Change Management Proposal
The Cape Fear Center for Inquiry is a charter school in Wilmington, North Carolina. The school is K-8 and has a student population of 320. The school has 71.4 % proficiency scores in the 8th grade computer skills competency test and this shows a need for improvement in order to reach the state average of 80 %. A teacher and Board member of the school conducted a survey to gather information about the teacher’s feelings and attitudes toward the school’s technology situation and performance. Based on the surveys and observations the teachers have a desire to learn more computer skills and are not comfortable using the existing hardware and software within the school.
The school’s vision focuses on small classroom settings and inquiry based learning. Each classroom integrates learning experiences, which actively engage students in the learning process. The director of CFCI requests that the teachers provide more hands-on technology lessons within the inquiry-based classroom lessons. The director also wishes to increase proficiency in the state mandated testing for 8th graders in Computer Competency Skills. The community has expressed a need for more technology integration into the current lessons. Based on surveys and observations conducted, the teachers reveal a need for more technology support personnel, professional development, and hardware. Support in personnel as well as ongoing quality staff development programs must be included in this change. These additions will help the school improve the 8th grade computer competency test proficiency scores as well as improve the overall quality of technology integration in each classroom.
The proposed change will integrate technology into the curriculum so that teachers and students use technology on a regular basis. Technology skills for teachers will increase and this integration will require teachers to combine the NC computer competency skills into an inquiry-based curriculum in order to increase the student’s proficiency in use of technology. Administrators will need training to ensure that technology improvements and staff development will be continuous. Hardware and personnel additions will be made and all grade levels will be involved in staff development, evaluation, and reflection.
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The Change Management Team
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Planning/Advisory Team |
Finance Committee Member |
Report finance considerations to planning sub systems, act as communication liaison from Change Management Team to the finance committee |
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Exceptional Children’s Coordinator |
Assures that students with disabilities and access needs are met in the change planning |
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Instructional technology consultant |
Provides instructional development and support |
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Eighth grade student |
Communicate needs, interests, attitudes, and values of students, represent major stakeholders in the implementation of change management plan |
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Technology Committee |
Planning/advisory and implementation, initiate future planning |
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One teacher representative per cluster (loop level) (K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8) |
Communicate needs, interests and attitudes of teachers, provide support of curriculum design and pedagogical decision making, act as communication liaison from Change Management Team to their loop level members |
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Cape Fear Center for Inquiry Board of Directors |
Ultimate decision making body, funding approval, community outreach |
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Implementation Team |
Instructional technology consultant |
Provides instructional development and support |
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Life Long Learning Committee Member |
Assist and support decision making and coordination of professional development planning and implementation, act as communication liaison from Change Management Team to the Life Long Learning Committee |
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Network support technician |
Provides information and support in infrastructure status, needs, enhancements and progression, support implementation of plan |
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One teacher representative per cluster (K-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-8) |
Communicate needs, interests and attitudes of teachers, provide support of curriculum design and pedagogical decision making process as plan is developed and implemented |
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CFCI Director |
Support the implementation of change, communication liaison among sub systems to ensure implementation of plan, report to Board of Directors |
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Evaluation Team |
CFCI Director |
Oversee the evaluation processes, Report to Board of Directors |
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The Partnership (Parent-Teacher Organization President or Representative) |
Represent the needs, interest, attitudes of parent community of CFCI, act as communication liaison from Change Management Team to the PTO, support funding needs and community out reach, provide support for implementation of plan by supporting teachers and students |
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Cape Fear Center for Inquiry Board of Directors |
Ultimate decision making body, funding approval, community outreach |
The funds of the organization are limited. As a charter school, CFCI receives a given allotment each year that covers all expenses including the rent, utilities, and maintenance of the facility where they are housed. This expense is one of the school’s largest payouts. At this time CFCI has limited funding for the execution of the change management plan. However, at this time the Finance and Personnel committees have approved a technology support position. The Board of Directors has not approved the final budgeted amount for this position yet but it is projected to occur within this school year. In addition to this support, the Parent Teacher Organization at CFCI has approved funds to purchase site licenses for software applications. CFCI currently has a budgeted line item for technology. However, the line item will only cover computer software and supplies and the funds will not support the change that is being proposed. The change management team will be actively pursuing outside resources of funding through funding agencies.
The improvisational model for managing change will be used in this project. It fits well due to the open-ended nature of the project. Continuous improvement will be required and the school must be able to adjust to any changes in the state curriculum that may occur with time. Support and evaluation will also be ongoing.
The hardware and training needs will not be enough to sustain continuous improvement. In order to successfully implement and continue the improvements in technology within this school, training must be in place that will prepare administrators and teachers. Administrators will need to address school-wide issues such as technology planning, purchasing, and evaluation. At the classroom level, the teachers must be able to use technology to maintain inquiry based teaching as well as management of the classroom. As a result of this separate training, the school will be able to handle future changes as they occur.
This model also includes processes that will enable the school to respond to changes as they occur. This will involve the planning and advisory team and the evaluation teams. These unanticipated changes will offer other opportunities if they can be managed efficiently. Once proper on-going training and evaluation is in place and hardware needs have been met, the systems involved should be able to respond to further changes as they occur.
Although the additional technology and training will exist within the school building, other systems will be involved. The change will affect the school (administration, teachers, students), the families, and the funding agencies.
For the school, there will be new training requirements for teachers and administrators. The technology infrastructure will be improved in each classroom. School pedagogy will continue to be inquiry based with new integration of computer skills. Students will be engaged in integrated lessons on a regular basis.
Administrators will need to address new evaluation procedures as well as a purchasing process. The Board of Directors and Parents will need to support the ongoing and future processes that will be needed. Long term technology planning will be in place and input must be collected from the families, funding agencies, and teachers.
As a result of the proposed changes, this charter school and its community will approach learning with a perspective that sees technology as an integral part of education. It will use technology as a tool as well as a medium to challenge students to learn through inquiry and experience.