Home Leadership Solving Wicked Problems: When Details Matter (Part 3)

Solving Wicked Problems: When Details Matter (Part 3)

by Miguel Guhlin
funding

In the previous blog entry in this series, I shared two approaches to obtaining funding and resources to solve wicked problems, 1) The Conversation that Results in Action and 2) Executive Summary. In this final installment, we will explore the long proposal format.

When details matter, and there are many stakeholders who will need to review a project prior to implementation, you will want to take advantage of the standard proposal format. The brief version of the proposal format includes certain elements of the longer form:

  1. Proposal
  2. Research
  3. Cost
  4. Registration Process
  5. Give Back.

Proposal
This proposal recommends that Ardent ISD fund attendance at the TCEA 2017 Convention & Exposition taking place February 2017 in Austin, Texas for 200 principals and/or ESSA instructional specialists. Administrators play a pivotal role in determining how well technology is used in our schools. Enabling administrators to attend the conference enables Ardent ISD to define what administrators need to know and be able to do in order to discharge their responsibility as leaders in the effective use of technology in our schools.

[inspirational quote that summarizes the importance of professional learning for campus instructional leaders]

Research
School leaders, especially at the campus level, need access to professional learning opportunities that help them to better understand the best uses of technology in educational settings. Some research regarding the role of the campus principal and leadership…[include bulleted list of research points]. Based on this research, as well as others not cited here, it is clear that the role of the principal in affecting use of technology in classrooms is incredibly important.

Cost
The cost of sending approximately 200 staff is based on a cost of $285 for every 10 staff members. For 200 participants, the cost is $22,800.

Registration Process
To register campus leaders for the TCEA 2017 Convention & Exposition, the Office of Instructional Technology Services will take the following steps…

Give Back
Participants at the convention will be expected to facilitate presentations at the Ardent ISD Tech Unconference to be held in June 2017.

For the longer proposal format, the headings appear below. As you might imagine, it can be quite tedious to fill out and plan all the implementation details. That aside, I have never had a “long form” proposal declined because it is overwhelmingly powerful. I often think of this as the dreadnought battleship approach to getting things done.

  1. Goal
  2. Vision of What Successful Implementation Looks Like
  3. Background Information
  4. Content Area Focus
  5. Professional Learning
  6. Implementation Phases
  7. Key Areas to Implementation Success
  8. Implementation Timeline (which includes a table with action step, office/staff responsible, and a completion date)
  9. Appendix (with information such as):
    • Readiness Checklist
    • Hardware/Network Assessment

Solving wicked problems can seem impossible. But often, it requires the strategic application of one or more approaches outlined in the “Solving Wicked Problems” series. Make the effort and you will see the results.

Join the ongoing TCEA Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) SkypeChat via your mobile device or online. Explore and share concepts at the intersection of teaching, learning, leading, and technology.

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