This video captured my attention as it was posted in 2009. The publisher predictions are right on path which is impressive. It prompted me to look through some of my Key notes and presentations I have done on the use of technology and future of learning at Conferences over the last five years and not a great deal has changed.

So, I started to ponder and think of the reasons why? There are obvious reasons of course such as the management of content, device challenge, cost, connectivity, 20th century curriculums, evaluation of learning, governments etc. etc. . . .All important.

But I wanted to focus on the people challenge within schools to embrace change, new technologies and bridge this digital divide, and by this I don’t mean the teachers. I’ve been lucky in my career to work across many UK, International and local schools in the Middle East and across the world and have had the privilege of working with some inspiring colleagues.  Their willingness to go the extra mile for their students and wanting to do their best is to be admired. Of course I’ve seen bad ones as well, really bad ones but are they to blame? Of course yes some of them are if they haven’t taken on board support or advice, but others don’t know what they don’t know, and don’t get supported. No wonder teachers don’t like change.

So, then I thought about leadership in schools…ahh now I may be on to something. Again, I’ve been fortunate to work across many schools and in many cases 1:2:1 with superintendents/principals and facilitated many international leadership programmes. When I started to think about and name what I would consider ‘great leaders’ in schools I could only probably count them on one hand. Of course I’ve seen great qualities in lots of leaders but not necessarily those that are going to promote a risk taking coaching culture, collaboration, evaluation for improvement and not accountability in schools. Consequently, on the International scene even in my time I’ve seen positions filled in schools by leaders, only to see them on too many occasions leave a couple of years later and move on to their next international challenge. On paper they look great. Paper I said, not electronic portfolio.

This has left me a little deflated and disheartened for our future digital leaders. Where are they going to come from (I know you’re out there) and when will the climate be right to empower them in these leadership positions? We need to create a risk-taking culture in our selection process in order to create a similar climate for embracing change and maximizing current and new technologies. Of course I am generalizing a little, and on the whole our current leaders do a great job under extreme pressure. The pressures of leadership in a school are quite considerable with the focus on exam results, inspections and pretty much all of Fullans ‘wrong drivers’. It’s a tough tough job.

In the meantime, as the video shows, the pace of change continues and I just hope for the sake of our students we do the same. We need to innovate a new system of change leadership and recruitment not try and fix the current system. Innovating a new system, we need, crossing the chasm, is difficult, but has a promising future. My next blog will focus more on the future of learning both in an education and corporate world.