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LRNT 525 Final reflections.

LRNT 525 has been a journey of reflection and gaining new insight on leading in digital learning. A journey I fully appreciate as I feel that it has helped me grow in such a small period of time.

There are some perspectives that were reinforced by the literature offered in LRNT 525 that helped solidify my foundations and supported my view. It was reassuring to know that engagement is a primary factor in learning. I was very pleased to learn about higher education institutions finding ways to monitor student engagement, as I feel that it can help those that are struggling and to provide guidance. I am thankful for the learning toolkits as they helped spell out the importance of each important step in the implementation process. Sometimes, it is easy to miss one step. These toolkits are a reminder of thoroughness.

The information that I have learned through LRNT 525 has helped create a new digital learning initiative at my current workspace rehabilitating survivors of brain injuries. The final paper utilized toolkits to ensure a successful implementation.

With this knowledge, I plan to move forward towards implementing digital learning initiatives.  My goal is to advance the current application of virtual reality hypnosis within clinical concerns. My intention is to include an electroencephalograph (EEG) for biofeedback, cameras within the head unit to gauge trance state, and a speech-to-text qualitative coding software (through Python) to analyze themes within an individuals subconscious. The EEG offers a baseline measurement of relaxation that can be tied to images and audio. If the individual is moving away from trance state, the EEG will recognize the movement from baseline and offer recalled experiences that created relaxation. As the individual speaks while in trance, Python programs data mines the associations through phenomenological analysis to suggest connections to the individual. This looping form of digital learning through biofeedback creates a reflective form of learning. In this way, the user is experiencing digital learning about themselves.

I am grateful for this course, and the knowledge that I have acquired.

Thank you.

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LRNT 525 – Unit 3 Activity 1 Project Management

The purpose of this assignment is to reflect on an experience when I was involved in project management, and to discuss the success, and challenges, in that process. A project is a temporary change that has a definite beginning and end, with stages and a unique output.

The best example that I think is most applicable to my experience is when I was managing the University of Victoria’s undergraduate pub. The idea to renovate the pub, and the entire building, was considered and implemented. It is imperative to note the structure of a unionized student pub, the role of the board of directors, and that the stakeholders are undergraduate students that typically exist in four-year cycles.

A unionized student pub means that the employees outside management must be undergraduate students and therefore only have a limited employment time-frame. This is important to consider as this means the front line is not a long-term employee that is aware of transitions. As the years passed, new employees are rarely aware of what the past looked like. This can be a benefit as any resistance to change is temporary. Of prime importance is the role of the board of directors. They are five elected students that sit for a one year term that have an average age of 21 years old. Renovating an entire building is a multi-year process, and having decision makers that rotate each year brings a multitude of challenges. Lastly, the stakeholders, akin to the employees, are typically only around for four years. This also means that any input, or cost, is in a limited scope.

It began with a conversation one night with a server I managed that became the events director the following year. The events director is one of the five positions of the board of directors. We had talked about the vision of a renovation to the pub and outlined our ideas. It was presented to the board at that time and was passed as an initiative. The staff were wholeheartedly behind the concept as it was to create a warmer atmosphere with more wood and brick (a traditional model that stands the test of time) with technological improvements to enhance the stakeholders’ involvement. For example, outlets near the windows for completing homework while purchasing products, digital screens for events, and improved sound systems. With the staff buy-in, the front line engaged with the stakeholders to get their commitment. There was a vote by the students (stakeholders) that for the cost of one beer per semester they would have a new pub that they could enjoy. The board extended the vote to include a renovation of the entire building (eight businesses involved). This would be a multi-year endeavour, and the students voted yes.

By the time the project management was to commence, a new board of directors were voted in. This means five new viewpoints on what success looked like. This new board was not as interested in others’ views but rather wished to instill their ideas. For myself and the general manager of the building, the approach was similar to Conway et al. statement of “[t]he answer is not to wish these obstacles away. It is to find a way through” (Conway, Masters, & Thorold, 2017, p. 25). This new board chose furniture that was non-commercial grade with no warranty (these broke within six months, whereas the general manager and I supported recovering the existing furniture that lasted 15 years of student exposure). The style of the pub became a mish-mash of ideas as the renovation took longer than a year and therefore a new board came in with their ideas to finalize it. This became a cycle of young wisdom creating a new building over four years. What kept the project in check was the adaptability of the managers of the building.

Watt (2014) outlines the stages of project management as a life cycle involving four components – initiating, planning, executing and closing.

The initiating stage has been outlined above and the issue of feasibility and justification was met. What was not considered was the revolving involvement of the board of directors and what their roles would look like. This was a question mark that in hindsight should have been considered. In this manner, spelling out a definitive outline before new leadership arrived would have saved many contradictions, and challenges.

