Transforming Instruction...with Technology Post #1

So, I caught your attention with the title of the post.  As educational leaders, we are all interested in learning how to transform instruction with technology.  The problem is that we are often stuck in the "distracted phase" as I discussed in one of my previous posts.  In my quest to unpack what it means to transform, I was given a book to read titled, "Transforming Leadership" by James MacGregor Burns.  As described by Stephen Covey, "The goal of transformational leadership is to “transform” people and organizations in a literal sense – to change them in mind and heart; enlarge vision, insight, and understanding; clarify purposes; make behavior congruent with beliefs, principles, or values; and bring about changes that are permanent, self-perpetuating, and momentum building." - Steven Covey,
Author of 7 Habits of Highly Successful People.

In the early part of "Transforming Leadership", Burns makes a distinction between the verbs "change" and "transform".  "To change is to substitute one thing for another," while transform meant to "cause a metamorphosis in form or structure."

In recent conversations, my colleagues and I have been preparing for a BYOD integration in the next nine months.  Here is where "change" needs to be "transform".  As we discussed the implementation of BYOD, I am concerned with the substitution phenomenon that will have a detrimental effect on our efforts.  For example, BYOD could serve to substitute a device for a textbook...a device for a notebook...a device for handing in homework.  Instead we must have a collective vision on how the use of technology will enhance and transform instructional practices.  The vision needs to come first, otherwise, substitution will inevitably get in the way.  The SAMR model tells this to us.

Since the goal of transforming leadership is to focus on a vision, clarify purposes and align behaviors with beliefs, I will begin to focus my blog on this purpose.  My goal here would be to clarify my own thoughts and begin to align my fellow leaders to bring about the changes that are necessary to transform instructional practices using technology.

From another blog post, I came across this quote in reference to technology, "New tools often substitute, sometimes augment, and very rarely redefine the learning experience (thank you, SAMR). It is how the teacher and students use these tools for learning that truly matters. And when technology is used to redefine a learning experience, the revolution is what the students make, create, and build with their tech…not in the many ways they can consume information."  via A.J. Juliani  http://ajjuliani.com/shifting-ed-tech-narrative/

I have two beginning goals in mind for our BYOD adventure that will transform instruction and learning experiences for students.

1. Give students the opportunity, the knowledge of how and the desire to access the wealth of information around them in a way that supports their individualized learning so that they may make, create and build.
2. Teach the skills and provide opportunities for students to collaborate, share and socialize during the learning process.

More to come in future posts.


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