Although I learned a lot about leadership and leading change in digital learning environments in this course, my thoughts on what makes an effective leader remained the same. In my initial blog post on leadership, the most important attributes of a leader were communication and support (Di Giovanni, 2023). Through reading the literature and activities completed in the course, these two attributes often came up regarding leaders initiating change in an organization. For example, Al-Haddad and Kotnour (2015) claim that communication with employees facilitates the change initiative. Moreover, leaders must ensure their members have the proper support, such as the resources and training necessary to implement the change. In addition to communicating and supporting members, Workman and Cleveland-Innes (2012) state that “effective leaders influence, motivate, and inspire people to want to do what needs to be done” (p. 316). This makes me believe that being inspirational is just as important a trait of a leader.
In my current role as a professor in higher education, I now believe I have the capacity to lead change in our broadcast program. Through my learnings in this course and conversations with colleagues, I better understand what it takes to lead change in digital learning environments. In the near future, I plan to pitch my idea of implementing virtual reality simulation (VRS) into our television broadcast course to provide flexibility and an additional learning tool for students. First, however, I need to understand better the different types of data collection, specifically data analytics. After better understanding data analytics in education, I look forward to analyzing the data from Humber College’s LMS, Blackboard. I see the opportunity to evaluate the numbers related to how many students are using the additional resources developed for them outside of class time. It would be interesting to see how effective the students feel these tools are. Overall, I enjoyed this course and wished it was longer, as I feel there is so much more to learn about all aspects of leading digital change.
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
Di Giovanni, G. (2023, February 3). Leadership reflections. Giulia’s Blog: A MALAT Student Blog. https://malat-webspace.royalroads.ca/rru0265/leadership-reflections/
Workman, T., & Cleveland-Innes, M. (2012). Leadership, personal transformation, and management. The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 13(4), 313-323. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v13i4.1383
March 26, 2023 at 7:19 pm
Thanks for sharing your reflection, Giulia. Like you, I did not experience much change in how I view and value leadership in terms of characteristics; however, I feel that I have a greater understanding of how good leadership practice can positively influence systems and processes, specifically related to change management. It is great that you are going to pitch this idea for VRS to enhance your learning environment and that this course gave you the confidence to do so! I wish you the best of luck with that 🙂
Leah
March 27, 2023 at 1:53 pm
Thank you for the comment, Leah! Good leadership practice can positively influence systems and processes, specifically by providing a clear vision for change management and creating a supportive environment for innovation. I have learned in this course that it is essential for education leaders to communicate the need for change, establish a sense of urgency, and provide guidance for implementation. Thank you again!
Giulia
March 26, 2023 at 9:14 pm
Hi Guilia,
Thank you for your reflection. While your views on leadership qualities did not change, your view on how you see yourself as a potential leader has. What a wonderful shift when you can see the potential in an idea on an instructional level and feel equipped to inform a plan for that idea to come to fruition. Congratulations!
G
March 27, 2023 at 2:02 pm
Thank you, Gill! If I am being honest, I did not initially see myself as a leader in education. However, that changed after having a conversation with Karen Young, the program coordinator for the broadcasting program I teach in. She brought up some of the changes I have initiated in the broadcast program that have positively impacted students. I am extremely fortunate to have an inspirational leader that empowers and motivates me to be a leader in our space. Thank you again for the comment!
Giulia
March 27, 2023 at 3:50 pm
The difference between a leader and a manager! That is so great to hear. 🙂
March 27, 2023 at 9:36 am
Thanks for sharing Guilia!
I completely agree with your thoughts on what makes a great leader, especially the importance of communication, support, and inspiration. With technology advancing so quickly, these qualities are crucial for leaders to keep up and lead their teams to adapt. Your idea to use virtual reality simulation in your broadcast course is fantastic! It will make learning more interesting and immersive for students. It’s great that you’re applying what you’ve learned in this course to benefit your students’ education. Understanding data analytics is also important for leaders in education so they can make informed decisions about implementing new tools or technologies. Analyzing your institution’s LMS data could help improve your program even more. I wish this course were longer too! It’s important to keep learning in a field that is always changing. Your passion for digital learning is inspiring, and I can’t wait to see your positive impact on your students and colleagues!
March 27, 2023 at 2:08 pm
Hi Jess! I agree, data can be extremely valuable to answer the many questions leaders may need before initiating a change in a digital learning environment. Data is definitely an area that I need to learn more about so that I can use it to improve the learning environments that I currently facilitate. I really appreciate your kind words!
Giulia
March 30, 2023 at 1:57 pm
Hi Guilia, I enjoyed reading your blog post! I agree with you regarding the importance of communication, support, and inspiration in leading change. Your idea of implementing virtual reality simulation (VRS) into their television broadcast course, sounds interesting. I’m sure it would be hugely beneficial for your students as they can practice in a safe setting. t’s wonderful to see that you’re expanding your knowledge of data analytics and exploring how it can be used to drive change in your learning environment. I’m curious, though, how do you intend to measure the success of this change in terms of its impact on student learning and engagement?