Planning included budgeting of materials, labour, and the cost to each department for shutting down operations (labour cost in a union, food inventory, loss of revenue, and possible loss of clientele as they explored other alternatives). The steps were to outline the finances available for each department for the renovation, assess what were priorities, seek out options for delivering priorities, assess improvements in aesthetics and costs, plan stages of renovations. Aesthetic planning was assisted by a local renovation company that held closely that the board of directors had full control.   The general manager had to mitigate fiscal responsibility, university policy limitations, and changes in perspectives as the board cycled. My role in this stage was to assist the general manager as best possible to direct the perspectives of the board of directors and to then advise the front-line of any new visions. Most importantly was the value of the managers adjusting to the new boards and suggesting ideas so that they seemed as if it was the board’s idea.

Executing the project revealed to the board the difference between ideas and reality. With any renovation costs seem to be higher than projected costs. Sub-contractors make mistakes, and objects get broken. Additionally, unforeseen setbacks arise when building codes challenge ideas. With these challenges arising this opened the door to suggest alternative approaches that were in closer alignment with the managers. Some had been working there for 20 years and knew the stakeholders’ patterns of behaviours well.

The closing phase of the pub’s renovation helped other departments prepare for dialogue with upcoming shifts in the board of director membership. The new boards became cognizant of the successes and struggles of each department renovation.

The end result for the pub was an output of a vision that aesthetically looked somewhat strange but ended up with additions that were guided by management. New beer monitoring systems were installed to monitor slippage and technical improvements such as new terminals were added. Also, a new sound system has been installed. As the stakeholders, front-line employees, and board of directors come and then go, the comparison to the past fades away and all that remains is a secret view between the old managers of what was. History, in this manner, is hidden.

 

References

Conway, R., Masters, J., & Thorold, J., (2017). From design thinking to systems change: How to invest in innovation for social impact. Royal Society of Arts, Action and Research Centre.

Watt, A. (2014). Project Management. Victoria, BC: BCcampus.

 

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LRNT 525 External Scan

Infographic created Visme (www.visme.co)

The goal of this assignment was to display how change is addressed by two professionals in digital learning through creating a one-page visual infographic to compare the approaches. The first individual interviewed is a leader of online digital design (designated as “1” on the infographic), and the second individual is a program coordinator for non-for-profit brain injury services (designated as “2” on the infographic).

Both individuals were asked to identify an organizational change that involved digital learning, what steps were required by the leaders in this change, and what challenges were presented. After interviewing these two professionals about their experiences with leading changes in a digital setting, there seemed to be an alignment with Biech’s CHANGE model (Biech, 2007). I thought this was interesting as Al-Haddad and Kotnour suggest, “organizations undergoing change vary significantly in their structure, systems, strategies and human resources” (Al-Haddad & Kotnour, 2015, p. 234). When comparing these two interviews there were differences in the structure and human resources, but systems and strategies seem aligned. That is, to identify what change is needed, find a strategy and leaders to create the change, find commitment by the leaders and staff to understand the vision, design the approach to change the system, execute and monitor the learning, and to then evaluate the learning.

Weiner (2009) discusses aspects of organizational change within the healthcare system. He notes, “…organizational members take into consideration the organization’s structural assets and deficits in formulating their change efficacy judgments” (Weiner, 2009, p. 3). As both individuals are leaders in health care, there were similarities, and some differences, in the challenges that they faced. Both leaders noted that change seemed to be precluded by a sense of urgency or an ad hoc approach. Additionally, both felt that having the support from their superiors was the pinnacle of their success in leading the change. The greatest difference seemed to come from the organizational style. As the first individual is embedded in a formal institution the challenges can be setbacks from upper management due to budget limitations, a “top-down” decision making process, and with “siloed” departments. The second individual is a leader in a not-for-profit organization and although the budget was again noted as a concern there is greater flexibility in negotiating change with the head of the organization.

There was a view that was echoed by both individuals – that although there is a short-term cost to implement digital learning changes, the long-term gain is extraordinary. The modules that are created enhance performance, maintain a record of engagement with staff and promote confidence in leaders and staff. Digital learning creates an atmosphere of growth and retention. Furthermore, similar to digital learning in an educational setting the flexibility of health care workers having a variety of shifts makes it difficult to arrange formal training in a classroom setting. Embracing digital learning means acknowledging the solutions of adaptability in advancing a team’s knowledge.

It was noted in both individuals that upcoming projects in digital learning the catalyst of change hinges of the financing available. The first individual spoke about Periopsim (a virtual reality operation room for surgeons and nurses to practice), and the second individual referred to Naloxone training (emergency response to fentanyl overdose). It is unfortunate that the planning, and roll-out, of these, could be postponed due to budget restrictions. The concept of healthcare is multi-faceted and includes preventative approaches. Is there a price on someone’s life?

