Author: Luis

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As we inquire into contemporary issues in learning technologies, Team 5 decided to study, research and venture into the World of Podcasts. Podcasts are audio files that belong to a series of episodes related to a theme and that we can generally find grouped on streaming platforms. A podcast can generally be referred to as a single episode or an entire show that includes many episodes. These can be recorded in different formats, the most common being interviews between guest and presenter and individual recordings where the presenter(s) or host(s) comments on a specific topic. They are similar to radio programs; however, the main difference is that podcasts have an “on-demand format” and can be played at the listener’s convenience. Despite the fact that they are available online, one of their fundamental features is the possibility of downloading the episodes to listen to them even offline.

As an interesting fact, the word podcast is the result of the union of the words iPod and broadcast. iPod, referring to the fact that this content is portable; and Broadcast, referring to the fact that its transmission follows the same model as radio transmissions (Bishop, 2021).

A podcast is also content, only in a different format. It can be about a wide variety of topics such as entertainment, news, tutorials, educational content, reviews, science, music, and many more; the limit is only the creativity of the host. Bratcher (2020) suggested that the novelty of media technologies like podcasts reflects the changing media environment that offers consumers more than the traditional one-way flow of information. Bratcher’s research also suggested that the podcast industry was growing exponentially and that “podcasting is widespread and likely to continue to increase, given that podcast use has more than doubled in 5 years, increasing 122% since 2014” (Bratcher, 2020).

Adgate (2021) argues that podcasting has become a big business, and as podcasting continues to grow with more listeners and ad dollars, prominent media companies continue to invest in more audio platforms. Although I am not a big podcast fan, there is no doubt in my mind that the use of podcasts is gaining ground around the world. It is a simple and fast way to be in contact with the public (audience). But, how does this entire process happen? Why are large companies investing large sums of money on these platforms? What do they get out of it? Selwyn (2010) argues that greater attention now needs to be paid to how digital technologies are actually being used. As my team and I explore this topic for LRNT 526 it has sparked my interest to learn more about podcasts. How are they made? what platforms are being used for streaming? How do they monetize? Why do businesses use podcasts as part of their marketing plans? At this stage, I have more questions than answers, and I look forward to learning more about the technical aspect of podcasts and their functionality seen from a marketing lens.

References

Adgate, B. (2021, February 11). As podcasts continue to grow in popularity, ad dollars follow. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradadgate/2021/02/11/podcasting-has-become-a-big-business/?sh=1a40dd2a2cfb

Bishop, J. (2021, March 10). A brief history of podcasting. OneFinePlay. https://www.onefineplay.com/blog/a-brief-history-of-podcasting

Bratcher, T. R. (2020). Toward a deeper discussion: A survey analysis of podcasts and personalized politics. Atlantic Journal of Communication, (2020). https://doi.org/10.1080/15456870.2020.1862846

Selwyn, N. (2010). Looking beyond learning: Notes towards the critical study of educational technology: looking beyond learning. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 26(1), 65–73. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2729.2009.00338.x 

by Jolee, Amber, Luis, Gail & Myrna

Team 5, also known as the Jazzy Awesome Legendary Genius Minds, decided to focus our attention on the technology of podcasts. After individually exploring the vast possibilities of podcasts available and then chatting as a team, we inevitably landed on CBC’s The Secret Life of Canada. Through our forays into the wide world of podcasts, it became clear that there is a plethora of options for any podcast seeker. As a team, we agreed that The Secret Life of Canada provided enough options to satisfy our individual interests and offered similar and comparable experiences to utilize the technology to engage in learning.

Our initial research into podcasts was enlightening. Podcasts began humbly in 2004 and since then has become wildly popular, with an estimated 100 million people listening to a podcast in 2020 (Adgate, 2021). A brief history of the podcast demonstrates the technology’s ascent to fame.

