1: Leadership
Over and over again, it is evident that leadership is key to creating systemic change. A vision can be translated into reality by building strong relationships, structures and accountability. That said, a collaborative leadership approach for implementing digital devices can provide opportunity for stakeholders to guide the change. A fabulous resource provided by the Alliance for Excellent Education is the Future Ready Schools Framework.
“The real role of leadership in education is not and should not be command and control. The real role of leadership is climate control, creating a climate of possibility.” Sir Ken Robinson
The center of the framework is the learner – specifically calling out personalized learning. The surrounding gears include:
• Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment
• Personalized Professional Learning
• Robust Infrastructure
• Community Partnerships
• Budget and Resources
• Data and Privacy
• Use of Space and Time
The Framework provides a survey for each component for appropriate stakeholders. This data provides a base to create a plan based on where the district is presently and a path to its vision. A digital dashboard is provided to collect data and monitor progress. This framework was key in the districts I have previously worked with to prepare and monitor for digital implementation.
As you create your district Digital Leadership Teams (DLT), be sure to include participants from each area of the framework. This work does not just live in the technology department. Planning strategically to include various departments in the conversation will be key. Let’s call this the Digital Learning Steering Committee. This team will:
• Assign gear leader(s)
• Meet once a month
• Create a plan tracker
• Report progress to stakeholders
• Celebrate successes
This team can support digital integration in any instructional formats: face-to-face, hybrid, and remote/distance.
As your Digital Leadership Team builds and completes structures at the district level, it is time to trickle the structure to the building level.
The building level looks a bit different.
First, create a Digital Leadership Team at each school.
You know how to create teams – get those who are innovators AND laggards. We need all perspectives on the team. Build the purpose as it relates to your district mission: personalized for each student that uses digital devices.
Your building DLT may want to access these tools:
Vision Implementation Building Tool – Simplified
Example School’s Vision Implementation
Implementation School Tool – Word/Doc version
Example School’s Implementation Plan
Implementation Building Tool: Excel/Sheets version
Digital Implementation Guidance
Building a Digital Culture Assessment
Your building DLT will guide and monitor the success of your digital implementation. They are vital to building and district implementation!
“Individual commitment to a group effort—that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”
Vince Lombardi.