Administrators Leading with Technology

Administrators Leading with Technology

http://podcastmachine.com/podcasts/13774

Characteristics of a 2.0 Administrator

Technology has changed the way that people connect with one another. Many students have a cell phone or smart device of some kind, and a Facebook, Twitter, blog, and/or social media account of some kind. The high volume of interaction between students and technology has shifted the way that learning takes place. Today’s learners expect a high level of interaction and immediate access to knowledge (Blair, 2012). As administrators and teachers, we must shift the way we help students learn by making use of the hands-on applications and devices that technology affords.  We must recognize the significant role that technology plays in our world and in the way our students learn and connect that learning to the outside world (Blair, 2012). This means that as administrators, we are responsible for paving a course that will allow technology-driven learning to take place in our schools.
            Principals that lead through technology have certain characteristics in common. First, they must be life-long learners (Grady, 2011). Because technology is an ever-changing industry, an administrator must always be willing to learn and grow in the area. This requires a passion for learning (Grady, 2011). This passion for learning can then be translated into a vision for the school that includes the use of and integration of technology as a means to achieve student success (Grady, 2011). Administrators who succeed at incorporating technology into the school’s vision will have an easier time holding stakeholders accountable for its use.
            Principals who are technology leaders must also be vigilant about creating an environment that fosters innovation and creativity (Demski, 2012). This is an essential component of successful technology integration because the course for technology use has not been fully laid out or established in many schools. Administrators must, therefore, be open and foster an environment that encourages teachers to find new and creative ways for using technology to achieve higher student learning. This may include changing school policies, rules, or norms (Demski, 2012).

            Another critical characteristic of a technology leader is that the administrator must be the poster child for the use of technology on the campus. He or she must set the example, wave the flag, and incorporate it in as many actions as possible (Demski, 2012). This is essential because teachers and other stakeholders will look to the principal to set the precedent for actions and attitudes regarding technology’s use and value. For example, if the principal wants teachers to use technology in lessons every week, but then does not recognize its use during an evaluation or walk thru, he or she is not supporting the vision for technology.  

            A principal must also be the individual who is leading the way for technology use by providing staff development for the team when it is needed (Grady, 2011). If a principal asks that teachers use technology in the classroom, he or she must assess the faculty need for training on that technology and provide resources to meet it (Grady, 2011). In doing so, the principal will create an environment that sets high expectations for teachers use of technology, provides ways to meet those expectations, and holds teachers accountable for following through on them every day.
            There is no doubt that technology is going to continue to change the way that teachers help students learn. The goal of an administrator is to be the vehicle that helps facilitate that process. The more instrumental a principal is in leading the way for technology in schools, the more likely the school is to find success through technology’s benefits.

  

References

Blair, N. (2012). Technology integration for the new 21st century learner. Retrieved from http://www.naesp.org/principal-januaryfebruary-2012-technology/technology-integration-new-21st-century-learner

Demski, J. (2012). 7 habits of highly effective tech-leading principals. Retrieved from http://thejournal.com/Articles/2012/06/07/7-habits-of-highly-effective-tech-leading-principals.aspx?Page=1

Grady, M. (2011, November 27). The principal. Retrieved from http://www.seenmagazine.us/articles/article-detail/articleid/1800/the-principal-8217-s-role-as-technology-leader.aspx

Watch this Interesting Video about What it Means to be a Technology Leader

Check out this great PowerPoint presentation adapted from Virginia’s Initiative for Technology and Administrative Leadership.

Leadership technology ppt

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