Audioblog on Leadership Principles in Technology

After having experienced podcasts in my previous class: Information Literacy in the Digital Age, I thought it would be fun to do an audioblog--especially since these are available free from this site! Also thought it would save on the eye strain! ENJOY!

Brigitte

For those who wish to read along as they listen to the Audioblog, below is the text:

Welcome to my audioblog. This is Brigitte Melton speaking.

This audioblog is designed for Dr. Coffman’s class on Leadership in Educational Technology at the University of Mary Washington. Dr. Coffman’s assignment asks for a review of Knowledge Loom’s nine principles of effective leadership in technology integration. The Knowledge Loom website was developed by the Education Alliance at Brown University. Funded by the Institute for Education Sciences in the U. S. Department of Education, Knowledge Loom was designed by educators for educators. Its purpose is to disseminate success stories in the area of technology integration. The Education Alliance is eager for our success stories too. Perhaps one day our stories will be part of the Knowledge Loom website.

The first of the nine principles is Vision. Leaders have it. Nothing can go forward and be successful without it. Homage is paid to Apple Computer’s Classrooms of Tomorrow Model introduced in 1985. The five steps teachers go through in learning to integrate technology into their instruction are entry, adoption, adaptation, appropriation, and innovation. So, basically, just like anything new, you approach it carefully and when you finally embrace it, you’re ready to become creative with it.

The second principle is Planning. The four steps are building the technology plan, obtaining the resources, implementing the plan, and finally, evaluating it.
Access is the third principle. Connectivity, ubiquitousness, interconnectivity, and equitable distribution are all important. For example, in 2000, the urban ratio of computers to students was 16 to 1, versus 7 to 1 in rural areas.

Integration is the fourth. Jack Mara, Associate Superintendent for the Maine Schools Administrative District, said that “administrators are the gatekeepers of everything,” and technology can never be fully integrated without their support, but teacher enthusiasm is a runner-up. In order to develop enthusiasm, teachers need training, incentives for participating, public recognition, and support in their schools, both technical and moral.

The fifth principle is Assessment and Evaluation. The general consensus is that technology use does better student performance on standardized tests. However, the implications for new forms of assessment are where the focus should be. Technology allows teachers to archive student’s work through electronic portfolios, chart student progress, get instant feedback, etc.

Support is the sixth. Support goes a long way toward generating teacher enthusiasm. Fortunately, our school has two state-funded positions that provide one person to ensure that the hardware works smoothly and another person offering in-house training and guidance so that we can breathe life into the curriculum through technology.

The seventh principle is Training. According to the U.S. Department of Education, schools should use 30% of their technology budgets for teacher training. The reality is that it’s more likely just a third of that. The focus of the training should be on technology integration. Basic skills are essential but most teachers work on their own time to develop these.

The eighth principle is Community Relationships. Many grants require partnerships with local businesses. Also, experts in the community can be invaluable to schools. Establishing schools as Community Access Centers allows those with no access to computers their only link to a networked society. Our school offers this program and it’s exciting to see parents get excited when navigating the Web. This experience will translate into future support for plans to expand technology integration in our school.

The ninth and final principle is Ethical Issues. Following legislative edicts related to intellectual property rights, accessibility issues, or confidentiality related to student records are all part of this. Establishing acceptable use of the Internet by students should also involve teaching them Netiquette.

I’ll end this audioblog by urging you to look at the Maryville Middle School in Tennessee. This is one of the success stories on the Knowledge Loom site. In this model school, where the ratio of students to computers is less than 4 to 1, learning is active. Students identify real-life problems and apply the STARS method to examine them. STARS stands for Students Thinking, Analyzing, Researching, and Solving. In addition, teachers, students, and the community all take part in the learning. In my opinion, Maryville Middle School meets all of the nine leadership principles for educational technology. Let’s get busy creating Maryvilles in Virginia!