Standard 1.4 Diffusion of Innovations & ChangeCandidates research, recommend, and implement strategies for initiating and sustaining technology innovations and for managing the change process in schools.
(PSC 1.4/ISTE 1d)
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The artifact representing Standard 1.4 is an analysis of McConnell Middle School’s technology plan and our school improvement plan. I conducted this analysis during the summer of 2016. The analysis incorporates an evaluation of McConnell Middle’s current school improvement plan as well as the district technology plan. The analysis is designed to focus on the vision of how technology might be leveraged to support the goals and initiatives of the school and district.
The expectations expressed in standard 1.4 involve the implementation of strategies for initiating, facilitating, and sustaining technological innovations in schools. The artifact presented represents a great deal of reflection and research on the current plans related to educational technology innovation at the school and district level. The analysis deconstructs my thinking behind the initiatives referenced within the plan as well as reflection on how the plan serves the school and how it might be implemented. Advancement and facilitation of change are at the core of this plan and a great deal of thought has been given to creating specific strategies for sustaining and managing technological innovations that can support the overarching goals set forth in our school improvement plan. In the future I hope to involve others more intimately in this process in an effort to get multiple viewpoints. Deconstructing your own thoughts and plans are certainly good practice for reflection, however, the process can become a room full of mirrors making it difficult to see things clearly.
I enjoyed this activity a great deal and, as a bonus, it helped me center and focus my efforts while completing the technology plan for my school this year and next year plan to start the process earlier and involve more stakeholders in the process. During this analysis, I discovered several ways in which our various plans dovetail with the district and ways in which we express our differences. Facilitating change in a school is one of the toughest challenges any technology leader faces. Change management skills are essential to transforming words on paper into action. As I attend meetings with our local school improvement committee or facilitate technology initiatives this year I find myself frequently reflecting on this experience. In fact, just this morning I was able to share our school’s technology plan with a group of parents who were looking for the best way to support their students. And, as an added bonus, much of the work that went into this analysis has eased the process of putting together support materials for our school’s current accreditation process with AdvancED.
Continuous school improvement is a hot topic in education at the moment for obvious reasons. Schools at every point on the continuum are asking themselves how can we get better as a school? At this point it is taken as gospel by most school administrators that you are either busy improving or you are falling behind. This exercise represents only a fraction of the work that goes on at McConnell Middle to foster continuous growth and it is likely that the additional benefit of the publication of the school improvement plans is that it serves to inspire the community, teachers, and students to make and instigate their own plans for improvement. I am very proud of how much progress has been made in getting my staff not only to embrace technology but to be excited by technology. The initial staff surveys this year have already shown a significant increase in staff enthusiasm which is my personal barometer of how good a job I am doing. My hope is that we will see the differences reflected in both the surveys and classroom observations which are the formal of methods of assessment in my department.
The expectations expressed in standard 1.4 involve the implementation of strategies for initiating, facilitating, and sustaining technological innovations in schools. The artifact presented represents a great deal of reflection and research on the current plans related to educational technology innovation at the school and district level. The analysis deconstructs my thinking behind the initiatives referenced within the plan as well as reflection on how the plan serves the school and how it might be implemented. Advancement and facilitation of change are at the core of this plan and a great deal of thought has been given to creating specific strategies for sustaining and managing technological innovations that can support the overarching goals set forth in our school improvement plan. In the future I hope to involve others more intimately in this process in an effort to get multiple viewpoints. Deconstructing your own thoughts and plans are certainly good practice for reflection, however, the process can become a room full of mirrors making it difficult to see things clearly.
I enjoyed this activity a great deal and, as a bonus, it helped me center and focus my efforts while completing the technology plan for my school this year and next year plan to start the process earlier and involve more stakeholders in the process. During this analysis, I discovered several ways in which our various plans dovetail with the district and ways in which we express our differences. Facilitating change in a school is one of the toughest challenges any technology leader faces. Change management skills are essential to transforming words on paper into action. As I attend meetings with our local school improvement committee or facilitate technology initiatives this year I find myself frequently reflecting on this experience. In fact, just this morning I was able to share our school’s technology plan with a group of parents who were looking for the best way to support their students. And, as an added bonus, much of the work that went into this analysis has eased the process of putting together support materials for our school’s current accreditation process with AdvancED.
Continuous school improvement is a hot topic in education at the moment for obvious reasons. Schools at every point on the continuum are asking themselves how can we get better as a school? At this point it is taken as gospel by most school administrators that you are either busy improving or you are falling behind. This exercise represents only a fraction of the work that goes on at McConnell Middle to foster continuous growth and it is likely that the additional benefit of the publication of the school improvement plans is that it serves to inspire the community, teachers, and students to make and instigate their own plans for improvement. I am very proud of how much progress has been made in getting my staff not only to embrace technology but to be excited by technology. The initial staff surveys this year have already shown a significant increase in staff enthusiasm which is my personal barometer of how good a job I am doing. My hope is that we will see the differences reflected in both the surveys and classroom observations which are the formal of methods of assessment in my department.