This program at Royal Roads is called “Learning and Technology.” The reason is because recent developments in digital technology, like in many industries, is fundamentally transforming education. The purpose of this program would be to prepare its students to help the field of education adapt to the latest developments and make the best use of them. But, the changes are still too recent to have a full perspective of their impact, and to adequately determine how to deal with them. Much of the literature we are studying shows that the field is still trying to define the nature of the transformation, and what significance it will have for education. Effectively, although they don’t seem conscious of it, educators are trying to make sense of how much of their traditional roles and functions can be maintained in spite of the changes, instead of assessing how they may need to adapt to fundamental changes to their roles. Continue reading “Leading Change in a Digital Age”
Don’t Panic: Project Management and Continuous Change
I have been working in the field of web development for now 12 years. So it’s long been evident to me the pervasive tendency of the public to feel pressured to stay current with recent changes, without taking the time to understand the nature and purpose of new innovations. Unlike previous technological revolutions, the advent of the personal computer and the Internet involves a complexity of an underlying science that is usually far beyond the grasp of the average person. Busy with other concenrns, most people do not have the opportunity to spend additional time to understand the technology with more depth. This tends to make people feel embarrassed that they are falling behind, and they naively attempt to rectify the situation by jumping on the latest bandwagon. Continue reading “Don’t Panic: Project Management and Continuous Change”