{"id":640,"date":"2022-02-21T19:14:02","date_gmt":"2022-02-22T03:14:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0213\/?p=640"},"modified":"2022-02-22T09:53:29","modified_gmt":"2022-02-22T17:53:29","slug":"lrnt-525-assignment-1-external-scan-individual-explanatory-text","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/malat-webspace.royalroads.ca\/rru0213\/lrnt-525-assignment-1-external-scan-individual-explanatory-text\/","title":{"rendered":"LRNT 525 Assignment 1 | External Scan (Individual) | Explanatory Text."},"content":{"rendered":"

Preamble<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

When prepping for this assignment, I found myself humming David Bowie\u2019s song \u2018Changes\u2019 commonly felt to be an ode to accepting change or change being inevitable at times.<\/p>\n

\u201cStrange fascination, fascinating me. Changes are taking the pace I’m going through.\u201d Or \u201cTurn and face the strange\u201d. As a teen, Changes was an anthem song for my group of friends. Breakfast Club made one stanza famous \u2013<\/p>\n

And these children that you spit on
\nAs they try to change their worlds
\nAre immune to your consultations
\nThey\u2019re quite aware of what they\u2019re going through<\/p>\n

For me the song still represents embracing change. I believe the \u201cchildren\u201d are our students and our current empirical, xenophobic, patriarchal educational system, needs to change because our students are demanding a different approach to teaching and learning especially given COVID and the changes required to deliver content online, successfully. Ergo, you can see Bowie\u2019s album cover in the background of my infographic.<\/p>\n

Before I move into my explanatory text, I should let you know interviewed two colleagues regarding their change experiences in a digital learning environment. I reference their comments and refer to them as C1 and C2; Colleague 1 and Colleague 2.<\/p>\n

To my infographic. I have chosen the colours of the rainbow and the letters of the word rainbow to display how I feel change should be addressed by leaders in digital learning environments. Rainbows are commonly thought to represent hope, promise, luck, inclusivity, the light after the darkness, openness, acceptance, and forward thinking. In my case I feel Realisation and Readiness, Autonomy, Invest, Navigate, Be bold, Onboarding and Watch and Weatherise are key to implementing changes related to digital learning environments. Throughout these steps, as a black\/brown woman, it is important to note that change leadership would be inclusive and consider and understand how faculty members will bring varied experiences to the table and how those experiences will impact ideas around change.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Realisation and Readiness<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Kanter (2016) talks about how strong change leaders are tuned into their environment. \u201cChange masters are adept at anticipating the need for change as leading it. They sense new ideas or appetites emerging on the horizon \u2013 something because they feel hungry themselves\u201d (p 3). C1 (2022) mentioned being frustrated by a lack of realisation that change is needed, let alone being ready to change. C2 (2022) also touched on how selling change (as being needed) can be difficult, especially if the leader does not like change. \u201cThe challenge was to convince the person the change would help the most, to go for it.\u201d I believe realising change is required is one half of the first step. The second half is to be ready to embrace, make or work through the change required. Weiner (2009) turns to change valance and motivation theory in his explanation of Readiness.<\/p>\n

Simply put, do organizational members value the specific impending change? \u00a0For example, does the organisation think the change is needed, important, beneficial, or worthwhile? The more organizational members value the change, the more they will want to implement the change. (p 3)<\/p>\n

Autonomy<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Once change leaders realise the change is needed and are ready for the change and all that comes with it, the next step is to empower your team to take the lead. C2 (2022) feels a good leader is one who sees value in their team, recognising the team has value. Udas (2008) would seem to agree.<\/p>\n

We ask what it would be like for our learners, faculty, and administrators to learn, work, and play in flexible, agile organizations using tools and undertaking practices that support personalized experiences.\u00a0 What are the conditions and approaches that might allow this to happen? (p 2)<\/p>\n

C2 (2022) talked about how important it is for a leader to listen. \u201cLeaders should listen and understand the challenges workers face. Their role is to remove challenges and obstacles to success.\u201d C2 (2022) goes on to say leadership can also come from colleagues, in his case, fellow faculty (given the team is a healthy one). \u201cFaculty rely on each other and inspire each other.\u201d C2 (2022) feels this can lead to change ideas that make sense in the context of what teaching and learning is going on in digital environments.<\/p>\n

Invest<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Once faculty is empowered to come up with ideas relating to changing a tool or policy, I believe a strong leader would then invest in their team and the ideas that come forward. Investing includes allowing for the time and space the process may take and ensuring the team has the tools required. C1 (2022) feels without investment, failure usually follows. \u201cFailure happens when we are alone, not supported, no follow through, no listening, no competency and no buy in.\u201d I feel Kouzes and Posner (2003) capture the need for change leaders to invest when they describe their five practices of exemplary leadership as Modelling the Way, Inspiring a Shared Vision, Challenging the Process, Enabling Others to Act, and Encouraging the Heart. \u201cThey must learn how to moblize others to want to struggle for shared aspirations\u201d (p 1).<\/p>\n

Navigate<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

C2 (2022) talked about working with a strong leader who understood how the organisation worked, who had high influence, understood what was needed to make the change happen, understood the power structure, understood what tools were required and how to get them. In essence, that particular leader could navigate the organisation which supported a need for change. Understanding how an organisation works and being able to leverage variables within an organisation can make achieving change easier.<\/p>\n

For example, within central administration, project management tends to be based on traditional planning methods and our core technology systems tend to be enterprise oriented.\u00a0 There seems to be a connection between the ways that we operate, plan, resource, budget, etc.\u00a0 and the artifacts that we create, elect, and use.\u00a0 There is some sort of core conspiracy that is part of our organizational genetics, which preserves the organization. (Udas 2008)<\/p>\n

Navigate would also include being able to see both the small and big picture. An example would be understanding how a change may impact staffing, transitions, or new roles?<\/p>\n

Be Bold<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Change often comes with ripples. A strong leader would embrace the changes, inspire staff, meet resistance, coach staff, help staff let go of the old and see the benefits of the new. Being bold calls for a leader to act.<\/p>\n

Change leaders are people with creative visions, who are able to foresee a new reality and how to get to it. Change leaders have to understand how their employees perceive change and ensure they accept the change and are ready for it.\u00a0(Al-Haddad and Kotnour 2015)<\/p>\n

C1 (2022) also mentions how being bold calls for courage because resistance to change and transitioning through change are part of the challenges around change leadership and a strong leader does not shirk away from this part of change, instead a strong leader helps people grow in their new roles or make the best of the new tool or policy.<\/p>\n

Onboarding<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A strong leader would help faculty see how change offers opportunities for teaching and learning in digital environments. There could be new openings, experiences, pathways, or options for career development. Strong change leadership would make sure there is a plan in place to support the success of the new tool or policy. In her look at Company X, Michalikova (2021) emphasises how communication, participation and facilitation support change and how onboarding can reduce resistance and increase buy-in.<\/p>\n