Transcript LEADERSHIP IN A CHANGING WORLD

TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP
FOR A CHANGING WORLD
OISE/UT
Session 9
Dr. Lyn Sharratt
March, 2002
CHANGE
CONSIDER HOW HARD IT IS TO
CHANGE YOURSELF AND YOU’LL
UNDERSTAND WHAT LITTLE CHANCE
YOU HAVE OF TRYING TO CHANGE
OTHERS!
The More Things Change ...
“Students today depend upon paper too
much. They don’t know how to write on
slate without chalk dust all over
themselves. They can’t clean a slate
properly. What will they do when they
run out of paper?”
Principal’s Association, 1815
The More Things Change ...
“Students today depend too much upon
ink. They don’t know how to use a pen
knife to sharpen a pencil. Pen and ink
will never replace the pencil.”
National Association of Teachers, 1907
The More Things Change ...
“Students today depend on store bought
ink. They don’t know how to make their
own. When they run out of ink, they will
be unable to write words or ciphers until
their next trip to the settlement. This is a
sad commentary on modern education.”
The Rural American Teacher, 1929
The More Things Change ...
“Students today depend on these expensive
fountain pens. They can no longer write
with a straight pen and nib (not to mention
sharpening their own quills). We parents
must not allow them to wallow in such
luxury to the detriment of the learning how
to cope in the real business world, which
is not so extravagant.”
PTA Gazette, 1941
The More Things Change ...
“Ball-point pens will be the ruin of
education in our country. Students use
these devices and then throw them
away. The American virtue of thrift and
frugality are being discarded. Business
and banks will never allow such
expensive luxuries.”
Federal Teacher, 1950
The More Things Change ...
“Students today depend too much on
hand-held calculators.”
Anonymous, 1985
The More Things Change ...
CAN YOU PREDICT WHAT
TOMORROW’S ARGUMENT WILL BE?
T. Seidenberg, Washington Mathematics, 1989,
p.8
“ Nothing changes in an
Organization unless people
change”
THINGS I’VE LEARNED
ABOUT CHANGE!
• GETS WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER
• TAKES TIME AND PERSISTENCE, AND IS
MESSY!
• IS ONE STEP AT A TIME
• DEMANDS PRESSURE AND SUPPORT
• NECESSITATES SEEING A NEED FOR IT
(LIGHTENS LOAD), AND BEING INVOLVED
IN THE DECISION-MAKING ABOUT IT
• TALKING ABOUT IT TAKES TIME AND IS
MOST IMPORTANT!
TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP
FOR A CHANGING WORLD
• CENTRAL AND LOCAL DECISIONMAKING
• EVOLUTIONARY PLANNING
• PROBLEM-COPING
In a Learning Organization:
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people feel that they’re doing something that matters.
individuals are growing/stretching.
people are more intelligent together than apart.
the organization continually becomes aware of its
underlying knowledge base.
visions of the enterprise emerge from all levels.
employees are invited to learn what is going on at
every level of the organization.
people feel free to inquire about each others’
assumptions.
people treat each other as colleagues.
people feel free to try experiments, take risks, and
openly assess the results.
TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP
“... entails being a continual catalyst
for the change process by formulating
and updating a compelling change
agenda, helping the organization
envision the future, unleashing the
energy and resources to fuel the
change process and helping the
organization experience change as
success rather than failure” (Mohrman
and Mohrman, 1993, 101)
LEADERSHIP IN TECHNOLOGY REQUIRES:
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LOYALTY
ENTHUSIASM
ABILITY TO DIRECT
DEPENDABILITY & DECISION-MAKING
ENDURANCE
RESPONSIBILITY
SELF-CONFIDENCE
HELPING OTHERS TO ACHIEVE
INTEGRITY/INITIATIVE/INTERPERSONAL
PRIDE
TRANSFORMATIONAL
LEADERSHIP: INDIVIDUAL
SUPPORT
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SHOWS PERSONAL INTEREST
APPRECIATES
LISTENS AND COMMUNICATES WELL
GIVES FEEDBACK
HAS CONFIDENCE IN INDIVIDUALS
IS FAIR
MAKES APPROPRIATE INTERVENTIONS
UNLESS MEMBERS OF AN
ORGANIZATION ARE INVOLVED
IN A MEANINGFUL WAY AS
PARTNERS IN REFORM, VERY
LITTLE WILL CHANGE, AND
THE CHANGES THAT DO
OCCUR WILL BE MISGUIDED
OR SHORT-LIVED.
INFORMAL TECHNOLOGY
LEADERSHIP
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CHARACTERISTICS
ACCESSIBLE
APPROACHABLE
SUPPORTIVE
KNOWLEDGEABLE
PATIENT
ALWAYS HAVE TIME
DEMONSTRATE WILL AND
PERSEVERANCE
• MOTIVATED TO LEARN
YRDSB IS COMMITTED TO GOALS WHICH INCLUDE:
• RELEVANT INFO ONLY AVAILABLE ELECTRONICALLY
• PAPERLESS PROCESSES
• TRAINING/PD: HIGH EXPECTATIONS RE SKILL LEVELS…
AVAILABLE ANYTIME/ANYWHERE
• READILY ACCESSIBLE TECH AND PROGRAM SUPPORT
• INTRANET: ALL INFO AVAILABLE IN ONE PLACE
• PROMOTION OF DIALOGUE: STAFF/TEACHER E-MAIL
• HIRING PRACTICES CONGRUENT WITH TECH VISION
• RELIABLE HARDWARE REFLECTIVE OF SYSTEMS’ NEEDS
• WEB-BASED APPLICATIONS
• MONEY TO MATCH TECH VISION
• TRANSITION FROM LABS TO CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
…TIMELINE
• “NEW SCHOOL” TECH VISION
• MODELLING AND CELEBRATING ADMIN/CLASSROOM USE
• FLEXIBILITY IN THE WORK PLACE
TECHNOLOGY & SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT
• District Commitment
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Technology Direction and Expectation Setting
Co-ordinated staff Professional Development: skills and integration
Equity/opportunity for access of Technology Resources
system support for a culture of risk-taking
• Strategic Leadership
– hiring teachers who understand Curriculum/Technology connections
– model “effective” and “efficient” Technology uses
• Effective Instruction
– teachers share integration strategies and teach each other
– teachers assess that Technology uses are appropriate
• Parental Involvement
– understands how Technology enhances learning
– collaboration with teachers and student
– parents have a role in preparing students’ to learn by providing access
to Technology
REFLECTION
“VIEW CHANGE AS A POSITIVE,
LOOK FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES IT
OFFERS, AND REMAIN FLEXIBLE
ENOUGH TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM.
CHANGE IS GROWTH, AND DESPITE THE
ANXIETY IT CAUSES, IT CAN
SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE YOUR LIFE”.
A leader is best
When people barely know that he exists,
Not so good when people obey and
acclaim him,
Worse when they despise him.
Fail to honour people
They fail to honour you
But of a good leader, who talks little,
When his work is done, his aim fulfilled,
They will say,
“We did this ourselves”.
LAO TSU, 604 BC