Project Summary: Application: Planning for Change Reflect on the skills you have practiced in the previous modules for this course. You have identified current issues in education. After determining some of the problems related to these issues, you searched for and critically analyzed literature related to those problems. Informed by scholarly research, you narrowed the focus of a topic to a problem and determined possible problem statements for scholarly inquiry. In this module, you have revisited those problem statements, identified key stakeholders related to a specific problem, and determined essential questions that you will ask stakeholders in order to inform a positive change. You have considered how you must identify, inform, and involve many stakeholders in any plan to effect a positive change. Although many individuals have the ability to identify problems, leaders in education are those who take action to improve situations or solve problems. For this Assignment, you will apply these skills to address a problem related to the case study you have been exploring throughout the course. What problems have you and your colleagues identified as you have explored the case study together? Select one of those problems that you would like to investigate further in order to effect a positive change. Assume the role of the leader planning the positive change related to the problem you identify and consider the steps you might take, and how they might inform an action plan for change. Then, download the Action Plan Template located in the Learning Resources section. Use the template as a guide to assist and organize the different items that you need to investigate in order to move the plan for change in a positive direction. QUESTION: Submit (of Module 5) a 2- to 3-page paper in which you identify the change you would like to implement and explain the plan you would use to bring about the change. Be sure to address all the topics outlined in the template: goals, actions, time frame, stakeholders, and an evaluation strategy. Also include relevant resources that you have located in the library. Note the strategies you, as a leader in education, would take to facilitate change related to the problem you identified. Explain your rationale for the strategy you are proposing. _____________________________________________________________________________________ VIDEO TRANSCRIPT 1: Leading Change in Education Program Transcript SHANE FAIRBAIRN: The change I focused on in my research study and in my dissertation process was improving educational outcomes, or improving virtual education for students in rural areas. My passion to help children, because I was a teacher, and a reading coach, and academic coach, helped me drive that because I saw these children who, for one reason or another, weren't able to go to a brick and mortar environment. And I thought about how could we understand the barriers and what works for them and help improve the quality of their educational outcomes through virtual education. Or enhance the opportunities that they already have in the brick and mortar environment. And knowing that my work could eventually improve the educational outcomes, it helped me because I knew that there would be a social change. I knew that when I got finished, I would be able to move forward and help develop programs and initiatives to improve their educational outcomes. SUZETTE HENRY: Walden's focus is on positive social change in education. And I certainly wanted to make a change in the educational field, which is why I decided to continue my education at Walden in the EDD program. And I focused on changing reading for adolescents. There's a big focus on reading in our country right now. And I wanted to make sure that I was out there helping to bring that focus to the local schools. In the middle school, or at the adolescent stage, is where students have to make that transition from learning to read to reading to learn. And I wanted to implement programs that would make that transition smooth for adolescent students. So as a positive change agent I took what I learned at Walden and implemented it in several local schools in my district to make a change for adolescents in reading. KENT WILLIAM THOMPSON: Positive change is, I think, the most important thing that drew me to Walden in the first place. Positive social change, if it's not happening, then our society is not going to be making the progress that we're looking for. So as I reflected on positive social change over the course of the program, I was constantly looking for how can I put my ideas out there for other people to use or how can I be the one to implement them. DENFIELD HENRY: It was very evident that the students I studied were having challenges. I entered education to make a difference, to have students achieve success. I wanted to know, how would I help these students succeed because they were having challenges. That motivated me to find not so much a cure, but 2015 Laureate Education, Inc. 1 Leading Change in Education what strategies can I use as a teacher to help these students overcome their challenges. And that was my motivation. Leading Change in Education Additional Content Attribution Music: Creative Support Services Los Angeles, CA Dimension Sound Effects Library Newnan, GA Narrator Tracks Music Library Stevens Point, WI Signature Music, Inc Chesterton, IN Studio Cutz Music Library Carrollton, TX TRANSCRIPT I: _____________________________________________________________________________________ VIDEO TRANSDRIPT 2: Leading Change in Education Video Program Transcript [MUSIC PLAYING] KELLY JO WALTERS: Hello. Up to this point in the course, we have asked you about why you entered advanced graduate work and we have had you start to develop the skill sets that will serve you well in your program of study, and into your professional career as a scholar. In support of Walden's mission of social change, we will ask you to consider what kind of social change agent you wish to become as you enter and continue your professional career. As you go through this module, you'll be asked to identify an issue and create an action plan for social change. What stakeholders will you involve? What steps well you need to take in order to have an impact and create positive social change. Scholarship and service should not stop when you walk across the stage to receive your degree. As a scholar and researcher you are joining a group of professionals who seek to positively impact issues now and in the future. See you again soon. Leading Change in Education Additional Content Attribution Music: Creative Support Services Los Angeles, CA Dimension Sound Effects Library Newnan, GA Narrator Tracks Music Library Stevens Point, WI Signature Music, Inc Chesterton, IN Studio Cutz Music Library Carrollton, TX _____________________________________________________________________________________ Introduction Laureate Education (Producer). (2014j). Module 5: Leading the change in education [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author. Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 1 minute. (SEE TRANCRIPT OF VIDEO ABOVE) Accessible player Learning Objectives Students will: Evaluate effective leaders of change Evaluate stakeholder perspectives relevant to educational problems Propose leadership strategies for facilitating change _____________________________________________________________________________________ Required Resources Note: To access this week's required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus. Readings American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. o Chapter 1, Writing for the Behavioral and Social Sciences Braxton, J. M., & Bray, N. J. (2012, Winter). Introduction: The importance of codes of conduct for academia. New Directions for Higher Education, 160, 14. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases. Claudet, J. (2011). Leaders who make a big difference: Envisioning educational initiatives for positive social change. National Forum Of Educational Administration & Supervision Journal, 28(2), 7987. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases. Document: Action Plan Template (Word document) Media Student Interviews Laureate Education (Producer). (2014e). Leading the change in education [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author. Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 3 minutes. Student interviewees address how they focused on social change. Accessible player Optional Resources Fullan, M., & Boyle, A. (2010). Reflections on the change leadership landscape. Retrieved fromhttp://www.michaelfullan.ca/media/13435860580.html Gardner, S. K., & Mendoza, P. (Eds.). (2010). On becoming a scholar: Socialization and development in doctoral education. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing. Li, K., & Sinn, M. (2010). Teacher as the change agent: Implementation and impact of a learner-centered approach in testing argumentative essays to senior secondary ESL learners in Hong Kong. International Journal of Learning, 17(4), 595612. Rylatt, A. (2013). Three qualities of highly successful change agents. T & D, 67(7), 7274. Swing, R. L. (2009). Institutional researchers as change agents. New Directions for Institutional Research, 2009(143), 516.