Band+Aids?

So, what'd you think of that book? What do you think of his conversation about Band Aids and the power they have to move something forward cheaply and efficiently? Can you draw parallels in your role as a tech leader?

Marc Gilbertson- Band-Aids are great. They are a simple, elegant solution to a problem. But like many of Gladwell's analogies, he leaves you kind of hanging. Band-aids, they work well but sometimes, of course, they are just a cover up for a more systematic problem. I really like the basic framework Gladwell lays out. I have already started looking for mavens, connectors, and salesmen to help with change. Especially, as we roll-out our first iPad cart. I am thinking much more about how to "sell" the product in a way that will get people to think about their teaching and perhaps question some of the old methods. Still, just after writing about Band-Aids Gladwell suggests that change comes from people who "question their intuition"that sounds good but when I think about it, it is not that easy to do. What intuitions should I question? and which do I need to keep in place to make me function as a teacher?

Matt: Marc, last year we introduced our own iPad cart, and it was a big success. This year, its primary job is to catch dust. I think this is because the teachers were never introduced to the equipment, so they could not grasp the various uses of the tool. I recommend "selling" the iPads, but I would strongly encourage some PD for the teachers, maybe even have a handful of pre-developed lessons for teachers to use upon implementation of the tools.

M

Renee: Matt, how was it a big success the first year? What happened from the first year to the second year? You mentioned that there wasn't enough PD for teachers, so how was it so successful the first year? (Just curious - we are introducing an iPad cart this year in our K-2 school).

Matt: Renee, the first year there was the novelty of using them, but they weren't being used in a way that transformed learning. This year, because the novelty has warn off, and the teachers don't seem to have a real knowledge of the tool, they have been set aside for the next "cool" tool. If the teachers were properly trained, they'd know how to integrate them into their rooms, after the "wow" factor has warn away.

Marc: Matt-thanks for the great tips--- I am reveling in the "Coolness" this week--- I am working on a Superbowl commercial with one of the media specialists--it should be a fun way to sell it. I'll start putting together some more PD and pre-developed lessons--thanks again for the tips.

Heather Bellavance: I completely enjoyed The Tipping Point. I actually would consider choosing it as our book club selection next time it is my turn. It was perfect for easing me into “scholar mode”. It gave real life examples of things seemingly unrelated to technology or even education. However upon closer look there were many connections to be made. I too appreciated the band-aid concept; my favorite quote described it as “solving a problem with the minimum amount of effort and time and cost”. I think we will be more successful in moving people and organizations through change when we can show big gain with less effort, time and cost. People are more likely to embrace change when they both believe in the change and see it as attainable. Of course the necessary human resource components are the connectors, mavens and salespeople that were such an important focus of Gladwell’s work. At this point, I think my role as a leader in technology is simply to begin asking questions of the folks who work in our building. I try to initiate conversations about what is currently happening and where people see themselves moving.

Emily - I also really enjoyed this book, and have recommended it to my principal already! I find myself thinking and looking for the stickiness in lessons and units, and looking for those "powerful few" around me. Actually, as I was working on creating my very first Prezi to share my leadership interview, I found myself pulling another teacher into the room to check out what I was learning. On the spot we brainstormed how we could each use it with our students and agreed that she and I would meet so I could show her how to use it (or at least what I'd figured out so far), I'd have my students explore it, then we would set up a period for the 5th and 6th graders to buddy up and teach a 3rd or 4th grader. I feel like this was kind of a Maverick move. I think keeping in mind the elements of an epidemic will help me to promote tools and methodologies which I feel could inspire and enhance learning, moving them toward the tipping point. I also found myself drawing connections between my schools implementation of the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) model and Gladwell's book. Our goal was to decrease amount of office referrals and build up the school climate. The team established three goals, or expectations, to be respectful, responsible and ready to learn. We had a celebration to share with students, got key stakeholders on board through meetings, workshops, presentations, and such. We give out hands (our sticky point) when we can recognize students demonstrating behavior that demonstrates respect, responsibility or readiness, and celebrate success along the way. The climate at our school has grown more positive overall, office referrals have gone down, we work toward a common goal, and I feel like we've reached a tipping point where the norm now is for students to model behaviors that meet the expectations and all faculty is on board using the same language, holding students to the same standards, and celebrating success. It is an epidemic of appropriate behavior and has improved our climate.

Matt: Emily, I love the idea of connecting the 3 and 4 graders with the 5 and 6 graders, but I've found that it's best to go into this with the idea that some of the younger students may teacher the older students. Or, as it happens in my 4-6 community, the most powerful learning is collaborative.

