Module 9: Final Reflections....

     This module "ICT Leadership in Schools" was a rather interesting, engaging and informative module for me. The various activities and the varying ways in which they could be done and the flexibility sure has enlightend me about new teaching strategies I can use in my classroom and has allowed me to get through the module as well.
     Leadership and team work is an integral part in creating change in any organisation and or institution and as I reflect on the module and on my practice I realise that the responsibilities and activities I have been involved in and practicing are those required for being a leader. As a Year level Head and a HoD, my colleagues have constantly teased me about being "Deputy Principal no. 2" and I have constantly shrug them off as I just want to simply be a teacher, an effective teacher. But I guess that I have been in denial and this module have forced to to face the reality that I am a leader and that I have leadership qualities and have been functioning as a leader in my school.
     Leadership is teamwork and to be effective the leader must first beleive in him/herself and in his/her vision and must be able to convince others to buy into and to share thier vision. Hence both the leader and the individuals involved must have a similar understanding of and share the vision and be supportive of each other and the change process.

      As a leader I realise that a Good leader delegates. A good leader listens and take on-baord the ideas and suggestions and criticisms of others and that a good leader engages all the stakeholders involved and has the responsibility of education them on the importance and value of the ICT vision that is shared.

 Taken from my E-Diary:

Question: Has the journey so far been smooth or hard going? The lessons that I have learnt so far?

Response:  As mentioned before in activity 9 in my E-Diary the journey through this course was a challenging but rewarding one. Despite my illness I was able to persevere and performed to the best of my ability and learnt a lot throughout.

Leadership is not only for those "in charge" like the Principal of the school but it is for anyone who has the capacity to get the support of others in accomplishing a common task. The articles read and the activities engaged in were very rewarding and based on what I have done I now have a different view of who or what a good leader is and the qualities of a good leader. 

 I have learnt how to negotiate, developed my interpersonal skills, my writing skills and also my ICT skills have been improved as well.

I am motivated to move on... the evolution continues...

Module 9 Activity 9: Creating a Shared Vision

For a shared vision, the individuals involved must hold/have similar understanding of the organisation/institution's purpose, its goals and abjectives. By asking questions, and learning to listen carefully to the answers, the sense of a shared vision grows as individuals involve dialogue, consult and execute.

To realise  the shared vision of ICT integration, it is very important that the leader(s) in the change process get the support  of all the stakeholders who must see the need to become involve in executing the change so that the vision  can be realised.