Component 4: Engaging Stakeholders
Component 4: Engaging Stakeholders
Just like a family is made up of different individuals whose presence and contributions all add value to it. As the leader of my institution involving all stakeholders was key to accomplishing my vision since they too have a role to play in ensuring the smooth running and success of the organization.
Transforming the educational landscape within any learning institution requires input from various sources. Such a huge undertaking cannot be done by the leader alone but should involve all stakeholders in the initial planning process.
Who are these Stakeholders you may be wondering?
- Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training
- Principals
- Teachers
- Parents
- Business Community
Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training
Teacher
Teachers on the other hand, are responsible for providing technology-enhanced instruction in the classroom by modeling and checking that students are comfortable and competent while using the technology. Therefore, the support of leaders is integral to ensuring this process runs as smooth as possible.
To facilitate this, I enlisted the help of my Information Technology Coordinator (ITC) , my administrative team, Erdiston Teachers' Training College, and the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training to assist my teachers in navigating the technology. Training sessions were facilitated in and outside of the institution to ensure that students and teachers benefited fully from the hardware and software in their learning and teaching.
Parents
Part of my role as an educational leader is to foster a collaborative relationship with my parents, therefore correspondence was sent to parents, about PTA and Year-level meetings where parents were notified about the technology plans for the institution. Parents were also included in the technology experience via online tutorials so they too could interact with the technology software. Personal emails were assigned to parents so they could be constantly updated on their children's progress. They were also given periodic reports on their student's attendance, deportment, extra-curricular achievements, academic performance and infractions using the OpenEMIS software.
Business Community
The business community was not left out. These are the future employers of the students in my institution. Therefore, they were encouraged to jump on board with my vision. It was my aim to advocate for their inclusion in my initiatives. Their support was critical so I made contact via letters, emails, calls, and meetings. Many businesses through sponsorship; and internships supported the institution's vision. They offered monetary rewards and scholarships and provided opportunities for students to showcase their knowledge of the technology; and their work.
These partnerships are critical in supporting an institution's initiatives.
Click here to read the article from 2020 about the partnership between Internet company Digicel Barbados and the Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training at the launch of free access to elearning platforms on Digicel's network.
Also read the article here on Digicel's continued support of government's technology initiative during the pandemic period.
How was stakeholder involvement beneficial to my educational institution?
This continuous collaboration among stakeholders deepened our partnerships and support for my team and the institution's vision.
It
also positively impacted the dynamic between leader and staff since it
also helped "develop employees and improve performance. It also
effectively enhanced employee motivation, engagement, and productivity." (Warrilow et al., 2020)
Having the opportunity to give feedback at staff and department meetings was appreciated. Teachers expressed seeing changes in students' attitudes toward their work, where greater interest was shown in many subject areas. Students improved their grade levels as they began to excel in the various subjects that were once considered boring or too difficult.
Each stakeholder is important in the educational system. It is imperative to understand that without this cohesion, goals are very short-lived or are not reached at all. Collaborative sessions need to occur to establish these said goals and to determine the best way forward which should have positive outcomes.
ReplyDeleteI concur with your belief of the importance of the business community. These organizations can host career showcases even through technology virtually and expose the students to the diverse job opportunities that are available in their desired field. I thoroughly enjoyed this post!
It is definitely important to engage stakeholders in education. Education is Barbados requires a great amount of funding. Many educational leaders and teachers continuously complain, about the lack of funding for the needed educational resources. Therefore, it should be a priority of the Ministry of Education Technological & Vocational Training and educational leaders, to solicit financial assistance from stakeholders to assist in purchasing resources. Corporate Barbados can be approached to finance various ventures at the schools, in an effort to achieve the desired results for students.
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