Recently, I was asked to be part of
a team that was charged with developing a comprehensive technology plan for a
private religious school- Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School (IHM), located in High
Point, North Carolina. At first the
project seemed overwhelming, but as we all dove in I could see just how complex
major projects can be within an organization.
For the purpose of this blog, I will reflect on my experience and
compare the experience with central service operations for a school district.
Working Independently and
Interdependently
School systems, like any
organization, are comprised of many departments, but what really goes on to
make the organization function almost seamlessly? Individuals and teams that are charged with specific tasks, must all work
independently and interdependently to contribute to the overall success of the
organization. When I first saw the work
that needed to be done to create a technology plan for IHM, I immediately
thought about my experience and how I might be able to contribute to a
team. My colleagues and I were divvied
up and we volunteered to be a part of one of the following teams: Hardware and
Software, Professional Development, Classroom Expectations and Evaluation. I chose to be a part of the Professional
Development team. As we worked on what
the professional development needs of the school should be, we quickly
discovered that we needed more information from each of the other three teams. The information we needed helped us to
determine what professional development should be offered, how it should be
delivered, and within what time frame. Our
discussions with the other teams led to further discourse about overlapping
ideas and components to include in the plan.
For instance, the Classroom Expectations team also found it necessary to
include lesson plans and we mimicked the evaluation tool from another group as
a means to measure progress. This sharing across teams gave perspective as to
how departments can operate independently but must work interdependently to
help the organization function in unison.
Relating to a School District
The mission statement of the school
in which I work is simple- Creativity, Collaboration, Communication and
Community. These four words were evident
throughout the project development process.
As a team we had to be creative in how to devise a differentiated
professional development plan that would address the technology learning needs
of staff that ranged from novice to advanced.
School districts are constantly having to reinvent or rebrand to meet
the needs of staff, students and the community.
This requires a great deal of creativity and commitment from staff to
ensure that a comprehensive plan is presented and implemented with fidelity. Utilizing the assistance of others requires
collaboration and constant communication and is essential in guaranteeing that
a project conforms to the expectations of the organization. After my team discussed the details of our
part of the IHM project, we agreed to capitalize on the strengths of each
member and formed pairs so that we could focus on specific school levels that
were comparable to those at IHM. We
worked in pairs to develop the timeline and lesson plans for K-2, 3-5, and 6-8
and then convened to determine a logical sequence. Departments within school districts often
capitalize on the skills of employees and this is not limited to central
office personnel. There are times when
persons with specialized expertise are sought out to assist the district with
acquiring the knowledge needed to complete district initiatives. Just as my team had to value each other’s skills
and used those capabilities to devise a comprehensive plan, school districts
utilize the expertise of employees to solve complex tasks. Once the project was complete, each team had
to present their component to a member of the board of directors. This is similar to a school district presenting
a strategic plan to the community. Questions from the board members were asked
and responses helped to clarify ambiguous portions of the plan. School boards undergo a similar process when
revising school board policies and strategic plans.
Lessons Learned
Upon completion of the IHM project,
there were several important takeaways that I will use when involved with
future projects. 1) Use technology as a means to accomplish and
supplement organizational goals. We
utilized Google platforms to carry out our work and WebEx to meet when face-to-face
meetings were impossible. Some of us
even took advantage of the free Wi-Fi that some restaurants offer to plan
together. 2) Make sure the plan is easy
to follow. Considering the audience
that would be using the IHM technology plan, we were deliberate in how we
structured the professional development portion. So, despite the user’s comfort level, he/she
would be able to progressively fine-tune his/her instructional practice. 3) Offer “right now” support. This allows individuals to have a starting
point and eliminates the barrier of procrastination and the dilemma of where to
start. We provided lesson plans that
aligned to the Common Core State Standards and research-based instructional
technology practices. 4) Include
research-based or evidence-based material.
We shared the SAMR model to assist the school with identifying the level
of technology integration currently being used, and also to know what
technology integration should look like at each stage of implementation. 5) Respect and value the ideas and opinions
of others. By nature, I am observant but
can be quite opinionated. I generally
listen to what others have to say and start formulating my ideas. This project allowed me to really analyze
what others were saying so that I could assist my team with organizing details
in a clear, concise manner. As a result,
I was able to walk away with a product that I could use at my own school.
We have all heard the idiom about
being “on the outside looking in.” My
experience with this project was just the opposite. When you are on the outside looking in, you
are left to your own interpretation about what truly goes on within an
organization. However, being on the inside
looking out, you realize that your role is one link to an intricate master plan
that will enlighten those on the outside.
References
Introduction to the SAMR Model. (n.d.). Retrieved July 24, 2016, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/introduction-to-the-samr-model
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