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Learning technologies<\/span>\u00a0are emerging rapidly in higher education, and\u00a0<\/span>institution<\/span>s are looking to\u00a0<\/span>concurrently\u00a0<\/span>evolve to<\/span>\u00a0maintain relevance and\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>provide the best\u00a0<\/span>digital\u00a0<\/span>learning\u00a0<\/span>environments<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Al-Haddad and\u00a0<\/span>Kotnour<\/span>\u00a0(2015)\u00a0<\/span>provided a research synthesis\u00a0<\/span>for<\/span>\u00a0the history of change\u00a0<\/span>management\u00a0<\/span>and<\/span>\u00a0deduced\u00a0<\/span>that\u00a0<\/span>less<\/span>\u00a0than\u00a0<\/span>thir<\/span>ty percent<\/span>\u00a0of\u00a0<\/span>organizational\u00a0<\/span>change initiatives\u00a0<\/span>are successful.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Being\u00a0<\/span>a part of\u00a0<\/span>past\u00a0<\/span>organizational change<\/span>\u00a0initiatives within healthcare and educational contexts<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>I have witnessed both\u00a0<\/span>the successful<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>unsuccessful<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>process<\/span>es<\/span>\u00a0and product<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0of change management,\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>I<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>strongly believe<\/span>\u00a0that leadership plays an integral role<\/span>.\u00a0 There is a<\/span>mple evidence\u00a0<\/span>to support<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>that<\/span>\u00a0innovative leaders require<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>characteristic skills\u00a0<\/span>in order\u00a0<\/span>to be successful in driving change\u00a0<\/span>initiatives\u00a0<\/span>(<\/span>Sheninger<\/span>, 2019;\u00a0<\/span>Kouzes and Posner, 2012; Kanter, 2000<\/span>).\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Common attributes pin-pointed in these studies included the ability of leaders to\u00a0<\/span>be<\/span>\u00a0creative<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>forward-thinking, and to embrace change.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n M<\/span>anaging change for learning in digital environments<\/span>\u00a0present<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0unique challenges.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>I work<\/span>\u00a0closely\u00a0<\/span>with educators\u00a0<\/span>from various programs, from certificate to degree, with varying levels of digital literacies and pedagogical understanding<\/span>s,<\/span>\u00a0and support them in<\/span>\u00a0integrat<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>educational technologies in<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0their\u00a0<\/span>practice<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Given the diverse nature of the educators I support, i<\/span>mplementing\u00a0<\/span>learning technologies<\/span>\u00a0requires an individualized approach.\u00a0 Leaders driving\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>change for learning in digital environments must recognize th<\/span>is<\/span>\u00a0divers<\/span>ity and the importance of the inclusion of educators in the strategic planning process.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Khan<\/span>\u00a0and Smuts<\/span>\u00a0(2005)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>studied the barriers of technology<\/span>–<\/span>enhanced learning among more than a dozen European educational institutions and discovered\u00a0<\/span>that\u00a0<\/span>one\u00a0<\/span>of the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>key solutions<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>to abolishing these barriers\u00a0<\/span>included<\/span>\u00a0support for the integration of technology to support pedagogy.\u00a0 Educators need opportunities for professional development in both pedagogical approaches and educational technologies.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Witnessing change from somewhere in the middle, amongst the educators, the students, and the leadership, I believe that in order to truly innovate our culture and to drive the change, those expected to use the innovations need to be included in the process.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Biech<\/span>\u00a0(2007) argued that one of the key<\/span>s to success in\u00a0<\/span>promoting\u00a0<\/span>change is involving stakeholders at all levels that are impacted by the\u00a0<\/span>change and<\/span>\u00a0o<\/span>ffered several frameworks to support the success of organizational change<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0including Appreciative Inquiry (AI)<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>I believe\u00a0<\/span>that an AI approach\u00a0<\/span>could promote progress<\/span>\u00a0in<\/span>\u00a0implementing educational technologies within my context<\/span>, as it includes the voice<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0of all stakeholders.\u00a0<\/span>According to\u00a0<\/span>Biech<\/span>\u00a0(2007)<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0AI\u00a0<\/span>identifies the\u00a0<\/span>current positives,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>dreams about what could be, and<\/span>\u00a0implements what\u00a0<\/span>will<\/span>\u00a0be<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>all the while<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>from a<\/span>\u00a0vantage point of\u00a0<\/span>appreciat<\/span>ion.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>This approach\u00a0<\/span>speaks to me\u00a0<\/span>as I prefer to approach\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>challenges<\/span>\u00a0of change<\/span>\u00a0through a positive lens<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>AI is a framework that allows stakeholders to dream<\/span>;<\/span>\u00a0therefore,\u00a0<\/span>forward<\/span>–<\/span>thinking, creative leaders<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>who embrace educational technologies\u00a0<\/span>would be well suited to leading this approach<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0 More importantly, AI allows for an inclusive process in which all participants collaborate to drive the organizational transformation, which can support successful outcomes in change initiatives.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What approach\u00a0do you think your\u00a0organization\u00a0should\u00a0take to\u00a0manage\u00a0change for digital learning environments?\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n References<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Al-Haddad, S., &\u00a0<\/span>Kotnour<\/span>, T. (2015). Integrating the organizational change literature: A model for successful change.\u202f<\/span>Journal of Organizational Change Management,<\/span><\/i>\u202f<\/span>28<\/span><\/i>(2), 234-262. doi:10.1108\/JOCM-11-2013-0215<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Biech<\/span>, E. (2007). Thriving through change: A leader’s practical guide to change mastery. Alexandria, VA: ASTD Press.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Khan, H., & Smuts, R. (20<\/span>05<\/span>). Comparison of change management guidelines to address technology adoption barriers: A case study of higher educational institutions. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Information Technology, 97(7), 1999-2020.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Sheninger<\/span>, E. (2019, December). Pillars of Digital Leadership.\u202f<\/span>International Centre for Leadership in Education.\u202f<\/span><\/i>Retrieved from\u00a0<\/span>http:\/\/leadered.com\/pillars-of-digital-leadership\/<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Learning technologies\u00a0are emerging rapidly in higher education, and\u00a0institutions are looking to\u00a0concurrently\u00a0evolve to\u00a0maintain relevance and\u00a0to\u00a0provide the best\u00a0digital\u00a0learning\u00a0environments.\u00a0\u00a0Al-Haddad and\u00a0Kotnour\u00a0(2015)\u00a0provided a research synthesis\u00a0for\u00a0the history of change\u00a0management\u00a0and\u00a0deduced\u00a0that\u00a0less\u00a0than\u00a0thirty percent\u00a0of\u00a0organizational\u00a0change initiatives\u00a0are successful.\u00a0\u00a0Being\u00a0a part of\u00a0past\u00a0organizational change\u00a0initiatives within healthcare and educational contexts,\u00a0I have witnessed both\u00a0the successful\u00a0and\u00a0unsuccessful\u00a0processes\u00a0and products\u00a0of change management,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0strongly believe\u00a0that leadership plays an integral role.\u00a0 There is ample evidence\u00a0to support\u00a0that\u00a0innovative leaders require\u00a0characteristic skills\u00a0in … Continue reading Managing Change for Learning in Digital Environments<\/span>