Adaptive Challenges
Adaptive challenges are complex and unique, not routine. They may require difficult learning processes, but it is possible to solve them. They may generate tension or seem like a good idea to avoid. They usually require a bit longer to solve, but effective leaders lead through the uncertain and complex situations that require experimentation and adaption.
Scenario
School X is experiencing a problem because the bank of tablets supplied by the district office is not being used. The principal is very nervous that the district technology co-ordinator will remove the tablets and give them to another school. At the e-Learning Committee meeting the general consensus was that many teachers at the school were not committed and were negative about the project.
Typically the change leaders work through a process shown in the template below, even if they do not do it all that formally. Read the suggested responses related to the above scenario.
A: Identify the adaptive challenge – the staff is divided about teaching with technology and many have not bought into the vision and therefore show no commitment to use technology.
B: Define the challenge:
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Current reality |
Describe the current situation. |
Divided staff, some teach with technology, some do not and make negative remarks about the use of technology, especially the time required to learn new skills. |
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What needs to change? |
Staff commitment, need the negative staff members to see the value of technology. |
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What needs to be retained? |
The positive staff who teach with technology, technology needs to be used |
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What are the best features of the reality that could help you build towards a solution? |
The fact that some staff do have skills and are setting a good example by teaching with technology. |
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Desired outcome |
Describe what success might look like to you. |
The staff who use technology pair up with non-users and support them to learn at their own pace in peer-to-peer collaboration. All staff are committed to the e-learning vision. |
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Is success dependent on others? To what extent? |
It will depend on embracing the resistance of the non-users and leading them to a change of mindset – this is critical |
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The Problem |
Review what you have written above and write a first draft of the problem statement. |
The problem is there is no collaboration between confident users and non-users. There is not sufficient ownership of the vision by either group. |
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Context |
What are the features of the wider environment that shape this issue? |
Change leadership has not succeeded in engaging staff in the vision building. Teachers do not have much time to learn new things. There may not be sufficient recognition for those who achieve learning with technology. |
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Who knows about this problem? Who is committed to a solution and how do key stakeholders see this? |
The SMT recognises this problem. Neither group of teachers consider this to be a problem, but the complaining group are emotional and therefore must be frustrated. Change leadership is committed to communicating and getting input about the vision. Resisting stakeholders will be engaged by the principal to understand their position. At this stage they are indifferent. |
C: Focus on the most critical elements
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Technical components |
What are technical components that can be solved with technical solutions? |
Can find technology support resources, and identify experts within the school to support others. |
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People |
Who are the people and how must people change for this problem to be solved? |
Expert teachers – must become more collaborative and supportive, must take ownership of the vision Complaining teachers (non-users) – must negotiate and commit to an achievable goal to start on the path with technology, must understand the moral purpose, later understand and support the vision |
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If there is conflict, where does it emerge? |
Teachers who do not want to commit resist, but no real conflict. |
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Conflict |
Do all agree with the vision? |
No |
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Do all agree with the goals of the plan? |
This will require one-on-one interviews to manage resistance. |
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Do all agree with the implementation of the plan? |
Stakeholders will re-negotiate the details of implementation. |
D: Action learning
In this stage you do the following:
- Develop an action plan to test new ideas.
- Talk these plans through with colleagues – new solutions may emerge.
- Carry through the new action plan.
- Reflect on and modify the actions.
- Report back to colleagues and explore which new ideas and possibilities have emerged.
- Your tutor will divide you into groups of three and create a discussion group for you to join.
- Each of you describes a real-life adaptive challenge you have experienced in your schools.
- Decide on one. Create an online collaborative document and copy the adaptive plan analysis template into the collaborative document.
- Work through the analysis process and develop an action plan for the challenge.
- Once you have completed this, share the link of your analysis and plan with the rest of the group by posting a message to them.
