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Identify the part(s) of your plan you were able to implement (given the nature of leadership work, your project may actually continue beyond submission of your Capstone Portfolio).
Identify the part(s) of your plan you were able to implement (given the nature of leadership work, your project may actually continue beyond submission of your Capstone Portfolio).
My action plan had six major steps. So far I have been able to implement about 5.5 of the steps. The first step was to determine the structure of the new BEA website and create an outline for what the new site would look like. I was able to do this part relatively quickly. I looked at other Association websites from around the state as well as the old BEA website for ideas and came up with a format that made sense. The second step of the plan was to meet with the BEA’s tech consultant to figure out the logistics of the website transfer. I met with him and got the necessary information to proceed with creating the new website. Step three, which was creating the actual website, was the most time-consuming part of the process. As I created the new website, I had to track down many different relevant documents, photos, and information. I re-worded many sections and fact-checked information to make sure it was still relevant. As I created the website I paid close attention to ADA compliance and copyright rules to make sure the site would be inclusive and fully legal. I then met with the BEA President to get his feedback on the site. I watched him scroll through the site so that I could identify any sitemap problems. I was able to identify a few and revised the site to flow more logically. I also met with the MFPE Field Consultant, who advised me to make a few documents and forms more private to protect our Association’s business. I made those changes as well. I then contacted the tech consultant to publish the website. After some unexpected delays and challenges, he was able to get the website transferred. It is now live. I have received feedback on the website from a variety of individuals, but because it is summer, I have not yet had a chance to survey the Building Reps to get their thoughts on the website, which is why I say I completed 5.5 of the 6 steps in my action plan.
How successful was your action plan at addressing the challenge?
How successful was your action plan at addressing the challenge?
My action plan thus far has been successful, in that I was able to create a better resource for Association communications. The real test of this will come this fall when teachers are back in school and looking for BEA updates more frequently. The initial feedback I have received from those who have looked at the website has been extremely positive.
Do Artifact 1
Do Artifact 2
Do Artifacts 1 and 2: Text Messages with BEA Board Members. The BEA President and Board Members looked at the website as soon as it went live. They were enthusiastic about the new format and the new features.
Which stakeholders and association practice or program were impacted?
Which stakeholders and association practice or program were impacted?
Our BEA members and Building Reps will benefit from the new website, which is now much more navigable, accessible, and modern. Moving forward, our Association will be able to post information to the website regarding current events, political endorsements, and upcoming action items. This will aid with Association communication and give members more agency in the BEA.
How do you know (cite evidence)?
How do you know (cite evidence)?
I have received very positive feedback from those who have viewed the site so far. In addition to the responses I received from the BEA President and Board, our MFPE Field Consultant was excited enough about the website to email some of the top MFPE officers and staff. I received several very nice emails in response to her email (Do Artifacts 3-6). I also consider the project a success because the new site is much more accessible, useful, and attractive in format than the old site.
Do Artifact 3
Do Artifact 4
Do Artifact 5
Do Artifact 6
Do Artifact 7
Do Artifact 7: New BEA Website. This screenshot of the new website shows the upgraded, more modern look of the site. This screenshot is hyperlinked to the new website as well, if you would like to explore the site in more detail. Creating the website helped me grow in all four of my chosen competencies.
How were your four chosen competencies used in the implementation of your project?
How were your four chosen competencies used in the implementation of your project?
In creating the new site, I practiced the leadership competencies of communication and technological facility constantly. I thought carefully about how to design the site so that it would make logical sense to others (Do Artifact 8: Pages Menu), and worded messages carefully on each page. I also learned new tech skills as I created the new site and worked to transfer forms, photos, and messages from the old site.
In thinking about how to explore and challenge inequity as I worked on the site, I learned more about ADA-compliance and considered that at each step of the process. I also thought carefully about other ways to make the site more inclusive and drafted a Land Acknowledgement for the homepage of the website. This Land Acknowledgement was more challenging to write than I expected, and I consulted with one of our District’s Indian Ed for All coaches for her input on my statement. Writing that statement was a very valuable learning experience for me.
Finally, for my leadership pathway - Association - Organizational Effectiveness: Leading with Skill - I became more confident in my ability to spearhead projects for the BEA. I learned that half of leadership is simply being persistent, following up, and doing the work. I feel that this project will move our union forward in a positive direction and I look forward to continuing to grow our organizational capacity.
Do Artifact 8
Do Artifact 8: Pages Menu. In designing a website, something as simple as deciding the placement of different pages on the website involves very important and complicated choices. I carefully considered everything that I wanted to incorporate into the site, making my decisions based on what was on the old website, what I saw on other unions' websites, and most importantly, what the members identified as their priorities in my original needs assessment survey. I was able to come up with a few overarching categories and then placed subpages underneath these main page headings. The screenshot featured here shows the editor view of the full menu list and hierarchy. I made a few changes to the order of the hierarchy throughout the process. After I watched the BEA President and MFPE Field Consultant browse the site without my guidance, I made a few changes to make it flow more intuitively.
This process of designing the site's menu helped me grow in the area of "Technological Facility," by growing in my understanding the ways in which various members might be naturally inclined to use the website, as well as in the area of "Association - Organizational Effectiveness: Leading with Skill," by ensuring that the website would highlight the messages necessary to recruit and engage members - such as making the "Join" button easy to find and information about the benefits of membership prominent.
Do Artifact 9
Do Artifact 9: BEA Calendar of Events. One need that rose to the top of my survey was the need for an up to date calendar of events for Building Reps to reference. I created a Google Calendar of important BEA events, so that I can easily keep it updated in the future. Creating this resource helped me grow on the Association pathway of "Organizational Effectiveness: Leading with Skill," as it will help engage members in the union by empowering them to participate in events and highlighting the different ways our union serves our members.
Do Artifact 10
Do Artifact 10: Land Acknowledgement. The Land Acknowledgement now appears on the homepage of the BEA's website, so it is one of the first things members will see when they access the site. My hope is that this statement will send a welcoming message to any members of our association who identify as Native, and it will help to inform all our members about the BEA's priorities, and remind website visitors about the tragic history of genocide that is tied to the land and people of Montana. Writing this statement and including it on the website was a small step I felt I could take to actually challenge inequity publicly, rather than just explore it personally. I also feel more equipped to write similar statements in the future to be used in other situations. In composing this statement, I grew in the areas of "Communication" and "Explore and Challenge Inequity."
What obstacles, if any, did you encounter? How did you address them?
What obstacles, if any, did you encounter? How did you address them?
The biggest obstacle I encountered was at the end of the process when I was attempting to publish the site. The BEA’s tech consultant was out of town unexpectedly, which posed a challenge to my ideal timeline. Because I was very eager to have the site go live, I was persistent about following up frequently; however, communicating via email was a bit of a challenge.
Given the outcomes, describe any changes you might make to the Capstone Project’s action plan.
Given the outcomes, describe any changes you might make to the Capstone Project’s action plan.
The one thing I might change would be the timeline. After I created a draft of the website and showed it to the BEA President, I should have immediately contacted the tech consultant to publish it. However, I was being a little bit too perfectionistic and continued to make small changes for longer than necessary. That put the site’s publication into a tighter timeline. When dependent on others, a tight timeline isn’t ideal. Other than that, the rest of my action plan was pretty straightforward and worked well.
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