References

Al-Haddad, S., & Kotnour, T. (2015). Integrating the organizational change literature: a model for successful change. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 28(2), 234–262.

Biech, E. (2007). Thriving through change: A leader’s practical guide to change mastery. American Society for Training and Development.

Weiner, B. J. (2009). A theory of organizational readiness for change. Implementation Science, 4(1), 1–9.

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LRNT 525 Unit 2 Activity 1 – Adapting to the individual

Organizational readiness is a prevailing theme throughout the literature. Moving from Lewin’s 3 stage model of change to expanded models that include further phases or steps, the theme still remains the same. That is, understanding what needs to be changed, planning the change, and the execution. Societal demands, technological improvements, and the ebb and flow of an economy slightly alter the approach. This seventy-year journey illustrates the subtle progress that comes from adaptation, reflections to gain a competitive edge, and technological changes. Although the models have their similarities in the approach, they also share a common notable dilemma – the buy-in, or “shared team property” (Weiner, 2009). Each stage is important but without the ground level employees comprehending and sharing the vision of the organizational change, the desired outcome will fall short. Employees embrace the change best by wanting to, rather than feeling obliged, and “commitment based on ‘want to’ motives reflect the highest level of commitment to implement organizational change” (Weiner, 2009).

Source: https://pixabay.com/en/feedback-white-male-3d-model-1889006/

I think this where technological advances can really play a vital role in change management. Every employee can have a company log-in that can identify what their personal motivation is. There may be a selection of three options to what motivates them as an individual, and as a team. For example, the options could be a) an extra hour of pay, b) lunch paid for on one shift, or c) a prize. As part of the planning process for change, a budget for incentives should be considered. I propose that the company has a four-tiered system for analyzing group changes. The first being at the individual level and the reward is given if the knowledge is acquired about the changes. The second tier involves small groups that work together at the same time/ shifts. The third tier seeks to motivate entire departments, and the fourth tier is if the entire vision is completed.

Level one – staff on the ground floor are provided with the knowledge of the change and are then tested on the information. (Individual commitment)

Level two – teams that deliver the change are rewarded. This motivates other members of the team to guide any individual that is not committing to the change. (Social pressure)

Level three – departments that deliver are rewarded. (Group dynamics)

Level four – organization goals are accomplished are rewarded. (Vision has been completed)

Each level creates buy-in, can be monitored, and measured. Past the individual tier of rewards, tiers two through four are decided by the majority votes from the individual’s choice of group rewards.

I can fully appreciate Lewin’s 3-stage approach for its simple reminder of the basic premise of change, but, as you may imagine, I find Lueke’s method applicable at a deeper psychological level as he “stresses the importance of strong leadership in supporting change and motivating employees to accept change” (Al-Haddad & Kotnour, 2015). My current employment mainly consists of rehabilitating survivors of brain injuries, and as such, the importance of them wanting to change is paramount to their success.

In my view, leadership is the driver of change in the same way a driver of a carriage is. The driver (middle management) can guide the vessel to the direction of the passengers (upper management), but the horses (lower level employees) need to be able to move the carriage. The horses can be trained to bring one to a destination, but are more motivated if based on a reward system after reaching the desired destination.

I felt that Weller and Anderson had a unique perspective in analyzing the success of higher institutions, and their direction. They aptly stated, “[r]esilience requires adaptation and evolution to new environmental conditions, but retains core identity” (Weller & Anderson, 2013), and I couldn’t agree more. Digital learning environments require adaption and will change on its own or as Feldstein (2017) argues it will be changed within its own capacity by the users themselves. Furthermore, Weller and Anderson note the complexity of the application of resilience when stating, “resilience can be seen at the individual level, it is [sic] best applied to the institutional level (Weller & Anderson, 2013).

This leads me back to comparing industrial organization changes to developments in digital learning in education. In this era of technology and the ability to personalize so many factors, I wonder if identifying motivational elements could be the way of digital learning success. From teacher to student understanding the proverbial carrot might drive the motivation to bring prosperity.

Resources

Al-Haddad, S., & Kotnour, T. (2015). Integrating the organizational change literature: a model for successful change. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 28(2), 234-262.

Biech, E. (2007). Models for Change. In Thriving Through Change: A Leader’s Practical Guide to Change Mastery. Alexandria, VA: ASTD.

Feldstein, M. (2017, May 28). A flexible, interoperable digital learning platform: Are we there yet? [blog post].

Udas, K. (2008, June 30) Distributed learning environments and OER: the change management challenge. [bog post].

Weiner, B. J. (2009). A theory of organizational readiness for change. Implementation Science, 4(67).

