An Ideal Way to Make Sustainable Change.

Introduction:

This paper addresses a comprehensive transformation at the writer’s organization in overhauling the content delivery system and the human activity examination system at the Saint Joseph’s Institute of Learning (SJIL) in a southeastern city in North America. This organizational change is drastic: To improve the ability of lecturers/teachers to write content for online course delivery and address the fragmented examination system. In this massive pilot project for organizational change, the writer will look at how SJIL should be changed to address the problem of content delivery. SJIL has 85 lecturers/teachers and 1700 students, full-time and part-time. The delivery system is face-to-face, but with the constraints of class scheduling and space to accommodate students, there are, at times, clashes of class schedules, and to compound the problem, many students are traveling far distances to reach classes. With this in mind, the writer seeks to transform course delivery systems and human activity/examination to encourage robust online learning and a smooth delivery system.

Description of work setting:

This is a private college that the government and religious institutes support. It is in a densely populated southeastern city in North America, predominantly comprising a low socioeconomic community. The college is backed by volunteers and donors who contribute their time and resources for fundraising activities. The student population is around 1,700, with a female-to-male ratio of 15:1. The faculty and staff include 85 lecturers, five paraprofessionals, 15 full-time custodial workers, nine office staff, a guidance counselor, a vice principal, and a principal. The college offers various successful programs that cater to the needs of students and the community, such as a 3-year full-time day college, a 4-year part-time/evening college, early childhood education, primary education, health service, community service, and job placement service.

Our college provides education and promotes evangelism, all while striving for excellence in service and stewardship to prepare our students for careers in teaching. We place great importance on fostering a strong relationship with God, promoting dignity, cultivating a sense of community, emphasizing professionalism, and caring for the earth. Our policy is to build a school community that supports the harmonious development of everyone.
Different programs, such as the college feeding program, clubs, curriculum, and technology programs, are assessed at the writer's workplace. Internal and external researchers gather data for research using surveys, questionnaires, interviews, and pretest/posttest data from student teachers. The institution employs various methods to collect data, including employee personal data sheets, confidential student records, and software called 'The School Manager,' which keeps track of lecturers' and students' accomplishments.
At this institution, a research review procedure is in place. This involves the principal, vice principal, and lecturers meeting to discuss research or evaluation issues. They function similarly to an Institutional Review Board (IRB) to protect human subjects—the head of the institution, the principal, grants permission to conduct research. The institution's data is stored physically and digitally in the administration building. Anyone wishing to conduct research on-site must provide a letter of identification introducing themselves and detailing the purpose of the study, the data needed, and the collection method. Consent letters must be sent to parents of any human subjects under 18. The administrator will consult with board members if the research pertains to policy.

Literature Review:

Incorporating technology into transitioning from face-to-face delivery to distance learning can significantly improve the experience. Many activities previously conducted in person can now be replaced with technology-driven, more user-friendly alternatives that enhance distance learning students' knowledge and teaching experience. However, some teachers may be hesitant to embrace the different pedagogy required to deliver content at a distance and may require more preparation and support. Due to this, educators need to lead the revolution in technology-based instruction. Studies have shown a significant correlation between face-to-face and distance content, academic achievement, and the use of technology in both modes. Despite this, there are few incentives for teachers to pioneer technology integration in education, and they may also worry about the time commitment required to adapt to new teaching methods. Each concept must be carefully explained in distance-based courses utilizing technology-driven activities, unlike in face-to-face delivery, where teachers can explain bits and pieces. Change is inevitable during any transition, but integrating technology can significantly enhance the distance learning experience. Two studies have found a significant relationship between face-to-face and distance content delivery (Wright, 1997; Marchese, 1996), and several other studies have examined the relationship between academic achievement and technology use in both modes (Baker & Hale, 1997). Despite this, few rewards or incentives exist for teachers to pioneer technology integration in education (Baker & Hale, 1997).

