Chapter Three - Strategic Leadership
Summary
In this chapter, the author discusses strategies, models and ways that administrators, teachers and other school leaders can work together to incorporate the use of technology in schools. The five categories of how individuals react to change are explained, as well as theories about how people actually respond to changes in their environment and how quickly individuals put changes into practice. The author recommends that all teachers be able do the following six things with technology before being effective in technology integration:
1. Every teacher should be proficient in the use of productivity tools (word processing, presentation software, spreadsheets, etc.)
2. Every teacher should be able to troubleshoot common technological problems that are common in the classroom.
3. Every teacher should know where to go for assistance.
4. Every teacher should be familiar with what is available on the Internet in his or her subject area.
5. Every teacher should have well-honed Internet search skills.
6. Every teacher should be open to new ideas.
The chapter also outlined ways that school leaders could for groups and committees within the school advocating for the integration of technology in the classroom.
Reaction
I was very interested in learning about the five categories of how people handle change. I consider myself to be a member of the "early majority." I am excited by new technology, but I am not the first to run and out and by the latest gadget. I will typically research how the technology will be useful to me and if it will be useful and without too many 'bugs', then I will snap it up.
I agree that teachers need to be proficient in basic areas of technology, and I really liked the idea presented in the chapter that teachers need to be shown and actually see examples of technology infused lesson plans. Once you see an example, it is easier to emulate.
I agree seeing an example is a great motivator, but often that can be insufficient from my experience. It helps to have a larger exposure. The chapter talked about more lengthy exposures to try to get people more heavily motivated with the new technology and self driven technology adoption. My experience with much of the 'see an example and go' has been that it ends up being the tech that goes in a box.
ReplyDeleteThe examples are great, but I am more keen on the regular teacher periods of technology development that the author mentioned. What do you think? Have you run into problems with seeing a great new technology, but then getting lost when trying to use it? In either case I agree that teachers should be trying to keep up with technologies at a reasonable pace and incorporate them when possible.