We learned that podcasts have gained popularity for a number of personal, professional, and educational reasons and uses. With over 43 million podcast episodes hosted by creators from around the world (Adgate, 2021), the possibilities for topics, discussions, and learning experiences are endless. Bohlmann and Ross (2021) produced a series of podcasts to engage with their students online during the pandemic, which is just one of many examples of how podcasts can be easily designed and delivered to meet varying purposes, contexts, and goals.

However, we also happened upon some thought-provoking research that suggests there is a dark side to podcasts. Bratcher’s (2022) study sought to explore the relationship between podcasts and personal politics, and concluded that a relationship between the two indeed exists and should be further studied. MacDougall (2011) also provided a fascinating alternative view of podcasts. He argued that because podcasts are generally short, easily accessible, and consumed while engaging in other life tasks and activities, they “often ensure a fairly narrow information diet that bolsters what may often be equally narrow views onto the world” (p. 731). Additionally, he noted that podcasts can be easily created and distributed to wide audiences, and provided the warning that “with anyone now potentially able to podcast his or her chants and decrees, modern “wise ones” may begin devolving into lunatics no longer on the fringe” (p. 725). 

Regardless of whether the nature and impact of podcasts are illuminating or insidious, the technology’s increasing popularity cannot be disputed. Our discoveries led us to determine areas worth further exploration, including:

• Access to podcasts (paid subscription, internet access)
• Quality of content/expertise
• Accessibility (dependence on audio, barriers for hearing impaired)
• Licensing 
• Application and implications in classroom learning
• Reliability of information
• A source for cognitive dissonance or confirmation bias
• A reason or result for changing literacies in the digital age

As a team, we are excited to take a critical stance and consider, as Selwyn (2010) suggested, the “social, economic, political, and cultural contexts” (p. 69) that podcasts are entwined with.

References 

Adgate, B. (2021, February 11). As podcasts continue to grow in popularity, ad dollars follow. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradadgate/2021/02/11/podcasting-has-become-a-big-business/?sh=1a40dd2a2cfb 

Bishop, J. (2021, March 10). A brief history of podcasting. OneFinePlay. https://www.onefineplay.com/blog/a-brief-history-of-podcasting

Bohlmann, J., & Ross, M. (2021). Building a study community through podcasts during covid-19. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, 22. http://eprints.gla.ac.uk/258444/1/258444.pdf

Bratcher, T. R. (2020). Toward a deeper discussion: A survey analysis of podcasts and personalized politics. Atlantic Journal of Communication, (2020). https://doi.org/10.1080/15456870.2020.1862846

Jabeer, Z. A. (2021, September 13). A brief history of podcasting. Medium. https://medium.com/paradeim/a-brief-history-of-podcasting-2e73cfbca7d0 

MacDougall, R. C. (2011). Podcasting and political life. The American Behavioral Scientist, 55(6), 714–732. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764211406083 

Selwyn, N. (2010). Looking beyond learning: Notes towards the critical study of educational technology: looking beyond learning. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 26(1), 65–73. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2729.2009.00338.x 

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Looking back at my initial Reflection on Leadership post I continue to perceive leadership as a dynamic and contextual process. The initial ranking attributes exercise we performed was enlightening, it showed me how different the perception of a leader can be in different contexts. While I admit that “Courage” was not my first pick, I still think it is an important attribute that most leaders have in common.

In a fast-paced and demanding industry like the automotive, having the figure of a good leader helps improve business performance. It helps create an ideal work environment to increase sales, productivity and make employees happier and more motivated. A happy worker in his work environment achieves the objectives set beforehand, which increases the benefits of the company and improves its image, both internally and externally. In addition, it makes it more competitive. I also perceive a true leader as someone that establishes a common goal, inspires his work team, challenges them to work for objectives, and always moves forward.

Throughout this course, I have learned many new concepts such as leadership models and theories, digital learning environments, and project management among others. I enjoyed learning about Organizational readiness for change and how organizational structures and resource endowments shape readiness perceptions (Weiner, 2009). I also found it interesting to learn about transformational leadership, its disruptive nature, and how disruptive leaders frame their leadership in the context of their followers. Kouzes and Posner (2011) state that “leadership is something one experiences in an interaction with another human being. That experience varies from leader to leader, from constituent to constituent, and from day to day” (p. 29). The leaders with the greatest capacity to carry out the necessary transformation and continue to grow in complex times are those who know how to listen, show an open disposition, and are not afraid of change. On the contrary, they inspire it.

