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Since the past four have been so successful [last year we had 114 posts!], I am putting out a call for people to participate in Leadership Day 2011. To paraphrase what I said four years ago:
Many of our school leaders (principals, superintendents, central office administrators) need help when it comes to digital technologies. A lot of help, to be honest. As I’ve noted again and again on this blog, most school administrators don’t know
what it means to prepare students for the digital, global world in which we now live;
how to recognize, evaluate, and facilitate effective technology usage by students and teachers;
what appropriate technology support structures (e.g., budget, staffing, infrastructure, training) look like or how to implement them;
how to utilize modern technologies to facilitate communication with internal and external stakeholders;
the ways in which learning technologies can improve student learning outcomes;
how to utilize technology systems to make their organizations more efficient and effective;
and so on…
Administrators’ lack of knowledge is not entirely their fault. Many of them didn’t grow up with computers. Other than basic management or data analysis technologies, many are not using digital tools or online systems on a regular basis. Few have received training from their employers or their university preparation programs on how to use, think about, or be a leader regarding digital technologies.
So let’s help them out.
How to participate
On Friday, August 5, 2011, blog about whatever you like related to effective school technology leadership: successes, challenges, reflections, needs, wants, resources, ideas, etc. Write a letter to the administrators in your area. Post a top ten list. Make a podcast or a video. Highlight a local success or challenge. Recommend some readings. Do an interview of a successful technology leader. Respond to some of the questions below or make up your own. If you participated in years past, post a follow-up reflection. Whatever strikes you.
The official hashtag is #leadershipday11
TO ENSURE THAT I FIND YOUR POST, please add your info to the online spreadsheet AFTER you post. This will allow me to mention and directly link to your post when I do my summary post(s) a few days later. Everyone also will be able to see the complete list of submissions. If you want to link back to this post or leave a link to yours in the comment area, that’s okay too!
Some prompts to spark your thinking
What do effective K-12 technology leaders do? What actions and behaviors can you point to that make them effective leaders in the area of technology?
Do administrators have to be technology-savvy themselves in order to be effective technology leaders in their organizations?
What are some tangible, concrete, realistic steps that administrators can take to move their school organizations forward?
What are some tangible, concrete, realistic steps that can be taken to move administrators themselves forward? Given the unrelenting pressures that they face and their ever-increasing time demands, what are some things that administrators can do to become more knowledgeable and skilled in the area of technology leadership?
What strengths and deficiencies are present in the NETS-A?
What is a technology tool that would be extremely useful for a busy administrator (i.e., one he or she probably isn’t using now)?
What should busy administrators be reading (or watching) that would help them be better technology leaders? What are some other resources that would help them be better technology leaders?
How can administrators best structure necessary conversations with internal or external stakeholders regarding technology?
How should administrators balance enablement with safety, risk with reward, fear with empowerment?
When it comes to K-12 technology leadership, where do we need new knowledge, understanding, training, or research?
What are (or might be) some successful models of technology leadership training for school administrators?
How might preservice preparation programs for administrators better incorporate elements of technology leadership?
When you think of (in)effective K-12 technology leadership, what comes to mind?
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