As we wrap up LRNT 525, Leading Change in Digital Learning, my perspective on leadership has remained the same throughout this course. I am still wandering in the desert, thirsty for leadership reflective of my values. I continue to wish for leadership that is more holistically human centred than profit centred where caring, compassion, empathy and honesty are considered and impact our teaching and learning. My teaching year is also wrapping up. I have looked at how I could help lead change within my organisation and I do not see a place for myself, not in the traditional sense and not in the patriarchal, hierarchical, racist and sexist hall of higher learning which I have experienced. I believe my view of what makes a strong leader is directly tied to my commitment to be inclusive and to care about my students and that places me at odds with my organisation. “Caring is one of the major pillars of culturally responsive pedagogy…It is manifested in the form of teacher attitudes, expectations, and behaviours about students’ human value, intellectual capability, and performance responsibilities” (Gay, 2000 p 45). When it comes to change, I also find my organisation seems to embrace a dichotomous relationship with itself and consequently would not be opened to change leadership coming from me.
At a senior level it promotes and encourages these initiatives, but at a more day to day, governance, and operational level it often actively works against them, providing blockages, delays and endless compromises, that feel as though they seek to undermine the initiative. (Weller, 2022)
In the media we may read or hear how an organisation has responded to the online educational shifts that COVID 19 demanded of our educational institutions, yet when I am in it, I do not see the organisation implementing anything. I see individual faculty members trying to implement digital changes to our online learning environments and I see all of us, including myself, scrambling to be successful in meeting outcomes, supporting students, and ensuring students graduate with the skills required.
As I reflect on why I would find leading change in digital learning challenging in my context, one element of change leadership that stands out for me and I believe, against me, is how complex leading change can be and how that complexity can stall or stop change; no matter how great an idea may be or how badly an organisation may need the change. That complexity becomes even more so when you add the colour of my skin.
Black instructors are not afforded the protection of insider status; the reasoning for their investment in social justice is regarded as a personal rather than an academic and intellectual pursuit (Truong, Graves, and Keene 2014 as cited by Daniel 2018 p 25). There is no expectation that our work will be celebrated; instead, it is often vilified and we are exposed to a host of subjectively based character assassinations that are often couched as objective evaluations (Tuitt et al. 2009 as cited by Daniel 2018 p 25)
It follows then, that because of this inaction and the isolation, I am partially disenchanted with change leadership; my early days of teaching where I thought I could make a difference seem long gone. Partially, I am still invested. My course is a mini-business or project. I am an aspiring leader, reflecting and finding creative solutions to meet students where they are. “Reflective leadership is the consistent practice of reflection, which involves conscious awareness of behaviours, situations and consequences with the goal of improving organizational performance” (Castelli, 2016). I believe, am not with an organisation that would value change ideas coming from me. If I want to be the change, I must practice leading change in my digital learning environment as an individual; perhaps sharing ideas with my colleagues. I must also empower my students to develop their leadership capacity. They are part of my team, my main stakeholders and, as such, they will have ideas for change that I should be tapping into.
Digital leaders understand that we must put real-world tools in the hands of students and allow them to create artifacts of learning that demonstrate conceptual mastery. This is an important pedagogical shift as it focuses on enhancing essential skill sets—communication, collaboration, creativity, media literacy, global connectedness, critical thinking, and problem solving – that society demands. (Sheninger, 2019)
References
Castelli, P. (March 7, 2016). Emerald Insight. Journal of Management Development. Reflective leadership review; a framework for improving organisational performance. https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JMD-08-2015-0112/full/html
Daniel, B. (2019) Teaching while Black: racial dynamics, evaluations, and the role of White females in the Canadian academy in carrying the racism torch, Race Ethnicity and Education, 22:1, 21-37, DOI: 10.1080/13613324.2018.146874
Gay, G. (2000) Culturally Responsive Teaching. Theory, Research, and Practice. Teachers College Press, Columbia University New York and London 29-45. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/viewer.html?pdfurl=https%3A%2F%2Ffaculty.washington.edu%2Frsoder%2FEDUC305%2F305genevagay.pdf&chunk=true
Sheninger, E. (December 19, 2019) International Center for Leadership in Education. Pillars of Digital Leadership. Digital Leadership Changing Paradigms for Changing Times. http://leadered.com/pillars-of-digital-leadership/
Weller, M (March 24, 2022). The Ed Techie. Universities interpret change as harm…but that’s probably ok. http://blog.edtechie.net/