Change is inevitable in any transition. Most distance-based courses have a hierarchical structure, where each item is a link in an activity that covers a single concept (Novak, 1996). Actions can be more detailed for face-to-face delivery because the teacher is present to explain them. However, each idea must be carefully explained using technology-generated activities for distance delivery. Teachers often fear the time commitment required to pioneer new teaching methods (McKinnon et al., 1997).

Incorporating computer technology into education is becoming increasingly crucial for delivering online content and enhancing the learning experience. Teachers use programs like Microsoft Office PowerPoint, Excel, and Word to present concepts, while students can use visual models and word processors to complete assignments. This provides drill and practice opportunities for students, which helps to improve their thinking and creativity. Unlike teacher instruction, which can become tedious over time, computers motivate students to continue learning (Smith, 2015).

Educators with experience have brought about notable improvements in academic performance and learning, ranging from early childhood education to higher education. The persistent integration of computers in education has made complex ideas more accessible to students who may have difficulty comprehending the subject. For instance, utilizing computers for math problem-solving has been a successful teaching technique that allows students to express their thought processes (Hirumi, 2005).

Saxena (2013) outlines the benefits of technology in education, including collaboration and resource sharing for teachers, early development of research skills and quick access to quality information for students, availability of credible online resources for both teachers and students, and the credibility of online learning as an option that allows students to work at their own pace.
Transitioning from face-to-face to distance content delivery can help teachers incorporate technology into their lessons and create activities that closely resemble real-world scenarios. For instance, word-processing technology can help students improve their writing and critical thinking skills. By revising and editing their work on a computer, students can focus on expressing their thoughts rather than worrying about handwriting, spelling, and grammar (Hornbeck, 1990). As educators learn more about how technology can support student achievement, they will be better equipped to choose the right technologies for their schools' specific needs. Overall, integrating computer technology into education has many benefits, and it is changing the way we view education. Every organization strives for excellence, but positive and negative factors can influence success or failure. Identifying these challenges and finding appropriate solutions can minimize or eliminate them. To uncover these issues, a needs assessment is one of the first steps that should be taken. This assessment can also determine if an organization/program's current policies and practices are relevant and practical for its needs. According to Anglin (1995) and Dick & Carey (1996), a needs assessment has five essential components: Optimal, Actuals, Feelings, Causes, and Solutions. This paper defines a need as a gap between the desired and existing results, or "what should be" versus "what is." Based on this definition, the focus will be on the optimal changes that should be made to SJIL.

To succeed in any transformation process, it is crucial to engage stakeholders. Hynes (2019) asserts that when an organization is transparent and trustworthy, stakeholders feel a sense of belonging and a shared vision. SJIL recognizes the need for transformation and is dedicated to addressing it. The satisfaction of teachers, students, and the community is vital to the success of this project. Therefore, project leaders are committed to informing stakeholders throughout the process, whether through formal or informal conversations. Effective communication with stakeholders is essential to building and strengthening trusting relationships, which is crucial for project success. Mariconda and Lurati (2015) researched stakeholder agreement regarding the impact of issues on each other. Their findings identified the central problems and stakeholders with the most shared opinions on issue relationships. This method can improve traditional segmentation techniques used by corporate communication and public relations practitioners to better understand an organization's complex environment.

Organization of Change at SJIL:

