Resisters and saboteurs

We must be careful not to create "in-groups" and "out-groups" and avoid the temptation to be satisfied with a few teachers and staff members on board. The priority agenda for the principal as technology leader is to encourage and support wide-based involvement and commitment to technology use in our schools. OK, but be specific: How might one accomplish such a feat?

Tips for reaching a significant portion of faculty (including resisters and saboteurs)

First and foremost, the principal must involve ALL stakeholders (teacers, parents, students, board members, business partners) in the dialogue and seek consensus on the true value of technology. No, it is not about boxes and wires. Ends (curricular goals and objectives) must guide the means (technology), not the other way around, as so often happens in today's schools. This dialogue takes time, but must involve everyone and preface any agressive move toward further planning or implementation. Such forums for dialogue include faculty meetings, informal discussion with teachers, invitations to union representatives, addressing Lions and Rotary Clubs, boards of education, and others. Empowering people to understand information resources and technology is one of the major challenges confronting school principals. Wheter a technology program succeeds is greatly influenced by the way teachers and others think about teaching, learning, and the rle of technology.

Second, we discussed earlier the realization that each school or division has several teachers who have the potential to push technology implementation forward or can chose to stop it in its tracks. To increase the chance of keeping these teachers on board, focus your discussions on curriculum benefits rather than the technical aspects of technology. Emphasisizing the technical "bells and whistles" is not only counterproductive, but also has the tendency to alienate certain segments of the faculty. Instead, focus on using technology with existing instructional strategies used by faculty. And emphasize the power of technology to help us with our agreed on goals and objectives regarding student learning.

Thirdly,( and certainly not lastly) extensive teacher education (vs. training) in the integration of technology into the curriculum is not only needed but required. As discussed earlier, though training in basic technological skills is necessary, major emphasis should be placed on a more important aspect of using technology in education: addressing beliefs and dispositions about how technology can improve teaching and learning.

Concluding thoughts

Concerning the resistant employee and disagreement in the organization, Champy (1996) states:

A culture that squashes disagreement is a culture doomed to stagnate, because change always begins with disagreement. Besides, disagreement can never be squased entirely - it gets repressed, to emerge later as a pervasive sense of injustice, followed by apathy, esentment, and even sabotage. (p. 82)

Innovation and change often freeze because principals and other leaders fail to learn from those who disagree with us. WE MUST CHANGE OUR THINKING ABOUT RESISTANCE: it is not only likely to occur but must be vieweed as necessary and a positive component of innovation and change. Diassagreement and resistance can make a positive contribution to the implementation of programs and ideas in our schools. Maurer (1996), in a book entitled Beyond the Wall of Resistance, reminds us:

Often those who resist have something important to tell us. People resist for what they feel are good reasons. They may see alternatives we never dreamed of (a la "Integrative Thinking," author's note). They may understand problems about the minutiae of implementation that we never see from our lofty perch atop Mount Olympus. (p. 49)

Herein lies the power of including the thoughts of all and the danger of heading off with a small group of like-minded teachers committed to the idea. In my experience with new programs and innovation, rarely has a small, select group of faculty had a significant influence on the resisters and saboteurs. To the contrary, such results have created further resistance between the in-groups and the out-groups.

References

Champy, J. (1996). Reengineering management: The mandate for new leadership. New York: Harper Business.

Gerstner, L. (1994). Reinventing education: Entrepreneurship in today's schools. New York: E.P. Hutton.

Lemke, C. (1998). Technology in America's schools: Seven dimensions for guaging progress. San Monica: Milken Family Foundation.

Maurer, L. (1996). Beyond the wall of resistance: Unconventional strategies that build support for change. New York: Bard Press.

Moss Kanter, R. (2001). Evolve: Succeeding in the digital culture of tomorrow. Boston: Harvard Bisness School Press.

Schlechty, P. (1997). Inventing better schools: An action plan for educational reform. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.