Jamie: The central tenet of the text was interesting to me because of the many analogies between actual events and the explanations, though sometimes incomplete, were sufficient to understand his main point. One difficulty I had with this novel was that oftentimes, I had to think about the connection to my classroom, which makes sense because this was not aimed only at educators trying to teach a new generation of thinkers. However, I am lucky that I don't have to use too many band-aids at my school, but sometimes, like dealing with our laptop issue (and lack of), I do have to just get through each class. Isn't technology in our schools a form of band aid that enables this generation of learners to gain knowledge? I know Gladwell says that band aids aren't always a bad thing, and that's true. But they are always a temporary fix. Technology is always changing, and in some ways I would argue that each new tool is just a band aid in the same sense that text books were-they fix the current problem until the problem is solved, or until it becomes too big for the band aid and needs something else. My analogy-and though I don't see myself as a tech leader in my school (that's my principal-she runs it all), I would argue that I am constantly looking for something to expand the student's demand to learn-and that's technology for me on a daily basis. It makes class fun for students who wouldn't regularly think this.

Suzanne: I really enjoyed reading the book. I have been introduced to different parts of it through my critical friends group over the years. Yet it takes on a different meaning when one reads it from cover to cover. I can see the connections to school, to students and to using technology within the classroom. However, I wonder about keeping pace with the "All". Some of us can not afford to keep up within the technology race, others have more money than any of us could dream of. Some schools are in low income areas and just passing a school budget is a challenge, never mind about asking who has a computer at home or not. I enjoy adding in technology when it is applicable but at times I find the personal touch goes along further in the lives of these kids. I find that I need the connectors and the emotional ones at times much more than I need to expose them to technology that they may never have a chance to own or to use outside of the school walls. For many it is a struggle to come to school everyday, when they deal with negative influences at home and all around them.

Matt: Jamie, the fact that technology "makes class fun for students who wouldn't regularly think this" is often over-looked. I know we need to aim for redefinition but, for some students, just getting them excited about anything school related is the goal. Of course, once we have them hooked, we can sneak in some pretty great learning.

Matt: I enjoyed re-reading //The Tipping Point// with a more intentional focus; I missed the connection to my professional life when I first read it. I appreciate Gladwell's variety of examples and explanations (his usual format), but I wonder, if we wanted, could we use every successful and failed business, every change in society, as an example of a tipping point in action? As for band-aids, they are great, as long as they are used properly: They're for small cuts, the cut needs to be monitored under the band-aid, and one band-aid should not be used to cover other failing band-aids. So long as these guidelines are followed, the band-aid is perfect for its job. Unfortunately, this can not always be the case. When a person can't afford to get to the doctor's or hospital, a bunch of band-aids have to do. Still, there's a point when too many band-aids will cost more than a trip to the doctor's or hospital. I would say the exact same thing is true regarding technology in education. band-aids are fine as a short-term solution or to fix a small problem, but we should be looking for long-term solutions when we can. With that said, we need to make sure we're planning ahead whenever we can to prevent the use of band-aids.

Amanda: I enjoyed reading //The Tipping Point//. I have also read //Outliers// and enjoy Gladwell's seemingly easy way of pulling out the threads that make clear and interesting connections that on the surface seem to make sense. Like a few other people have discussed, this is a great entree into thinking about the big ideas of how to construct a plan that will hopefully help us create our own epidemics around Technology. Over the last few weeks I keep returning to some of the points Gladwell made in his book about The Law of the Few, the Stickiness Factor, and the Power of Context. When I have time, I really would like to sit down and do a mind map of the people in my school and how I would categorize them, and also think about ways I already have an influence on the environment in my school and what ways I can manipulate it to my advantage. As for the Stickiness Factor, I think this get at the heart of our discussion this week about the challenge of finding the right tools to support the growth we want to see with our students and teachers. This seems to be the most challenging to me at the moment.

I am spending a lot of time these days thinking about The Stickiness Factor. We are working with our Admins by talking about Technology Integration and also "forcing" them to try new tools and practice new skills by putting agendas in a shared Dropbox or asking them for them to share their ideas in a shared Google Doc, etc. and trying to use them both as Connectors and Salesmen. We are starting with them in hopes that they can model these skills, but also help us manipulate the context by contributing to a culture where using these tools and skills is part of our environment and is seen as a important and necessary. Wish us luck!