Change does not just creep up on an organization; change occurs through innovation and theory put into practice to arrive at a favorable outcome. The existence of a problem calls for a clear definition of that problem – look at the causes, think of possible solutions, determine the answer by careful evaluation, implement the solution, and then observe and review the outcome. If an organization remains static, then great moments of opportunity will pass it by. An organization must keep up with the latest innovations, which are crucial to sustaining success in the long term. To appropriate a change, an organization must design, implement, and measure the success of an organizational change. Organizational change management breaks down the change process as follows. First is the diagnosis, then the design, next is the delivery, and finally, the evaluation, which begs the question: How do we know the change is worth it? How can it be assessed? Moreover, how successful is the change? In the diagnosis of change, a change is needed when the organization experiences performance or an opportunity gap. Organizations establish goals and objectives. The questions are: What is the current situation? What would be the likely outcome? Performance is typical when an organization is not performing up to expectations or as much as its competitors. The opportunity gap is instead an assessment of the organization’s plans to be competitive. The change process depicts two forms: a top-down/bottom-up and a slight change/abrupt change type. The top-down, bottom-up is defined as changes from top management down or from employees up to top management. The small incremental changes will not be harsh on the organization’s systems, as they target small components for modifications. The radical change will disrupt the entire system, which is drastic and overwhelming. The top-down, bottom-up change requires buy-ins from all the parties involved. While many proponents will contemplate the ideal way an organization should make a sustainable change, Studies have shown that consistently implementing small, well-planned changes is the most effective method for creating meaningful and long-lasting organizational transformations. Over time, these incremental changes build upon each other and produce a compounded effect, resulting in significant progress (Kavanaugh & Tarafdar, 2021).
The Goals of the Program:
1. To empower educators to create content for distance learning.
2. To enhance the skills of teachers in adapting content from traditional classroom settings to remote delivery.
3. To assist teachers in selecting the most suitable media for distance learning activities.
4. To enable teachers to design content activities that align with the interactions between students and materials, students and other students, and students and instructors.
5. To establish a website for the courses offered as a reliable resource for teachers.

The Program:

Teachers will have their course syllabuses available for face-to-face delivery and will categorize each activity as student-student, student-material, or student-instructor interaction. Teachers will select the most appropriate medium from various options to deliver the exact instruction via distance mode. A website will be developed, and a model course will be placed online for distance delivery. Teachers can compare the corresponding face-to-face activities with distance delivery activities to see which media were selected. There will be a lab class where instructors will discuss each activity and its delivery for face-to-face versus distance mode. Teachers will rewrite the content of the model course, initially written for face-to-face delivery, for distance delivery. A model transitioning of a system will be available as an example. Teachers will first deliver their course content in person and then use a sample model course to transition their written content to a distance delivery format. A mentorship system will be established to support teachers. Teachers can receive training on content transitioning for four weeks, with four hours per week (16 hours) available.
The question being researched is whether there is a significant difference in teacher transitioning skills before and after completing training. To determine this, Pretest and post-test data will be collected through questionnaires, surveys, and observations. After completing the program, the writer anticipates that 75 out of 85 teachers will demonstrate a competent transition to distance mode.

The research design chosen is pre-experimental, specifically a one-group pretest-posttest design. This design evaluates whether the program effectively enables teachers to transition content from face-to-face to distance delivery mode. The program will use technology and be implemented in a college computer lab. Instruction will be delivered through a networked lab with a computer-generated projector and interactive guides featuring program objectives, instructional materials, instructor and learner activities, methodologies, activities to be completed, and assessments.
Both pre and post-tests will be conducted to ensure reliability and internal validity. However, it is essential to note that this approach may have limitations due to unforeseen events between the two tests, potentially impacting internal validity. Furthermore, there may be instances of "instrument decay" when human observers provide data for a learning process. More time may have passed between the pretest and posttest, leading to accurate results.

Sample:
We will use a convenient sampling method to select participants for our study. Out of a population of 500 teachers in the island's Teachers' Colleges, we will choose 85 teachers. All selected teachers have a minimum of a first degree in their subject area and are proficient in English. While only 25 out of the 85 participants have computers at home, all participants have access to a computer at least five times per week for at least one hour per access. Participants will be informed of their right to withdraw, and we will not tolerate deception. We also ensure that no participant will be ridiculed for poor performance. To maintain confidentiality and anonymity, we will keep participants' grades confidential to a certain extent.

