Change Management
The ADKAR Model addresses the following goals for change:
- Awareness of the need to change
- Desire to participate and support the change
- Knowledge of how to change
- Ability to implement the change
- Reinforcement to keep the change in place
Creating awareness at all levels of the District is founded on answering the following questions: Why do we need to change? What is the purpose? Why is this change needed at this time? The compelling reason guiding the need for an instructional paradigm shift is the District’s goal to prepare students for a 21st century society. Without implementing digital learning tools in daily instruction, students will miss out on opportunities to practice real-world skills needed to thrive in a growing digital environment.
When awareness has been effectively developed, desire to pursue this change follows because school leaders recognize and understand the need to change. This is often the most challenging step in the change management model as it depends on personal choice of the individual to choose to participate or not. For this reason, effectively communicating compelling examples is necessary to inform all District stakeholders about the critical need to shift instructional practices to incorporate digital learning tools.
Upon cultivating a desire to change throughout the District, the next step is developing stakeholder knowledge in how to carry out the change. Professional learning opportunities for all stakeholders is imperative to educate leaders on how to incorporate digital learning tools and how to adapt instruction to the opportunities afforded by digital tools. For this reason, this report will highlight various schools, teachers, and neighboring Districts who model instructional practices enhanced by digital learning tools.
Change is not immediate; it will take time and be an ongoing process. Through increased professional learning opportunities and embracing a District-wide culture of exploring and experimenting, the District would support the ability for educators to apply what they have learned. More importantly, continuous professional learning opportunities would help the District determine the rate of adoption of personalized learning practices. Accepting that this change will require sustained effort and time to implement is critical to the success of an instructional paradigm shift.
Sustaining a change initiative requires consistent reinforcement, which must occur at all levels of District leadership. Thus, ensuring leaders understand and accept the following instructional recommendations is imperative. With leadership support alongside highlighting exemplary schools, the instructional paradigm shift required to support today’s students can be seen as a possibility for all students, teachers, and principals.
