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'Change' Leadership Through Technology
'Change' Leadership Through Technology
Introduction
Introduction
When it comes to technology changing the classroom, school or district culture, there is a lot that teachers can do to influence change. Technology is a tool, not a subject. There are ICT outcomes, but the tools are not specified and the instructional strategies or pedagogy are left to the teacher to choose. Much like differentiation for students, staff have common goals that can be reached through various path of technology integration in their curriculum.
We know the boundaries that we have to play in, and teaching staff have the opportunity to try and showcase the effective integration of new technologies and practices. The opportunity to push and prove the effectiveness of new tools and pedagogy is at an all new height.
In his book, Stratosphere, Michael Fullan talks about how technology has become a catalyst of change in the Canadian education system. With the possibilities of enhanced connectedness and engagement from modern technology, traditional schools are being challenged to integrate – which has pushed for changes outside the realm of technology – such as core curriculum, scheduling, classroom management, and the relationship between home and school.
In terms of change, he highlights four criteria of technology that need to be in place:
· Irresistibly engaging for students and teachers
· Elegantly efficient and easy to use
· Technologically ubiquitous 24/7/
· Steeped in real-life problem solving
The technology becomes one of three necessary elements of change. A change in pedagogy is necessary to make the technology truly integrated and effective, using approaches of differentiation or cross-curricular instruction as an example. The final element is a knowledge of how to encourage and manage change.
Module Activity
Module Activity
Develop a virtual Personal Learning Network to continue your interest in technology integration and staying on top of trends and research. A virtual PLN does not mean you have to contribute, it is simply a collection of professional blogs or journals that highlight your interests. We started this is Connected Classroom, but this is an opportunity to make it more substantial in terms of its impact.
Find a collection of technology-related sites that match your interests, find a tool that allows you to receive automatic feeds or updates from these sites, and you have a Personal Learning Network. If you want to take it to the next step, joining a network and become a participant in an online community of practice.
Tools like Feedly or Flipboard may be useful, but so can any social media platform - just try something that focuses you professionally.
... or Project Extension
... or Project Extension
Using your project as a catalyst, develop a plan to take your school (or even a segment of the school) in a particular direction with technology integration. This is your opportunity to dream big and promote your ideas. Remember, community/parent support can do a lot to fund projects, administrative support can do a lot to open doors, and peer support is essential to gain momentum outside your classroom walls. Your plan can take any form, provided it has a set of defined goals, actions steps, and a timeline.
Read about the role of digital leadership in transforming education - even if you aren't a principal.
Sometimes we need to sell the idea of change, and an inspirational video can be effective.
envisioning-the-future-of-education.pdfThis infographic shows the progression of classroom technology well into the future.
Bill Gates has been doing a lot of work through the Gates Foundation in education, but his focus tends to be more on teachers and less about technology.
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