Data Collection: Instrumentation:
We will create two tools to meet the study's goals: an interview/questionnaire and an observational schedule. We will send these to field experts for content validation and make any recommended changes. Then, we will fine-tune the instruments and pilot-test them.
The survey will contain 20 questions, while the structured interview will have 10 questions. The survey will be split into two parts. The first part will ask for personal information like teaching experience, gender, and emotional skills. The second part will ask questions about the challenges related to transitioning content. A five-point Likert-Scale tool will be utilized to evaluate effectiveness. It should take about 20 minutes to complete the entire survey. The interview schedule will contain ten questions about difficulties encountered in transitioning content.
During the observation schedule, participants will be assessed on how they use various technologies and the skills displayed in transitioning content from the model content while working in the lab. Lab observations and journal entries will be used to determine confidence levels. Observations will occur once a month, and records of participants' performances will be collected for analysis.

Analysis:
We will analyze the data using descriptive statistics like frequencies, mean, range, standard deviation, variances, and correlation. The results will be presented in tables and graphs. We will compare pretest and posttest scores using a dependent T-test for paired samples. Additionally, the writer will maintain a journal to document any unexpected outcomes.

Procedures:
The transformation will begin in August 2023 at SJIL, located in a southeastern city in North America. The first step in the process, which will take place in June 2023, involves selecting a sample. The second step includes developing instruments and collecting data through a pretest. Step three requires organizing the work area for training sessions. In July 2023, training will commence, and ethical principles related to research with human subjects in the writer's work setting will be discussed.
In step five, participants will receive software use training and become familiar with an online platform called Course Info (Blackboard.com). Implementation will begin in August 2023, and participants will participate in program exercises. They will be educated about the significance of their involvement and the writer's role in the program's implementation. The implementation will last four months, from the first week of August 2023 to the last week of November 2023.
During this time, participants will view a model course demonstration of the content transition from face-to-face to distance delivery. They will then practice transitioning while the writer observes each participant. Participants will use selected course(s) to put online. At the end of the training sessions, the participants will do a posttest, and their final task will be to put the complete course on a distance education platform called Course Info (Blackboard.com).

Expected Outcomes:
After the implementation period concludes, an evaluation of the courses taught by the 85 teachers will indicate that at least 75 of them utilized email for teaching purposes as measured by a task checklist. Additionally, all 85 teachers will have gained the necessary word-processing skills to input content accurately and efficiently, as assessed by a task checklist. Furthermore, all 85 teachers will have had practical and sufficient exposure to transitioning content from face-to-face to distance learning. They can also choose the most suitable delivery medium for distance instruction. By the end of the implementation period, at least 75 teachers will feel comfortable using assessment tools for distance learning, as measured by an assessment tools checklist. Finally, all 85 teachers will have demonstrated their ability to use computers to support online course delivery, as assessed by a competency 10-point scale checklist.

Conclusions:

Teachers and lecturers will learn how to create and use computer software to develop content for online courses as part of their training. The goal is for teachers to become skilled in transferring their content onto platforms such as blackboard.com. The training will consist of 10 to 15 sessions, each lasting 2 hours, covering topics such as how to use the Blackboard course platform and word processing software. All teachers and lecturers are required to attend and complete skill exercises. The Curricula Production Team (CPT), comprised of subject matter experts, media specialists, and administrators, will assist teachers in organizing course materials and choosing appropriate media to enhance the learning experience. Upon successfully converting their technology-mediated courses for distance delivery, teachers will receive a compensation of US$250. In addition, a General Course Site will be created as a source of information for teachers and students, with teachers linking their respective course URLs to the website. (Note that appendices are not included.)

Takeaways:
Following the significant transformational change, teachers and lecturers will shift their teaching from in-person to online distance learning with complete precision. After the implementation period, an assessment of the courses taught by the 85 educators will show that at least 75 of them used email for instructional purposes. Additionally, all 85 teachers will have acquired the essential word-processing abilities to enter content accurately and quickly. Furthermore, all 85 educators will have gained ample hands-on experience transitioning from in-person to distance learning.


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