BLANDO ESPAÑOLAS Faci, Isabel

Taddeo (2006:1) argues that “while approaching change proactively is important, change needs to be approached from an informed perspective. He adds that decision makers and all educational stakeholders need to be informed of current and future trends of ICTs in education”. Policies formulated and practices encouraged in schools should be founded on and supported by relevant and current research (ibid.). Information on the current trends of ICT in education plays a key role in the genesis for change management approach. Leadership is a key factor in bringing about effective change in an education setting (Al-Sharija 2012:42). Administrators may also embrace change if they understand how technology can improve their own ability to do administrative tasks. This is especially true in primary and secondary schools, where administrators may be quite overburdened (Vital Wave Consulting 2009:23). Understanding the

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various benefits of technology motivates the change agents in not only advocating for change but also playing a key role in its implementation.

Vital Wave Consulting (2009:25-26) suggest that change management strategy is most effective when it has both a short and long-term component. In the former, an effective teacher change management strategy is needed to ensure that teachers embrace the introduction of technology in the classroom. The best way to achieve these goals is to involve teachers in the initial planning stages of the programme. For example, a primary school in Uttar Pradesh, India required that teachers participate in technology workshops far in advance of the deployment of technology in their school. It was noted by the school that the success of the subsequent primary school technology programme was largely due to the teachers’ increased familiarity and comfort with technology. In the latter, the study observed that continued effective use of the computers in the classroom depends largely on the sustained motivation and abilities of teachers (ibid.).

Tearle (2004) in Afshari et al (2008:646) notes that in relation to the implementation of ICT, not only staff needs to operate them, but also they must have an understanding of the pedagogy required to use them and to meet teaching and learning needs. Successfully implemented reforms require leaders to participate as active learners in dynamic changing environments (Fullan 1998 in Afshari et al.., 2008:646). Educational leaders can therefore have a major impact on the success, coherence and sustainability of the change process. Vital Wave Consulting (2009:12) posit that “mapping the education ecosystem allows officials to understand who will be most affected by a technology deployment and how”. Once these stakeholders have been mapped, their specific change management needs can be identified (ibid.). This will form a strategic roadmap in change implementation approach.

The principal can adopt the strategy of distributed or shared leadership by which secondary level teacher leaders emerge and get involved in the ICT policy-making process in order to facilitate change (Prain & Hand 2003 in Chung 2005:3). The principal needs to delegate to other teachers and instil a sense of change ownership among them. Gronow (2007:5) points out that “principal’s delegation of an ICT leader promotes the personal belief in the importance of ICT in the school. The ICT leader as the expert supplies the principal with advice on ICT”. The

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principal, with the support of the ICT leader and school community, can develop an ICT vision and e-Learning plan, aimed at developing a sustainable direction for ICT in teaching and learning, administration and business of the school organisation (ibid.). In support of this, Bush (2008:7) contends that teachers and leaders are more likely to be enthusiastic about change when they ‘own’ it rather than having it imposed on them. Ownership of change by its agents becomes one of the major driving forces in its implementation and its sustenance in ICT integration in secondary school administration.

Taddeo (2006:10) posits that “if change is constant in the world of education, then building capacity at all levels and across all domains may provide some of the solutions to the problem of maintaining and sustaining reforms”. ICT has the potential to individualise student learning and revolutionise the way educational communities exist, function and relate to each other. With this amount of potential, ICT deserves to be an on-going focus in our educational institutions and of government policies. Educational leaders, policy makers, governments and learning communities need to develop visions, combine efforts and pool resources in order to build the necessary capacities to support transformative ICT integration (ibid.). Capacity building for change agents is crucial in the integration and sustenance of ICT in education administration of secondary schools as it equips them with the necessary skills and confidence to work.

Vital wave consulting (2009:6) notes the need for participants in a technology deployment who are members of the education and technology ecosystem. Successful technology programmes require the inclusion of each of these members, from hardware and software, supplemental learning content and curricula-providers to governments to the students and teachers themselves. There is a need for a total solution approach as it reflects the interests and responsibilities of each party in a unified and comprehensive fashion (ibid.).

Taddeo (2006:2) argues that “in conjunction with building ICT capacity there is a need to devise strategies to deal with resistance to change, coping with continuous change, and providing support structures in change rich environments in order to sustain reforms”. He adds that these aspects can be addressed in educational settings by building change capacities. This will equip

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change agents with the necessary knowledge, skills and attitude to ensure change transition with ease and less resistance in integrating it in the school administration.

Vital Wave Consulting (2009:22) points out that as with any fundamental change, technology deployments are exciting but potentially threatening, as they result in altering long-standing practices with which people feel comfortable. A structured change management approach allows individuals to feel as though their needs and concerns are being understood and responded to during the technology deployment, which may reduce institutional resistance and even increase enthusiasm (ibid.).

Kipsoi Chang’ach and Sang (2012: 19) observes that the use of ICTs in educational management is greatly under-emphasised. They further argue that a more holistic approach requires that schools be receptive and open to the changes ICTs may make, and to the on-going evaluation of these changes for the schools' purposes. For any change to be effective and efficient, it requires a driving force from within or without the implementers.