As I continue my lifelong learning journey, I continue to believe that leadership is a powerful skill that we can develop over time. It is not about being in a position of power, it is about having the right mindset and desire to make a positive impact within any organization or group that we belong to. COVID 19 made already evident that change is not optional, and that companies that will come out of this crisis are those that can find new paths with flexibility and humility. This requires a new type of leadership, a new generation of leaders that embrace change in a new and ever-changing digital world.

References

Castelli, P.A. (2016), “Reflective leadership review: a framework for improving organizational performance”, Journal of Management Development, Vol. 35 No. 2, pp. 217-236. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMD-08-2015-0112

Kouzes, J., & Posner, B. (2011). The characteristics of admired leaders. Credibility: How leaders gain and lose it, why people demand it. (2^nd Edition). Jossey-Bass. https://royalroads.skillport.com/skillportfe/main.action?path=summary/BOOKS/43184#summary/BOOKS/RW$564:_ss_book:43184

Weiner, B. J. (2009). A theory of organizational readiness for change. Implementation Science, 4(67). https://doi.org/10.1186/1748-5908-4-67

 

Implementing new learning technology successfully is a complex process. As we study leading change in a digital world in the Master of Arts in Learning and Technology program at Royal Roads University, we were challenged to design a toolkit to support this. We invite you to explore our Tactical Toolkit for Implementation of Digital Technologies.

Created by Angela Frawley, Alisha Hadley, Karen McMurray, and Luis Rodriguez.

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In my organization, for the last couple of years and due to business expansion, I have been involved in a large project of adopting and implementing a new Data Management System (DMS) in most of our newly acquired locations. These new locations were utilizing different systems that, while they were compliant with the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) requirements, were not compatible with our main DMS.

In brief, a DMS is what enables dealerships to perform their daily operations. From vehicle orders and entries, inventory management, accounting reports, cost transactions, automotive CRM, quotes, marketing campaign management, the configuration of the sales flow for authorizations, internal and external financing, managing the after-sales service, appointment scheduling, time control of mechanics with work orders, all of this integrated into the accounting and finances of the business, among others. Therefore, the importance of having one centralized and unified DMS is one of the main decisions and top priorities for any dealership. For this project, in my role and among other functions, I was in charge of the development and implementation of the new DMS in all our locations to unify, simplify and manage the entire operation of our automotive group within the province.

Knolskape (2013) described a project as something temporary, unique, and closed after attaining objectives. For this project, the goals were clear to me because of my understanding of the operations in our business and my years of experience in the industry, and not because the goals were explicitly outlined in a document or else. The stakeholders were our corporate executives who after analyzing the cost, benefits, and ROI decided to work with our current DMS provider. The ones that benefited from this decision were all employees and stakeholders.

On one hand, the transition to a new DMS has major technological implications, specific software and hardware requirements, and major initial training is required for all users. On the other hand, the reality is that implementing a new DMS is not merely a technological change. For the company’s employees, it represented a change in their work and in their way of doing things. Having said that, the biggest challenge I identified was the adaptation of all employees to the new system. Unfortunately, change is not usually accepted by everyone in the same way and many people face it with certain rejection. Technological changes are usually rapid, but people need some time to learn to manage in environments that are unknown to them. A good solution to overcome this barrier was to involve all users in the design and implementation process. After all, it was logical to make them participants in a process that will affect them directly; I also found beneficial their input since nobody knew better than them the operations of their departments.  I believe that the involvement of the end-users was essential to guarantee the success of the implementation of our new DMS system.

Watt (2014) claims that “a project is successful when it achieves its objectives and meets or exceeds the expectations of the stake­holders”. In retrospect, I would consider this project a successful one. The new DMS is in place in all our locations, employees’ training is complete, and communication between departments and in all aspects of the business in all locations is seamless and effective.

