Dave Cormier (2017) writes about his experience with a long-term large-scale technology change initiative in the PEI school system. Cormier explains his pragmatic approach to the introduction of new technologies in the school system through a long-term plan that allows space for trial and error and acknowledges the importance of celebrating the small wins along the way. Cormier also illustrates the challenges of change initiatives in a complex organization (the PEI school system) which I liken to my experience in a large corporate organization. Cormier recognizes that there have been technologies introduced in the past that fall short of meeting the teachers’ needs and overcomes this by introducing an effective problem-solving technology project as his first goal. By showing the teachers that technology can help them he began to build the trust needed to continue with the initiative. I think this was an important first step in supporting sustainable change.
The change itself and the people are the priority however dealing with multiple decision-makers with multiple perspectives and goals is nothing short of a challenge. In my organization, multiple lines of business and thousands of employees create a challenge for even the smallest of change. Cormier’s approach using a digital strategy committee also works well in a corporate environment, if the right people are involved to ensure representation of the people, the values of the organization, and those who will be most involved in leading the change. I have witnessed the consequences of a decision for change made at the top without consultation of those who would be responsible for managing and leading the change on the ground and without their support these initiatives often fail.
It has been the experience of many organizations that a new shiny tech tool arrives with promises of solving all the problems and ends up falling short leaving behind skepticism and resistance to the next change. My email inbox is full of technology companies trying to sell solutions to problems we do not even have. I agree with Cormier’s stance that it is harder to commit to long-term change than it is to implement a quick fix that doesn’t acknowledge the complex systems that our organizations are. For an effective sustainable change in digital learning to occur in a corporate learning environment we can borrow from Cormier’s experience and solve only what needs to be solved, build trust, celebrate the small wins, and support learners in navigating digital learning environments.
Reference
Cormier, D. (2017, December 8). Our schools aren’t broken, they’re hard. Daves Educational Blog. Retrieved February 14, 2022, from http://davecormier.com/edblog/2017/12/08/our-schools-arent-broken-theyre-hard/