![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.learningaloud.com\/blurts\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/noun-crisis-4066757.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nI have long been a supporter of K12 technology. I think a lot of pro-tech types thought that the COVID situation of 2020-2021 and the related required greater use of technology would generate systemic change. This does not appear to be the case and there may even be a bit of a backlash. The “Zoom experience” was often blamed for boredom and what seems to be multi-month learning loss. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I have been reading a book about educational reform and Horn makes the following observation about crisis and change. Horn claims that studies of leadership during crises show that crises are great for increasing the availability of resources, but not for creativity applied to solutions. He describes what he thinks happened in educators responding to COVID, but also the newspaper industry as ad revenue was suddenly diverted to online posting. Those in leadership doubled down on what they knew and the pressure from the need for an immediate response. They put the stories that would typically go in the paper online often behind a paywall and they tried to run classes online as if they were in a face-to-face environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Horn suggests that studies of the response of organizations to challenges show that organizations need a separate group focused on innovation allowed to work independently from those who would normally control decisions. This separation allows a broader focus and more flexibility in the generation of suggestions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Horn, M. B. (2022).\u00a0From Reopen to Reinvent:(Re) Creating School for Every Child<\/em>. John Wiley & Sons.<\/p>\n