The Full Story
Influencer Strategy
Introduction
To implement an ePortfolio as part of each course of the business Department will be challenging. Historically, Albania's ministry of education has not encouraged distance learning and has failed to enact legislation to codify the rules surrounding online learning.
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Interestingly, the Covid-19 pandemic opened a door to offer a glimpse of what is possible with distance and blended learning in Albania. Although distance learning is once again not encouraged in Albania, an ePortfolio will try to bring the best of both worlds to the Epoka university students.
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The strategy that I am proposing to implement regarding the ePortfolio would allow the Business Department of Epoka University to reach the following milestones:
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Courses in the business department will adopt an ePortfolios as part of their curriculum within the next two years.
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Business professors will develop a learning agenda that inspires students, gives them a voice, and makes them engaged.
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Students will be more aware, more inspired, and more engaged in each subject.
Finding Vital Behaviors
We used the following four key strategies to identify the vital behaviors that we wish to change:
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Notice the obvious: Historically, Albania ministry of education has not welcomed any distance learning form. However, the covid-19 pandemic showed what is possible through distance and blended learning.
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Look for crucial moments: With the experience of distance education many students and professors took advantage of different online tools to deliver content and assignments. With the move away from online education in Albania, an ePortfolio will allow students to keep having the advantages of an online presence without breaking the Ministry of Education’s mandate.
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Learn from positive deviants: Building on the skills obtained during the pandemic’s online education period will make the ePortfolio experience richer and an example for other departments and education experiences.
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Spot culture busters: Albania’s response toward the development of technology and innovation has not been consistent with the country's objective for becoming a member of the European Union (Zavalani, 2016). However Albanian youth are very aware of the technological advances around the world. A successful ePortfolio implementation could be an example for other departments and educational institutions.
1. Desired Results:
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Courses in the business department will adopt an ePortfolios as part of their curriculum within the next two years.
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Develop the learning agenda that inspires students, gives them a voice, and make them engaged
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Students will be more aware, more inspired, and more engaged in the subject.
2. Vital Behaviors:
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Faculty in the business department will integrate an ePortfolio into their curriculum.
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Faculty will review, measure and reflect with students on progress
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Faculty and administration will meet to share improvement, challenges and tips.
3. Measuring Results:
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The e-portfolio body of work will be evaluated and offered feedback by the instructor and report results.
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Administration and faculty will determine integration levels of the ePortfolio with the course curriculum and will report results.
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Results will provide feedback to improve implementation.
4. Organizational Influencers:
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University rector
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Dean of Business
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Course professors
Six sources of Influence
Motivation
Whether you want to do it
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Training professors and administrators about the positive impacts of implementing an ePortfolio in the business department.
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Identify where current curriculums are fallen short and could benefit from an ePortfolio
Ability
Whether you can do it
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Provide professors training on how to implement the ePortfolio, how to use it in educational environments, and for internships and job pursuits.
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Give professors examples of ePortfolio implementation in similar courses
Whether other people encourage the right behaviors
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Have guest speakers that hold sessions about implementing and using an ePortfolio. Include success stories where students have gotten interesting internships and jobs because of their ePortfolios.
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Distribute guides through brochures and posters about how to market your ePortfolio to potential clients and employers
Whether other people provide help. information or resources
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Facilitate regular meetings with faculty to answer questions of ePortfolios integration
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For students, organize student team groups to help each other in case of questions
Whether the environment encourages the right behavior
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Post positive reports of ePortfolio usage.
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Include effective ePortfolio use as part of faculty appraisal system
Whether the environments supports the right behaviors
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Increase the number of computers in lounge areas and computer labs.
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IT ensures wifi is reliable in every building
Personal
Social
Structural
References:
Grenny, J., Patterson, K., Maxfield, D., McMillan, R., & Switzler, A. (2013). Influencer: The New Science of Leading Change, second edition (2nd ed.). McGraw-Hill.