyone motivated Highlight individual accomplishments or demonstrations Reward those accomplishing short-term goals to motivate others

Focus on short-term goals to keep everyone motivated

Highlight individual accomplishments or demonstrations

Reward those accomplishing short-term goals to motivate others

Step 7 – Consolidating Gains to Produce Deeper Change Committee should relate short term goals to medium and long term goals More people are brought into the process to expand the resources and encompass the entire school

Committee should relate short term goals to medium and long term goals

More people are brought into the process to expand the resources and encompass the entire school

Step 8 – Anchoring Change in the Culture Complete the transition by reinforcing the goals and beliefs The school culture will change once previous behaviors have been altered and success has been proven Goals have been met, but the process is still ongoing

Complete the transition by reinforcing the goals and beliefs

The school culture will change once previous behaviors have been altered and success has been proven

Goals have been met, but the process is still ongoing

Activity With a partner, compare and contrast these 8 steps with the principals of leadership we discussed during the first class

With a partner, compare and contrast these 8 steps with the principals of leadership we discussed during the first class

References Areglado, R.J. & Perry Jr., G.S. (2001). The computers are here! Now what does the principal do? In J.F. LeBaron & C. Collier (Eds) Technology in its place successful technology infusion in schools (pp. 87-97). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Areglado, R.J. & Perry Jr., G.S. (2001). The computers are here! Now what does the principal do? In J.F. LeBaron & C. Collier (Eds) Technology in its place successful technology infusion in schools (pp. 87-97). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.