Reflecting on what we have learned from this course, my ideas regarding leadership have changed. In one of my initial posts about leadership, I viewed leadership as more managerial (Kent, 2023). After one of our first group discussions and readings, I connected with Sarder’s (2015) comment that leaders are about passion and encouragement rather than managing people and operations.
Beyond leadership, I have also recognized the importance of planning for change. Al-Haddad & Kotnour’s (2015) article thoroughly overviews many well-used theories and frameworks for change management; this will continue to be a significant resource for me as I move forward in my career.
If I look to the future, I envision myself as a digital leader; I want our schools to reflect our society, engage staff and students in a technological world, and prepare our young adults with the skills needed to be digital citizens. As Sheninger (2022) states, a digital leader “…establish[es] direction, influenc[es] others, and initiat[es] sustainable change…”. This is what I am passionate about, and this course has given me the tools to start my journey. In fact, I already have an idea for my first change plan; reintroducing a forgotten tool.
My final project for this course is an implementation plan for Google Read and Write (GRW) in high school classrooms. I chose this topic as this tool is being used in schools but sparingly and often ineffectively. My goal is to rekindle the use of GRW as an easy-to-use, readily available assistive technology. The knowledge I have gained in project management, leadership, and change management will be valuable assets in reintroducing this helpful tool. Using a framework like Lewin’s change model can help prepare the staff for change, support them with training, and sustain GRW for years to come (Tang, 2019).
Yet another essential aspect of leading digital change is data analysis. Evidence-based decisions for using technology in schools is a powerful tool (Sclater et al., 2016). Data-driven decision-making (DDDM) can be used to illustrate the benefits of GRW, how often it is being used, which functions are most used, and to help guide decisions around additional support for those that need it (Marsh et al., 2006; Sclater et al., 2016).
Realistically, reintroducing GRW, or any technology, in classrooms will be challenging. Not only will I have to gain support and momentum from staff and administration, but addressing and planning for all the complexities of change will require time, persistence, and support. Being prepared with a change and project management plan, with data for evidence-based support, will hopefully help build momentum and inspiration for implementing digital tools in my district.
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
Kent, T. (2023, February 4). Reflections on leadership. https://malat-webspace.royalroads.ca/rru0263/reflections-on-leadership/
Marsh, J., Pane, J., & Hamilton, L. (2006). Making sense of data-driven decision making in Education: Evidence from recent RAND research. RAND corporation. https://doi.org/10.7249/OP170
Sarder, R. (Producer). (2015, June 4). What makes a great leader? by Peter Senge, author of the Fifth Discipline [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/1aYaj2-GZqk
Sclater, N., Peasgood, A, & Mullan, J. (2016). Learning analytics in higher education: A review of UK and international practice. Jisc. https://www.jisc.ac.uk/sites/default/files/learning-analytics-in-he-v3.pdf
Sheninger, E. (2022, August 31). 7 Pillars of digital leadership in education. HMH. https://www.hmhco.com/blog/pillars-of-digital-leadership-in-education
Tang, K.N. (2019). Change management. In (Ed.), Leadership and change management (pp. 47–55). Springer Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8902-3_5
Great reflection on the course Terry and your shift in views in leadership. I love your passion for digital leadership in your context. It conveys a real commitment to the future of our youth. Thank-you.
I am wondering are your initial views of a leader were more managerial because that is what you have experienced.
Thanks,
G
Hi Gill,
I’d have to say yes to your comment regarding managerial views of leadership qualities. In my field of work, I find that administration teams typically take on a more managerial role rather than leadership. The past few years I have had my administration take on a more leadership role, and I have learned just how difficult the ‘buy-in’ phase can be with such a diverse group of employees.
Hi Terry,
Congratulations on getting a lot of learning and direction out of the course, and best wishes with your goals for Google Read and Write. My previous experience with that software was to convert text to mp3, which I found to be an interesting tool, if not amusing because of the selection of voices I could choose from.
I admire your realization that change requires persistence and that sometimes our suggestions do not land because we do not have enough data, or the right data, to back up our arguments.
Best wishes going forward.