References:

Knolscape. (2013). Introduction to Project Management. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOU1YP5NZVA

Watt, A. (2014). Project Management. Victoria, BC: BCcampus. https://opentextbc.ca/projectmanagement/

Infographic created using Canva by Rodriguez, 2022.

Digital change is a priority issue for many companies. Technologies and customers are transforming businesses and customers have become the center of everything. Through their interactions, customers decide how to obtain information, how to buy, or how to communicate with businesses. Biech (2007) claimed that “the increased amount of information and speed at which we can access information have placed organizations on ever-accelerating paths of change”. This has led many companies to rethink their model and begin the shift towards digitization.

One of the most important challenges that companies have had in recent years is to adopt and renew old styles of leadership to the new digital reality. As noted by Christina Jones, managing change “can be championed by anybody at any level of any organization” (Jones, 2022, 04:51). Thanks to new technologies, leadership has been transformed and leaders have found it necessary to adopt a new mentality that allows them to maintain unity and a good environment in their workgroups. Therefore, the new generation of leaders, in addition to having the fundamental skills of a leader, must integrate the new technological solutions into their leadership style.

My digital change infographic above is a representation of my personal views, professional experience, an interview with a colleague and mentor who has been in the auto industry for over 30 years, a reflection of the unit readings, and the “voices” interviews provided on this unit. The model identifies three main elements that influence digital change in any organization: transformational technology, people, and process.

Technology

Technology has become the focal point of our existence, highlighted by our growing reliance on digital media to communicate, shop, and essentially live our lives. This reliance on technology highlights the need to embrace and integrate digital transformation as a strategy. This process is essential to ensure the future growth of any organization, as well as to maintain customer satisfaction and loyalty. I believe that digital leadership is not only the responsibility of the IT department. For a company to completely transform, technology must involve all processes and departments, from sales, marketing, operations, accounting, and even human resources, all can benefit from a new digital mindset.

People

There is no doubt that changes affect people, the simple idea of ​​getting out of the comfort zone brings out insecurities in any individual, thus the importance of a change in corporate culture and a change in attitude for the digital transformation of people. In my context, such changes have allowed our employees to:

• Commit to a new digital environment.
• Understand the impact of new technologies and continuous changes in the organization.
• Understand the new ways of working in the organization.
• Be open to new processes of innovation and continuous reinvention.
• Respond to current business needs.

Process:

There are many operations and activities that are connected in order to achieve specific business objectives and where the management, optimization, and automation of business processes come into play. Antwi & Kale (2014) state that in Pettigrew’s Context/Content/Process Model “the process of change includes the operational activities undertaken to materialize change “. Optimizing business processes is essential in digital change strategies and is essentially customer-oriented. To achieve the digital transformation of processes, new facilitating technologies were used to allow the automation of operations in my organization: online training programs became mandatory for the sales department, marketing efforts were entirely shifted to online platforms, remote work for some key positions became a priority, and all departments have undergone systems upgrading to keep up with requirements and specifications to be compliant with the automaker’s demands.

In closing, we all have a notion about leadership and the traits that distinguish a good leader: respect, tolerance, vision, innovation, and encouragement of teamwork. During a crisis, like the one we have experienced for over two years with the pandemic, leadership is more important than ever. In the most difficult times, the leaders who excel are those who communicate clearly, remain calm and strong, show empathy, think long-term, and courageously take the right decisive actions. For a company or organization to be successful, it is essential that a leader apply positive values ​​and attitudes that inspire their employees to grow.

After reflecting on this activity, I believe that digital change enables organizations to better compete in an economic environment that is constantly changing as technology evolves. With a mindset that correctly understands the advantages and benefits of technological innovation, it is much easier to carry out processes that companies seek to carry out such as digital change, and to understand that technology is not just a computer or a tablet, but a transformative tool that gives way to innovation and success.

