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Using CBAM as a Guide to Implement iPads into Alexander School!

My Challenge is to implement a plan to use a set of 30 iPads in a K-7 school Alexander School. The plan needs to respect the abilities, current perceptions and attitudes of all members of the learning community. For this implementation plan I will be using the Concerns-Based Adoption Model or CBAM as a guide for its development(Hord, Rutherford, Huling-Austin and Hall, G. 1987).! Background: In my time as an employee at School District #79 Cowichan Valley, I have had the opportunity to be active in various initiatives dealing with technology. I have been a Senior Secondary Information Technology teacher, a teacher of a Laptop Classroom, a school technology representative and a technology mentor. I have always thought this district to be progressive in its use of technology and am pleased to be a part of it. !

Some of our school district K-7 computer labs are running Apple eMacs that have been around since 2002. While somewhat functional, some machines are failing as they age. Currently, there is no plan to upgrade the older labs. The decision has been made to equip schools with iPad Minis rather than new computers. For teachers who are used to traditional computer labs with physical keyboards, software and mice, this shift may be seen as difcult. Some teachers who are not happy to use technology in the rst place are feeling nervous about having to use a whole new type of device.!

I myself lament the loss of a computer lab. What about all those activities I already do with students? With remote desktop I can view, control and take control of all the lab computers, what happens now? What about websites that use Flash? As an early adopter myself, even I see many limitations. !

! What is the Concerns Based Adoption Model?! !

Anyone who has been around the education system long enough has lived through the newest, best and greatest initiative mandated by district administration multiple times. Teachers will learn about the new initiative, receive training in the form of professional development and may be provided resources. All too often though, these initiatives are used too briey, not widely accepted and fall away into the ether along with other district initiatives of the past. There could be a new way of teaching math, improved methods of assessing students or tools for enhancing student learning. Initiatives fail to take root for many reasons. Perhaps teachers do not fully comprehend what they are supposed to be doing, do not feel supported or do not feel any attachment or personal connection to the implementation of the initiative.!

The Concerns Based Adoption Model or CBAM is meant to address the challenges of implementing a new educational reform so it is successful and has long-term sustainability (Hall and Hord 2011). CBAM recognizes that change can be an emotional and

personal experience. It is meant to bring people at all levels of the initial engagement to a place where the new initiative becomes the lasting norm.!

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In my experience what has often been overlooked when a new initiative has been implemented is the attitudes and ideas of the people on the ground and who are required to adopt that initiative as practice. CBAM has three diagnostic dimensions that empower leaders with the knowledge of the attitudes of staff so they can provide them in turn with the resources and mentorship to ensure success.! CBAMs three diagnostic dimensions are as follows:! 1. Innovation Congurations! 2. Stages of Concern! 3. Levels of Use! In this paper I will outline how the three diagnostic dimensions can be used to implement the use of iPad Minis in a K-7 school. My conclusions and graphics are based on my understanding of CBAM through the research I conducted using the references listed at the end of this paper. What I have written is not through experience, but rather considering potential outcomes. The entire process is meant to take years and with the hope that the school district would support team building and mentorship within Alexander School.!

! Innovation Congurations:! !

Innovation Congurations will set the tone for what the practice will look like when it is in daily use. Thus, when iPads are being used, there needs to be an understanding of what that will mean and look like. Currently, all of our teachers will use iPads differently. Some of our staff will not use them at all, some would use only the software applications or internet and very few have the condence to use the iPads in a way that provides students with meaningful experiential learning. With the Innovation Conguration, staff will work together to achieve an understanding of what some of the best uses for iPads will be. The staff team will need to work together to create what is called an ICM or Innovation Conguration Map.!

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For the creation of the Innovations Conguration Map, leaders and staff members will need to get together to decide what the Ideal Conguration of the iPads looks like. Together there will have to be discussion of three key questions, adapted from (Hord and Hall 2011):! 1. What do the iPads look like when they are in use?! 2. What would you see in classrooms when the iPads are being used well? Also ! when they are not used well?! 3. What should teachers and students be doing when the iPads are in use?"

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From this discussion, the team will try to understand the different components of the iPads and how those components can be used in various ways. Then they will create an ICM with three categories. The categories are named Ideal, Acceptable and Unacceptable. Under the Ideal category the team will have created a list that compiles what is currently believed to be best practices with the iPads. Under the Acceptable category, practices are listed that may be somewhat successful, but not best practice. Finally, under the Unacceptable category, the team has agreed upon and will list how the iPads will not be used. !

The Innovation Conguration Map is meant to establish expectations and goals, create ownership and enhance condence in the use of the iPads. In order for the ICM to work, it has to be a living document. The team will have to recognize that the map requires continuous teamwork, information gathering, eld-testing and revision (Hord and Hall 2011). As a living document, it will live for years and in those years the team members will report their progress. As one of the leaders of my team it will be my job to interview and gather team members together for the continuous revision of the ICM. ! "

Note: In Figure A, I have created a potential Innovation Conguration Map as an example to illustrate this dimension.!

! ! Stages of Concern:! !

What can be a determining factor in the success of an initiative is the attitudes of the people involved. The leader needs to nd out what the concerns are and understand them in order for implementation to be positive. By ignoring negative thoughts or not understanding why my colleagues may be hesitant about using iPads I would be dooming the iPad implementation from the start. Quite simply, initiatives fail if people do not nd their passion or interest in them. !

Having interviewed some members of our team already, I have found that there are people are different stages of concern. The Stages of Concern dimension of CBAM organizes people into levels of concern with the initiative. The Stages of Concern are broken into four categories and inside those categories there are 7 stages.!

! Below is an explanation of the categories and Stages of Concern:! ! !

