LEADERSHIP TOPICS 1

Caleb Bihari

Bowling Green State University

February 2017
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With so many new educational technologies available and in development it can be

challenging to keep up-to-date with all of them professionally. However, as educators we owe it

to our students to stay current and incorporate the skills and technology they will need to be

successful in the 21st century. It is imperative that schools provide teachers educational

technology integration support in the form of leadership and professional development.

Leadership, especially technology leadership, can look many different ways in a school.

The reality of certain constraints and limitations beyond a schools control such as staffing

allocations, budget, and available resources will affect how technology leadership looks in an

official capacity. Ideally, a school district will recognize the importance of technology and put an

emphasis on it in all aspects (staffing, budgets, etc.) so that an excellent program is developed

and maintained.

In the ideal scenario, technology coaches would be at all schools to provide leadership,

support, guidance, and professional development to teachers and staff. They themselves would

stay current on all education technology by attending conferences, workshops, professional

development trainings, and reading the latest articles and research. Coaches would be able to

work closely with classroom teachers on the best ways to engage students with technology and

integrate it seamlessly into content areas. School technology coaches would also work closely

with district administration to ensure that the action steps outlined in the technology plan are

being performed with fidelity at their respective schools to help achieve the shared

transformative vision.
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Some buildings circumstances are less than ideal but the opportunity for leadership can

still be present. If there is no technology coach available perhaps a committee can be formed at

the school comprised of the administrator and several technology proficient teachers. This group

could take on some of the responsibilities a coach would normally perform in order to help their

school better integrate technology. Another solution might be to have administration select a

teacher to be the coach in an informal capacity or have them take on an adviser role. A stipend of

some sort might be appropriate if available.

In any case, administration should play a key leadership role by advocating for

technology at their school and using what resources they do have most effectively. Since they are

the main leader of the school, they need to be on board to help provide change and do what is

necessary for the school and district to achieve their vision. If administrators do not stress the

importance of integrating educational technology and make it a priority in their school in ways

such as monitoring and supporting it, then why would teachers, especially those hesitant with

technology make it one? One easy way would be to give public appreciation for the teachers that

are effectively using technology in their classrooms. This would acknowledge the hard work and

efforts of those particular individuals while at the same time gently reminding everyone that

technology integration is indeed important and also being monitored.

Another way that administration can support a vision and initiate change is by providing

high quality professional development opportunities for teachers. This too can look different

ways depending on a schools budget and resources. However, with an abundance of versatile

ways to deliver professional development nowadays, it would be hard not to find something that

could fit a schools needs.

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If available, the technology coach should deliver the bulk of trainings. For new large

initiatives or program rollouts (such as adapting Google Apps for Education), the respective

companies can usually provide their own representatives to help with initial trainings either as

part of the program purchase or at a discounted rate. Either way an expert or at least someone

who is extremely proficient and has a lot of experience should be the one delivering a

professional development. For a large scale undertaking like a new program rollout, it would be

best served as an all-day or multi-day training no matter the presenter.

Smaller, less intense professional development sessions either by the tech coach or tech-

savvy/proficient teacher could be delivered a myriad of ways. After or before school sessions

could be an informal option. Some schools block out days during the year specifically for

training which could be for an all-day session or several mini-sessions. Although usually

unpopular, Saturday or days during the summer could also be alternatives if needed. If time is

ever an issue then webcast trainings would be an excellent choice so that teachers can view them

at time that works best for them. It also allows for the training to be archived for future review. If

logistics is an issue then perhaps a webinar would be best. That would allow for districts to

deliver training to a wide range of participants at different schools and locations. It also might be

a less expensive option (if available) if the presenter is a company representative rather than a

technology coach or teacher.

Current trends in professional development that can be adapted to fit any schools needs

are professional learning communities (PLCs) and virtual learning communities (VLCS).

PLCs offer a collaborative approach to professional learning where a group of educators meet to

learn, practice, and discuss new materials. VLCs are similar but meet, learn, and discuss in an

online environment. This might be a good choice if there are a wide variety of teacher
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technology needs within a building. For example, if the schools science teachers have a goal of

incorporating more STEM education in their lessons then they would be grouped together.

Another group might need to learn more about using technology for formative assessment

practices in their classrooms but have no need for STEM. With PLCs and VLCs teachers can

get the professional development they need specific to them rather than generalized training that

may not be necessary for their teaching or their technology skill set. These types of professional

developments often meet on a regular basis and teacher feedback and reflections from its

implementation is a necessary component to its success.

Another way for professional development to occur is through online trainings. Many

companies such as Microsoft and Google offer virtual learning academies where you can take

courses and earn a professional certificate. It is free to take the courses but costs a small amount

of money to take the assessment for the certificate. Then there are sites such as Khan Academy

which is free and Udemy, which offer both free and pay courses and trainings on a variety of

topics and subjects. Coursera is a site where you can take courses from major universities like

Stanford and Duke which also have free and pay options. With information so readily available

online from a wide variety of sources it is not difficult to find something that would be able to fit

any schools professional development needs.

However the professional development is delivered, there needs to be some additional

steps taken place to ensure that teachers are supported afterwards. It is not effective if it is given

and then never revisited. Data should be collected to track how the training affects student

performance and to prove a trainings worth. Administrators should also monitor teacher

implementation after a professional development session was given. If teachers are not at least

making an effort to change and use what they learned then administration needs to address it.
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One way to do this would be to assess either formally or informally a teachers proficiency with

a particular area that they received training on. Less involved measures may take place as well

such as weekly reflection or share out sessions as a staff. Here colleagues could share concerns

and successes they have encountered since implementing their professional development

learning.

Leadership and professional development can take many forms. This is especially true

with the various types of challenges different school districts encounter. Regardless of

constraints or limitations there are options available to create an effective leadership and training

model in schools of any type. Effective leadership and training is imperative for schools to

support transformational change related to digital technology integration for teaching and

learning. As educators, we need to prepare our students for college and career in the 21st century

and it starts with leadership and training.