Thank you for visiting and showing an interest in learning more about educational change.
Educational change is a broad term that refers to both shifting paradigms within education and efforts of reform within education. The former is often a part of the latter, since most change within the field of education is initiated for the improvement of the institution. Similarly, shifting perspectives within the field of education are most often a result of an awareness of new ideas and new needs. The efforts taken to adjust to those new ideas and meet those needs can be categorized as educational change.
Michael Fullan is a worldwide authority on educational reform with a mandate of helping to achieve the moral purpose of all children learning. His methodologies are well known and widely used. Please see the Professional Resources page to view some of his publications.
Watch the following video to learn more about Fullan's idelogies on leading change in education.
Michael Fullan - Leading Change in Education
Please visit the Eight Elements to Promote System Thinking in Action page to view Fullan's eight elements that leaders must address to promote system thinking in action. Viewing all of the elements is very helpful when thinking as our role as reading leaders. I certainly agree in the power of networking. We must continue to learn from all of our networks, from the system and from school to school. Educators must have the opportunity to purposeful exchange for informational learning with colleagues. Leadership can happen in many different contexts and many different areas. We must reach out and seek out opportunities to transfer and implement new learning. When we network, our motivation and ownership is deepened which the article states is a 'key ingredient for sustainability of effort'.
Educational Change can be a difficult and complex process. Please visit the Thirteen Tips for Managing Change page for supportive suggestions. These tips are extremely helpful for reading leaders as they are able to see that change will not happen instantly. We must remember that problems can be our friends. This is a really good reminder as we journey through change. Implementing something new is not always smooth sailing and there are many bumps (problems) that can occur. I think approaching change with an open mind and a positive mindset are a great way to handle problems that may arise.
Please visit the Action Plan for Educational Change in Reading to see a sample action plan dedicated to growth in reading, specifically, in improving educators comprehensive literacy programs through collaborative inquiries. This will allow viewers to see how educational change can be introduced in our schools with a focus on reading improvement.