Category A Unrelated: The rst category is referred to as Unrelated, where the person in this case is not interested in the use of iPads. ! Stage 1 Unconcern- This would be a person who is unconcerned about iPads and does not have a desire to use them in the classroom. This may be a person who is very comfortable with their current practices and does not really want to participate.! Category B Self: The second category is referred to as Self, where the person is concerned with how the iPads will affect themselves personally. This can also be known as the Me category. ! Stage 2 Informational- A person at this stage will be open to iPads but does not have the comfort to use them in the classroom. People at this stage are information gathering and interested in learning more.! Stage 3 Personal- A person at this stage is considering how iPads will affect themselves and their practices. !

Category C Task: In the Task category, the person moves away from questions with self and begins to explore the role of the iPads in their classrooms. This can also be called the It category, the it being the iPad.! Stage 4 Management A person at this stage decides how they will manage with the devices. They will spend their time gathering materials and understanding potential uses and apps available for the iPads.! Stage 5 Consequence- After use of the iPads, this person is concerned about results and impacts of the iPads. People may ask themselves what apps may have worked our not worked and then consider changes.!

Category D Impact Together: In the Impact Together category a person moves away from being concerned with themselves and the impact of the iPads, to how they can

work with others to improve. As the categories are moved through, the process goes from Me to It to We (Serim 2013).! Stage 6 Collaboration- In this stage a person will share their knowledge, apps and success stories. An understanding will develop of what works and what does not work.! Stage 7 Refocusing- As iPads are now in use and the program is fully operational in the school, the team concerns itself with improving practices with the iPads. ! "

Note: In Figure B, I have created a visual meant to illustrate the Stages of Concern for the implementation of iPads at Alexander Elementary. The ladder is meant to illustrate how a person starts at a lower wring and will then go up through the Stages of Concern.!

! ! Levels of Use:! !

As the implementation of the iPads begins, members of the team will be at different levels of use with the iPads. One of the strengths of CBAM is in the understanding that

people are at different levels in terms of condence in using the iPads. Once the leaders determine the Levels of Use for the different users though interviews, different strategies can be used. It is important that during the implementation, teacher leaders play a large role in ensuring that a person starting at the lowest Level of Use receive adequate mentorship. The Levels of Use dimension therefore organizes peoples abilities into levels, with the understanding that each team member regardless of where they begin the implantation process will all eventually arrive at the top Level of Use. !

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As was the case in the Stages of Concern Dimension, the members of the team are categorized. This time there are two main categories, the Users and Nonusers. Within those categories are 8 levels. Below is an outline of the levels with descriptors and potential thoughts a person at each level may have. ! Nonuser Category:! Level 1 Nonuse- What is an iPad? Some sort of foam-rubber cushion? The person does not use iPads and has no experience with one.! Level 2 Orientation- Ive tried this but I need help, Im not very techie. The teacher is at the beginning stages of learning to use the iPad.! Level 3 Preparation- I think I could work with this, where is the teachers edition? The teacher has accepted the iPad and has committed. Now they are preparing to use it.! Level 4 Mechanical Use- Okay class, today is the same as yesterday. Go on the Maps app and nd Moose Jaw. The teacher is using the iPads with limited focus on diverse methods of engagement.!

User Category:! Level 5 Routine- Okay class, lets do a project on monkeys. Lets use Safari for research and Keynote for slides The teacher has now moved beyond only day-to-day use and condent enough to use iPads for more long term projects.! Level 6 Renement- Our project on monkeys was successful, but lets nd ways to make it better. The teacher is able to make enhancements in their use of the iPads.! Level 7 Integration- Mr. Smith and I have been working together on a project involving monkeys that involves the use of Keynote, iMovie and eBook Creator. As condence improves, teachers collaborate for enhancements.! Level 8 Renewal- Lets think outside of the box, what else can these be used for? The team questions whether there are new and other directions to go with the iPads.!

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To help decide who is at what level, people of the team will have to meet, mentors will have to interview and self assessments will have to be made. With all of this information, team members will need to invest themselves in the project and mentors will have to dedicate themselves to help develop the team.!

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Note: In gure C I have created a table that gives a visual example of the Levels of Use Stated above.!

! ! Considerations:! ! !

For the implementation of iPads into Alexander School, CBAM is a way to create a team, set goals and understand challenges. For CBAM to work, it will take years. The teams will have to continually meet, individuals will have to buy in and there will need to be support at the district level. ! After all the Diagnostic Dimensions are considered, there has to be real and thoughtful planning into methodology and resources. The team will work together to decide what

apps and hardware they will want to use and why. They need to decide what content would best t into the use of the iPads. The team will need to look into pedagogical challenges and differences when using such a device. Potentially, TPACK (Kimmons 2011) could be used to consider how to t content, pedagogy and the technology of the iPad together. !

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Any technology costs money as well and the iPads are no exception. There will need to be budgets set up. Potential costs could include professional development, apps and hopefully the purchase of more iPads if the implementation is successful. !

References:!

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Hord, S., Rutherford, W., Huling-Austin, L. and Hall, G. 1987. The Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM): A Model for Change in Individuals. [online] Available at: http:// www.nas.edu/rise/backg4a.htm!

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Hord, S., & Hall, G. (2011). SEDL Store - Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM). Retrieved December 16, 2013, from http://www.sedl.org/cbam/! Serim, F. (2013, February 15). Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) and Digital Learning [Video le]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JovqU3SD7o! Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) | AEA 267 Assessment. (n.d.). Retrieved December 19, 2013, from http://www.aea267.k12.ia.us/assessment/concerns-based-adoption-model-cbam/! Kimmons, R. (2011, March 22). TPACK in 3 Minutes [Video le]. Retrieved from http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wGpSaTzW58!

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