Getting Started with the Idea Readiness Tool
The Idea Readiness Tool is divided into three sections. It is important to review each section in the order presented to receive the full benefit of the Idea Readiness Tool.
- Assessing a School Community’s Readiness for a New Idea
This section includes a very brief checklist to identify a school community’s level of readiness for a new idea (i.e., Innovator, Majority, or Late Adopter). - Key Strategies to Gain Support for a New Idea
This section includes key strategies for moving forward with a new idea. The strategies are tailored to the different levels of readiness as identified in Section 1. - General Resources for Supporting a New Idea
This section provides a list of general resources that can be used to support any level of readiness for a new idea.
The checklist typically takes 3-5 minutes to complete. It can be completed by an individual or as a group. It can be completed in a single sitting or returned to again and again.
If you are unsure how to best complete the checklist, it may help to complete it along with someone else who is also familiar with the school community (e.g., principal, administrative staff, teacher, or parent who is actively engaged). If you are still unable to select an option, leave the response section for that row blank.
No level of readiness is better than another; each level provides a starting point for launching your new idea. It is also important to know that a school community may be one level of readiness for one idea and another for a different idea, so it is important to come back to the checklist for every new idea.
You will notice that the descriptions in the checklist sound very similar from line to line. This was done on purpose to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of your target school group and its innovation characteristics.