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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. https://doi.org/10.1108/jocm-11-2013-0215

Antwi, M., & Kale, M. (2014). Change Management in Healthcare: Literature Review, pp. 1–35.

Biech, E. (2007). Models for change. In Thriving through change: A leader’s practical guide to change mastery. Association for Talent Development. https://royalroads.skillport.com/skillportfe/assetSummaryPage.action?assetid=RW$1544:_ss_book:22651#summary/BOOKS/RW$1544:_ss_book:22651 

Jones, C. (2022). Voices of leadership: Interview with Christina Jones. [Audio]. Royal Roads University MALAT Course Site. https://malat-coursesite.royalroads.ca/lrnt525/schedule/voices/

 

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For this activity, we were asked to reflect on our own personal leadership perspective highlighting what we think are the most important attributes of a leader working in digital learning environments (DLEs). I perceive leadership as a dynamic and contextual concept that encompasses more than we think. It is a quality that many of us unintentionally take for granted simply because it is everywhere. We all know someone that we see as a leader, we all have experienced leadership in some form, we all know what it is, what it means, and still, we all define it in different ways.

For the purpose of this activity, we tried to define leadership by choosing and ranking attributes or qualities that a leader may have.  My initial top-three ranked attributes of leadership were supportive, dependable, and caring. Working with my team and after coming to a group consensus, we ranked supportive, forward-looking, and caring as the team’s top-three characteristics of leadership (Rodriguez et al., 2022). We noticed some similarities as well as some major discrepancies in many of the choices we made individually. We wondered why and discussed how these choices are influenced by our personal and professional experiences, different contexts, and cultural backgrounds.

After completing the team consensus activity and reflecting on the readings, my perception of some attributes changed. While I have no doubt that all the listed attributes are important to define leadership, I chose three (plus one) “new” and revised attributes that a good digital leader or any leader must have:

1. Courage

I found Courage to be probably the most important trait of effective leadership. Courage gives a person the ability to put aside the fears of failure and take the necessary steps to overcome those fears. Courage also allows leaders to attempt new things, despite the fear of failing or looking foolish. It is also with courage how we engage with the world around us and how we deal with external overwhelming pressures. In brief, I think that courage is what makes leaders stand out from the crowd in any environment.

2. Inspiring

One of the jobs or expectations of a leader is to be inspirational to other people. No matter what you do in life, whether you are a parent, a teacher or a paramedic, an entrepreneur, a foreign language instructor, a dental hygienist, or a director of technology, as a leader, you should always strive to be an inspiration to others. Kouzes and Posner (2011) highlighted that “People admire and respect leaders who are dynamic, uplifting, enthusiastic, positive, and optimistic.”

3. Supportive

Being supportive is important and valuable. It demonstrates that a leader is empathetic and approachable. In business settings, I have found that supportive leadership fosters positive relationships between employees, empowers people, encourages participation, motivates, and leads to professional growth and development.

4. Humble

If I could add an attribute to the list, it would be humble. Humility is something that makes a person powerful inside and out. It is an attribute that I consider defines who you really are and not what you do or what you have. Over time, I have also learned that nobody likes a person that is unwilling to learn and neither one that thinks knows it all. It is humility what makes someone appreciate and value other people’s knowledge and insights.

Sheninger (2019) explains that digital leadership) “takes into account recent changes such as ubiquitous connectivity, open-source technology, mobile devices, and personalization”. Being a leader in a digital era means embracing change, understanding that new emerging things are disrupting and changing the way we do business and interact with people.

In closing, I personally believe that we are all leaders in some capacity and that we all influence our personal and professional environments in some way, shape, or form. Kouzes and Posner (2011) state that “leadership is something one experiences in an interaction with another human being. That experience varies from leader to leader, from constituent to constituent, and from day to day” (p. 29). I also believe that there is learning everywhere. You can learn anything that you set your mind to, and you can always learn something good from everyone, even from the people you disagree with the most.

Leadership is a powerful skill that develops over time, and it is not something you are born with or without. It is a mindset, something that we should keep striving to achieve every day. As I continue learning about leadership and digital change with fabulous leaders in this program, I am intrigued to see how I can sharpen the skills acquired and put them to work personally and professionally.