Lauren- __The Tipping Point__ is certainly an excellent selection to get one thinking about creating change, especially in a place like a school where creating change might be difficult. What has resonated with me from the ideas presented in Gladwell's theory is that small, sometimes seemingly insignificant things can cause something to "tip." These small things may not be immediately apparent, so when trying to introduce a new tool, concept or initiative, I may need to try a few different avenues before finding one that works and causes the "tip." As others have stated, Gladwell's style is easy to read and understand. His examples clearly illustrate his theory, although I had a harder time with the examples in chapters six and seven. When thinking about the Band-Aid factor this statement stood out, "There are times when we need a convenient shortcut, a way to make a lot out of a little, and that is what Tipping Points, in the end, are all about" (Gladwell, p. 257). Shortcuts and making a lot out of a little sometimes can be the norm in an education setting. We are often short on time and resources. Finding those little changes that can tip the change is crucial as long as the short cut doesn't eliminate the learning goals. Finally, I need shift my mindset. Gladwell writes, "What must underlie successful epidemics, in the end, is a bedrock belief that change is possible, that people can radically transform their behavior or beliefs in the face of the right kind of impetus" (Gladwell, 258). I struggle with how to work with teachers who don't embrace technology. I often feel it is a lost cause. I guess I just need to keep on working different angles, find those salespeople, mavens and connectors who can help move those teachers forward. If nothing else, reading the Tipping Point has made me realize that I don't have to do this alone. Although I am the tech educator, it is ok and probably necessary for me to engage others in my efforts towards technology integration.

Megan Maynard: The book was definitely a quick read and I really enjoyed it because of the history and facts. It really made me look at my faculty in a different lens. I catch myself walking down the hallway and labeling the other teachers’ as mavens are, the connectors or salesmen. It is very interesting to see the number of salesmen at our school (not just about technology programs). He gave me inside on the three rules of an epidemic. It is very important to consider the Law of the Few, Stickiness and the Power of Context. I think Gladwell makes a great point about Band Aids. It is a cheap, effortless way to make an immediate solution. When Band Aids do not work, it is often because of the complexity of the problem. Sometimes Band Aids could ignore parts of the problem, which in turn can cause more problems in the long run. Band Aids can be good and bad. A good example that comes to mind is the epidemic of Google Documents. This was the quick, efficient way of sharing information that helped alleviate compatibility issues and solved a significant need.

Renee: I liked this book in that Gladwell gives many examples of the theories he is presenting (even if he did drag them out a bit). That made it much easier for me to visualize and conceptualize his ideas. It was encouraging to learn that an epidemic can start with a modest, but focused effort of a few people. I used to have this quote by Margaret Mead posted in my classroom, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” As far as Gladwell’s conversation on Band Aids, I am all for solving a problem with a minimum amount of effort, time and cost. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not a lazy person (and as I re-read that sentence I felt that’s what it was saying!) I’ve just seen many discussions, in-services, staff meetings, where the group has been trying to discover a comprehensive answer to our problems. I have found over and over again that this is very unproductive. I’m not really a “look at the big picture” kind of person. It overwhelms me to think that way, and makes me feel powerless. I like to focus on the details, and if using a Band Aid can help me or others to move forward, let’s use it! Of course ignoring the root of the problem may cause us to want to buy stock in Band Aids in the future, but in using them perhaps we will create a Tipping Point that solves our comprehensive problem?

Erica: I really enjoyed reading this book. The thing I really took out of this book was that even a little thing can cause a big change. I think this idea will work well in schools that need improvement in technology. His way of describing a band-aid was quite interesting. He says that the band-aid is an inexpensive, convenient, and remarkably versatile solution to an astonishing array of problems (Gladwell, p. 256). He states that this is the best way because it solves the problem with the minimum amount of effort, time, and cost (Gladwell, p. 256). I think this would be a good solution to help teachers move more towards technology with little effort, time, and cost.  I think that my teacher I work with is making a big difference with technology in our school. She is great at helping solve problems that may arise with the posting information/pictures to the teachers blogs. She has shown me so many things that you can use in the classroom and in several different ways. She is always thinking of new ideas to use in the classroom and I think that she will help "tip" more of the teachers towards using technology more in the classroom.

Eric -- I really liked using the Tipping Point as a way to get us thinking about technology and leadership in large part because it doesn’t directly address our content. I think it helped pushed my thinking more than a straightforward text would have.

One more thought on the Stickiness factor is what if we were the stickiness. I mean that what if we branded ourselves so well that whatever you touched or became a part of was something your peers or students wanted in on...

Dan: I found this book fascinating and continue to discuss it with my long suffering co-workers. I found several specific things interesting. How your approach to a problem can completely influence the outcome. Going to Beauty Shops to get the work out about breast cancer, meet people where they are. This got me to thinking about our students and their technology. What do they currently embrace, where are they now? Can we expand on what they now use educationally? Instead of banning smartphones out of fear of cheating or students not paying attention in class, how can we be using the smartphones to further learning? Lessons on a Facebook page, banning Facebook in schools,,, lots to think about. Another aspect of the book that I found fascinating is the roles people can play in the spreading of information: Connectors, Maven and Salesmen. I have been identifying these three types of people here in my school as I undertake the next big educational technology situation I am overseeing. (more about that later, as it is not The Tipping Point Book relevant). I know that many of the ideas of the book are not wholly unique to Gladwell, but I found them well explained. The book could have used a little editing, as I felt the same point was made several times, but this is a minor quibble. I am glad to have read the book as it has changed (for the better) how I am thinking about my next new tech project here at school.