Weller, M., & Anderson, T. (2013). Digital Resilience in Higher Education. European Journal of Open, Distance and E-Learning.

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Personal leadership perspective – making meaningful connections as if they are family

I know, not everyone’s family is equal to biological connections. The concept of family represents those that you hold dear as you have become familiar with them and their idiosyncrasies.  Those in that mental circle can be friends, teammates, or your literal family. They are the people in your life that have your back, and you have theirs because a development of trust, and understanding, was built. I believe being a valuable leader is treating those in your environment like family.

Like being a good family member, a strong leader listens carefully to others empathetically and with non-judgement to build trust. A strong leader is vigilant of the environment seeking to adapt to benefit the team while being aware of individual challenges with the aim to build them up for success. Through diligence, a leader shows what hard work is by leading by example and reflecting on themselves to bring awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses. Most importantly, driving a team forward is about taking calculated risks by allowing others to take the lead in the family as not only does it build up confidence and skills, but like any king (or queen) knows there is power in building up successors. Not withholding is the awareness that no one is excellent at all things, and therefore it may be wiser to distribute roles to those with mightier talents to benefit the whole.

You may be wondering – who is this guy and what makes his opinion matter? Well, it’s not just me who thinks this way. In fact, Castelli (2016) takes a similar stance by suggesting that reflective leadership is a central element to modern leadership. Reflective leadership has the simple equation of reflection plus mindfulness equates to wisdom (Castelli,  2016). Combing through the literature, Castelli found that the following elements are identified as important to reflective leadership – creating a safe environment that promotes trust, values open communication, connects work to organizational mission, build self-esteem and confidence, respects diverse cultures and customs, and challenges own’s own beliefs and assumptions (Castelli, 2016). Hmmm. Sounds familiar.

Okay. You might be thinking, “I am a principal of a high school does this apply to me?”. Well, yes. Yes, it does. Huggins (2017) demonstrated exactly that. It was discovered through interviewing exceptional principals the core factors of their success is working with their team with the principle’s principles as “committed to developing leadership capacity, understanding leadership development as a process, and have a tolerance for risk” (Huggins, 2017, p.2). In other words, one has to take risks in developing others, and it may take time. This is a true sign of a family.

Recently, Khan (2017) furthered this notion in educational leadership by understanding that change is not only part of our culture but part of our learning styles. Change means adapting. Adaptive leaders are, “flexible and responsive to change… [who] take a holistic view of leadership by focusing on both leader-follower relationships and any potential external issues… [and is] adept in knowing what the problems are, defining them carefully, and finding appropriate solutions” (Khan, 2017, p.179). Being part of a strong family means adapting while looking ahead for imaginable concerns.

Digital learning leadership continues the idea of family.  It involves building up trust and as Sheninger states, “[d]igital leaders must give up control and trust students and teachers to use real-world tools to unleash creativity and a passion for learning” (Sheninger, 2014, p.2). It is about anticipating changes and utilizing resources to maximize a relationship with the students. A key word is relationship. An engagement. It’s about developing effective ways to reach an audience and to continually work with them. This is what family does. Working together to build each other up. Not only can the student learn, but the teacher can learn from the student (and technology).

At this stage, I may have your buy-in that the concept of family plays a vital role in leadership. Maybe not. That’s okay. I can be open to different perspectives (another important characteristic to leadership and being a strong member of the family). Perhaps it’s better, for now, to return to my views.

Digital technology has impacted the way I lead in how communication occurs. No longer is there a communication binder where employees sign off with their initials. Now there are ways to have open dialogue in a group setting through social media. Exploring the idea of team outings are made simpler and more effective with digital technology. Most importantly, digital technology has expedited the time communication occurs. This can be vital in an ever-changing business landscape that relies on adaptive responses to new demands. This can help advance a promotion or to detail an emergency in real time.

Honestly, it comes down to this – how can you make your family stronger? As explained, being a digital leader promotes this and as your family grows in strength, you strengthen your community as well. In the end, knowing how to be a productive digital leader makes the world a better place and into a connected global village.

References

Castelli, P. (2016) Reflective leadership review: a framework for improving organisational performance. Journal of Management Development, 35(2), 217-236.

Huggins, K. et al. (2017). Developing Leadership Capacity in Others: An Examination of High School Principals’ Personal Capacities for Fostering Leadership. International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership, 12(1).

Khan, N. (2017). Adaptive or Transactional Leadership in Current Higher Education: A Brief Comparison. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 18(3).

O’Toole, James (2008). Notes Toward a Definition of Values-Based Leadership. The Journal of Values-Based Leadership, 1(1).

Sheninger, E. (2014). Pillars of digital leadership. International Centre for Leadership in Education.

Image retrieved from https://pixabay.com/en/handshake-shaking-hands-peaceful-3139227/