References

Kouzes, J., & Posner, B. (2011). The characteristics of admired leaders. Credibility: How leaders gain and lose it, why people demand it. (2^nd Edition). Jossey-Bass. https://royalroads.skillport.com/skillportfe/main.action?path=summary/BOOKS/43184#summary/BOOKS/RW$564:_ss_book:43184

Rodriguez, L., Frawley, A. Hadley, A. & McMurray, K. (2022, February 4). Attributes of leadership| Team E. Luis Rodriguez: A MALAT Student Blog. https://malat-webspace.royalroads.ca/rru0216/attributes-of-leadership-team-e/

Sheninger, E. (2014). Pillars of digital leadership. International Centre for Leadership in Education. http://leadered.com/pillars-of-digital-leadership/

By Alisha Hadley, Angela Frawley, Karen McMurray & Luis Rodriguez

Reflection on Process

The Team E process to come to a consensus was collegial and reiterative. We discussed our understanding of the rankings and definitions of characteristics, and we actively reflected on the process as our results emerged. We analyzed whether our process was serving us to make the best decisions, a nod to demonstrating cooperative tendencies in our group. While we did not shift our methods, articulating it as we went was helpful for moving forward to complete the rankings.

Initially, we looked at consistencies within the extremes on the scale. We started by identifying where we had high- and low-ranked characteristics, and as we moved towards the middle of the rankings, we made choices between characteristics that we considered clustered with common themes or overlaps. For instance, we could see that forward-looking, inspiring and ambitious were likely speaking to the visionary nature of leadership, and therefore discussed which of these three would rank as most resonant to our group. One member noted this could become an exercise in semantics; however, we agreed upon the goal of creating diversity in our highest-ranked characteristics.

It was interesting to note that we agreed our independent rankings had changed post-readings, with one participant acknowledging that being visionary is more important to leadership than they understood when ranking before the readings, and another group member sharing embarrassment about how low they ranked honesty. They further explained that a personal leadership issue had influenced their low ranking at that time. Personal stories were shared in our process to come to conclusions and make meaning of the characteristics and their definitions. These contributed to understanding as well as group development and cohesion.

The following design principles were created from my professional experience in technology, evidence-based on the readings of this and previous MALAT courses, as a result of reflecting in the process undertaken by my partner and myself during the design thinking challenge, as well as peer feedback provided.  These design principles were also created with a social constructivism approach and with the human element of learning in mind. According to Kim (2001), “social constructivism sees as crucial both the context in which learning occurs and the social contexts that learners bring to their learning environment” (p.4).

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References

Brown, A. & Green, T. (2018). Beyond teaching instructional design models: exploring the design process to advance professional development and expertise. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 30(1), 176-186. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12528-017-9164-y

Doorley, S., Holcomb, S., Klebahn, P., Segovia, K., & Utley, J. (2018). Design Thinking Bootcamp Bootleg. Adapted from Hasso Plattner Institute for Design, Stanford University. https://dschool.stanford.edu/resources/design-thinking-bootleg

Hall, J. & Hammond, S. (1998). What is appreciative inquiry? Inner edge newsletter.  https://www.ngobg.info/uf/documents/49/756whatisai.pdf

Kim, B. (2001). Social Constructivism. From emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. https://cmapspublic2.ihmc.us/rid=1N5PWL1K5-24DX4GM-380D/Kim%20Social%20constructivism.pdf

Rodriguez, L., & Vijayan, S. (2022, January 1). Design Thinking Challenge| The Solution. Luis Rodriguez. A Student blog. https://malat-webspace.royalroads.ca/rru0216/design-thinking-challenge-the-solution/

Veletsianos, G. (2011). Designing Opportunities for Transformation with Emerging Technologies. Published in Educational Technology, 51(2), 41-46. https://viurrspace.ca/bitstream/handle/10613/5056/designing-opportunities-transformation-emerging-technologies.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y