Technology Leadership in a Changing World

[Gabe Soumakian]

If you were to develop/create a technology emphasis doctorate program with "five courses as the emphasis" what course titles or topics would you consider as part of the program.

In addition, Districts are looking for ways to become more efficient and effective with less personnel due to budget cuts. How do we function in times of high accountability which will require a new mind-set, a new skill-set, and a new tool-set in a challenging knowledge based world? A new leadership model will need to emerge and that is the intent of this technology leadership emphasis doctorate program.

Another way of looking at our conversation is if TICAL was to offer a leadership training program and we were the professors, what knowledge, skills, and tools do we expect administrators to master at a very high level to prepare students for a unpredictable changing world demanding 21st century skills not only from our students but from everyone in the organization including, classified. certificated, and managers. The heart of this conversation is about changing people's habits.

I am looking forward to your innovative thinking.

[James Scoolis]

Hi Gabe,

One thing I think that ought to included for certain is the effective integration of technology and instruction. What should teachers be doing; what shoud student be doing? What links have been established to student achievement? and how does an administrator encourage these instructional strategies and evaluate their usage.

I know our cadre colleague also have some great ideas on this subject.

[Skip Johnson]

Gabe,
There needs to be a class in which the candidates demonstrate they can do the
following:
-create and edit a short movie using iMovie or some other software, generate a
podcast, submit a blog, tweet a twitter or however that goes, join and engage in
a social network, use a Flip or video camera, make a Power Point that is not in
Bob Blackney's terms 'Power Pointless", any any other type of application that
brings them to a level of awareness regarding tech use in the realm of digital
natives and beyond digital immigrants.

Also, they need a course in which they understand the specific application of
software programs such as Inspiration, WebBlender (Tech4Learning), and any
other programs used widely in schools. This would include resources provided
by publishers on the internet as well.

And, finally, a course or the content in a course that puts them to using Google
tools or other Web 2.0 tools.

I have no names for these courses as they vary widely but just suggestions for
content.

[Pat Weaver]

The two comments are right on. Educational leaders do need to know about technology integration. We call that course "Integrating Technology" in our program. They also need to know the use of effective communication tools such as blogs, wikis, podcasts etc. They should understand and use web 2.0 and have an indepth knowledge of how much open source software is available and how this software as well as the cell phones, ipods, iphones etc can be could be learning tools for our students. They must know how to develop a website and how an effective website along with other communication tools can be used to market their schools and communicate with their clientele. At our university we call this class "Technology for Communication." Today's leaders also have to know how to obtain funding, including e-rate, how to use technology to analyze and display data, how to create effective technology plans, and how to design and maintain infrastructures in their districts. They also must know how to plan for and purchase hardware and software for their various programs and how to design professional development that will assure effective and efficient use of technology for both instructional and administrative purposes. We are attempting these ideas in a course we call "Technology for District Administrators. These ideas simply touch the "hem of the garment" in noting technology needs for the various personnel charged with preparing and even "keeping up" with the students who come to us to learn.