ED 634 - Blog Post #! - Response to Tavernier et. al. Interview

As I listened to this interview, I heard a common theme that resonated among the interviewees; that being that in order for change to occur, it requires a systemic approach.  As I reflect on the responses of each individual, I noted that each one spoke to specific interactions and experiences each of them had with various stakeholders within the district that were critical in the successful promotion of their initiative.  There was no "I did this" or "I did that" but rather "we tried this and this is what happened."  That sense of working together, gathering information and utilizing existing resources in order to initiate change illustrates a significant level of collaboration among the technology leaders, administrators, teaching staff and community. A perfect example of how they tapped into the systemic approach to gain stakeholder buy-in was through the  "Inspire You" initiative.  This initiative started at the top with the school board wanting to provide a creative and unique professional development opportunity that would provide teachers with strategies and best practices involving the use of technology.  It was based on a "teachers-teaching-teachers" model.   In order to "garner support before the launch"  They created a "promotional", informational video which featured the school board president, the superintendent and the teacher's union president.  By including all 3 of these influential stakeholders, a message of solidarity and support for the initiative was communicated to the teaching staff.  This video was shared to the staff by the principals of each building. The idea of using the teachers' union to "sell" or "dangle the carrot" in order for teachers to see the benefits was a wise strategy.  In the interview, Josh, the union president acknowledged the risk they were taking in becoming involved with this initiative, but sometimes you need to take risks in order for change to occur.  He also noted that they tried to be as open and honest as  possible and giving teachers the choice rather than mandating it.  They acknowledged that the mindsets and needs of teachers are different and that everyone embraces new ideas at different times and to varying degrees.  They were careful in getting the message out but not to overwhelm teachers.  With change comes a lot of unknowns.  As they moved forward, they had no idea how this would be received by the teachers.  It was difficult to gauge the interest level. It wasn't until the last minute when 20 teachers seized the opportunity to become "instructors" and a little over 200 teachers participating as "learners". As a technology leader in my district, I can echo many of the sentiments that John, David and Josh expressed in the interview.  When describing instances when things went bad, they acknowledged that sometimes it's not that bad decisions are made but rather  the best decision is made that meets the needs at that time.  Technology moves and changes so fast, and therefore it's difficult to see into the future and know whether or not the initiative you implemented was the best investment.  I also appreciated the quote shared by one of the interviewees that said "words frame our thinking".  I can support this in my own experience.  How an idea is marketed or labeled can make a big impact on the perceptions of the stakeholders. A simple redesign in semantics such as changing "buy-in" to "ownership"  can make all the difference in how it is received.  In my district we have tried some of the tactics and strategies this district has tried.  The iPad initiative was met with a lot of push back from parents and teachers.  Change and buy-in didn't happen over time. It took the perseverance, patience of a visionaries and pioneers to see it through. Other initiatives have failed failed due to lack of support or interest from either teachers or from administration.  Remember the State of Michigan TTI initiative?
Lastly, the simulation from week 2 as well as the Anderson article reflect many of the issues involved organizational change. In summary, change must be systemic. It starts with a clear vision that is effectively communicated to all stakeholders at all levels. The initiative buy-in builds momentum through exploration and research of different ideas. It transitions into implementation utilizing the resources of those who are willing to take risks and accept the outcomes of their efforts.  Full-scale change occurs once successful elements of the initiative become embraced and replicated throughout the organization.