Boldwin International School's Annual Magazine 2014-2015 | Page 24

11. As a modern school, how did you manage the changes that happened by the integration of innovative technologies into the institution? We are proud to be the first school to fully integrate tablets into our educational system. We worked with publishers to convert books into interactive eBooks that work on tablet computers and students in addition to eBooks, enjoy a wide variety of educational games they use on daily basis to study, learn and have fun. The internet is also at the students’ finger tips, doing research on their tablets has never been easier. Suppose they didn’t understand a certain material, they can watch hundreds of videos on YouTube about it. We also teach students on multimedia software apps like “Photoshop”, where they can use their tablets to design graphics and artistic visuals, or edit pictures they have taken on their tablets or brought from the internet. This empowerment stimulates creative outcome, which contributes to the realization of BoldWin School’s purpose mentioned earlier. 12. How can you overcome the barriers faced by employees regarding the resistance of change? Change by nature puts us out of our comfort zone, and that is what teachers are experiencing at the moment. In this regard, there are two types of teachers: A. The Conservatives, who are usually the older generation and don’t use technology in their lives, they resist change whether or not convinced of its benefits, and on the other hand there is type B. The Early Adopters or Enthusiasts, who are usually young, tech-savvy and highly motivated. Those teachers (type B) are the advocates of Boldwin School’s vision, and are doing an amazing job in taking advantage of the huge opportunities at their disposal through the use of technology. They take initiatives beyond their scope of work and help this school realize important milestones. Those teachers face less discipline problems and are loved by their students. As management, we created a digital platform where team members can share their experiences and learn from each other, it also allows us to disseminate practical information to teachers in the right time. 13. What are the various motivational strategies that you are using as a manager at Boldwin International School? We consider the people who work at Boldwin School as Minds, Hearts, Souls and Bodies. The “mind” is motivated by learning and developing new skills and abilities. The “heart” is rewarded by love, respect, cooperation and the spirit of a family between colleagues. The “soul” is elevated when members believe they are part of something bigger than life and they are going to leave a legacy that endures far more after they’re gone. Finally, the “body” is greeted with fair compensation, physical and psychological healthcare. Having said all that, our motivational strategies thrives on targeting those four areas of our employees lives. ‫مدرسة بولدوين العالمية‬ 24