This e-book represents an enthusiastic foray into digital tools’ use in a graduate leadership class. During the 2017-2018 academic year, leadership education graduate students implemented activities that demonstrated mastery of leadership knowledge and skills. Through high class engagement, developing personal leadership philosophy statements, interviewing effective leaders, and analyzing leadership case studies, future leaders practiced learned leadership competencies. The Franklin Covey Center (2017) posits that:

We live in a fast, up-tempo, modern economy that requires competencies such as initiative, communication, collaboration, responsibility, critical thinking, creativity, and productivity. In the world of education, these are 21st-century leadership skills (http://www.theleaderinme.org/information/what-is-the-leader-in-me/21st-Century-Skills/).

Change leadership provides an introspective lens into the art and mastery of leadership by exploring leadership research and supporting theories. Authentic leadership activities connect leaders to followers and facilitates self-awareness.  It is important to be able to demonstrate initiative and creativity in safe learning environments and reflect on that learning. Schon’s theory of reflective practice suggests using multiple opportunities to practice skills that are being learned. Reflective practice facilitates the acquisition of improved introspection, communication skills, and personal development.

The assigned collaborative project for this year was the development and production of an e-book on change leadership. Implementation of this project required title selection, content development, project management and production scheduling. The underlying goal of this project was to use today’s technology to improve learning.

In implementing this project, the class partnered with the Winona State University Library and Ms. Kendall Larson, the Digital Collections and Initiatives Librarian.  Ms. Larson provided a live demonstration and training of Pressbooks online platform. The partnership with the library was a viable connection for understanding how to use digital tools to complement learning.

The contributing authors expressed excitement about participating in a project that put collaborative leadership in action. Change Leadership, as a course, changed for the better with the richness added through becoming a technology-enabled course. We are happy to share these new leadership voices. Enjoy.

Barbara Holmes, Ph.D
Associate Professor
Leadership Education
Winona State University