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Introduction

“We must prepare students for their future, not our past.” This is a current catch phrase being used in the 21st century learning community to represent the necessary vision for schools. A school leader is responsible for implementing the school vision from in all facets to promote student learning. In the 21st century, the school leader has the imperative to find effective ways to integrate technology into each element of the schools functionality. From classroom instruction, to student reporting, to resource management, a school leader must integrate technology.

Research from reports from the US Census (2003) to the "Shift Happens" movement led by Karl Fisch and Scott McLeod, to articles from every major publication in the United States and beyond point to the increasing use of technology within our population. This movement is being led by our youth. Children who spend often upwards of 3.5 hrs per day online (Wesch, Kansas State University) and have abundant access to digital media in their homes are often taught or told to leave those resources at the schoolhouse door. An instructional leader must look at current research and realities of today's students in order to build a school vision that prepares them for the future.

The students taught in today's schools are what Marc Prensky (2006) refers to as "Digital Natives", that is, students who have never known a life without instant digital media and technology. These are the students of the "iPod" age. They face a significant shift in their daily lives as their school and home use of technology is vastly divergent. Prensky refers to the general population of school teachers and administrators as "digital immigrants", that is, those who face a mild to steep learning curve in the technological age. As school administrators, we have an obligation to assure that the learning needs of all students are being met. This must include access, resources, and professional development for teachers in order to enable the best possible use of technology within the school.

The Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) has established standards for a school leader. An effective school leader meets or exceeds these standards that encompass every area of a school’s management and function. While arguments could be made for every standard being relative to technology integration, standards 1a, 2h, and 3b most directly relate to the topic laid in this paper.  A school leader must develop and embed a shared vision and mission (1a), promote the use of the most effective and appropriate technologies to support teaching and learning (2h), and obtain, allocate, and align human, fiscal, and technological resources (3b).

In addition to the ISLLC standards, the International Society for Technology Education (ISTE) has established standards for technology education for students, teachers, and administrators. These standards mirror the framework of ISLLC with an emphasis on vision, teaching and learning, professional practice, management, assessment, and legal and ethical issues.  

This paper will look at current research and commentary in the area of technology integration and how school leadership must respond. A review of current literature in the areas of technology integration, 21st century learning, and leadership for change will be addressed. Additionally, the ramifications upon these elements for the school leader will also be addressed.

Literature Review

Teaching Two Literacies

In her article, Teaching Two Literacies, Joanne Rooney discusses the ever-changing environment of literacy in two realms; traditional and digital. She emphasizes the need for balance of the two as schools continue to work in the 21st century. She acknowledges that literacy, that is how people communicate via reading and writing, is changing.

Ms. Rooney establishes three “mind-sets” to encourage teaching of both traditional and digital literacy. First, she believes that we must continue to provide instruction and support for traditional literacy engaging our students in “expressive writing” and “good books”. We may validate the student’s digital tool choices but help them recognize the different types of language appropriate for different settings. Second, she encourages a balance between the two literacies by fusing elements of both traditional and non-traditional pedagogy. This will allow for a teacher to use the best practices available and speak in the “language” of their student’s digital world. Finally, she implores teachers and administrators to focus their school on being a “literate school”. By this she encourages literacy, both technical and expressive language, to be incorporated into all elements of the curriculum. An instructional leader must model this type of dual-literacy for their faculty. Through the use of multiple modalities for communication, an instructional leader can turn belief into practice. This integration will take a leap of faith on the part of many teachers, as it can be a radical shift for digital immigrants.

Ms. Rooney makes a valid point about the different sets of mind we should keep while balancing the two literacies. It is important that we continue to emphasize traditional literacy in the form of good books and writing. However, it is likewise critical that this generation of students be fluent in technology. A school leader and their faculty must be ahead of the wave of this new type of multi-faceted pedagogy and stay ahead of their students. The school leader needs to have a clear vision in place to guide this process. They can demonstrate this vision by providing resources, professional development, and positive support as the vision becomes a driving force in the curriculum and instruction process.

Becoming Network-Wise

In his article, Becoming Network-wise, Will Richardson begins with an anecdote about how many students learn about responsible online interaction and content. In doing so, he sets up the premise for the necessity of schools to intentionally integrate skills instruction for online learning/communication. He highlights a quote from Howard Rheingold, author of Smart Mobs:

    "Learning to use online forums...is not a sexy contemporary add-on to the curriculum---it's an essential part of the literacy today's youth require for the world they inhabit.... The way today's students will do science, politics, journalism, and business next year and a decade from now will be shaped by the skills they acquire in using social media and by the knowledge they gain of the important issues of privacy, identity, community, and the role of citizen media in democracy." (Rheingold, as cited in Richardson, 2009)

This quote clearly articulates why schools must teach these skills and why school leaders must make it a priority to integrate technology into the mission of the institution. Students will be interacting online and digital media will be a regular part of their existence, therefore it is imperative that schools make intentional efforts to use and teach these tools and the safe use thereof into the curriculum. A regular integration of online tools should be an integral part of the curriculum across disciplines.

Mr. Richardson highlights the skills that students need to acquire to be effective users and producers of digital media. He begins with literacy; traditional literacy is no longer limited to books and pages but rather to a variety of both hard-copy and digital tools. The National Council of Teachers of English calls this new literacy "malleable" and suggests that new mediums for literacy are a positive development. Within the literacy framework, he articulates several areas in which specific skills can and must be taught: handling hypertext, critically reading information, critically reading people, writing for an audience, writing in multiple modes, organized sharing, and engaging diverse voices.

As children learn to handle the volume of information available to them on the internet, they must learn how to filter it by creating subscriptions (RSS feeds), reading information critically to assure quality, and reading people critically to assure a positive source of information. The author provides practical ways to use these skills as part of instruction including examining website authorship, using online databases, and reading of multiple blog sites on particular topics. For writing the author suggests that students must know their audience and use multiple modes in which to present their work. He suggests that in this product element of technology integration teachers must model safe online collaboration which in turn can lead to excellent opportunities for online sharing of work. As students gain an understanding of privacy and safety online as well as ethics they will be able to write and publish with great ease. The use of modes for writing products is also greatly enhanced by the use of tech tools such as voicethread or flickr.

The author suggests that the collaboration and organization are the positive repercussions of the web 2.0/digital literacy movement. Teachers and students can organize materials and connect to viable sources through sites such as delicious or communicate with diverse voices via voip devices such as Skype.

A school leader needs to have an understanding of these tools so that they may "sell" their usefulness to their constituency, be it teachers, fellow administrators, or parents. If these tools are used to support the vision of student success, they can become a natural part of curriculum and instruction. However, if these tools are seen as "one more thing" for teachers to have to implement, there will be push-back and dissent.  A school leader can support effective instruction by building a core group of teachers to pilot the use of these tools, who can then teach their peers. In order to ensure the success of technology integration in the terms that Mr. Richardson has defined, a school leader must provide adequate resources and professional development for the successful use of these tools.

The Best of Both Literacies

Margaret Weigel and Howard Gardner, both of Harvard's Project Zero, suggest that using multiple modes of teaching literacy including technology can have a positive effect on development. The authors state unequivocally that a "wise educator needs to incorporate the benefits of new digital media while guarding against their pitfalls, including the threat to literacy levels." One of these pitfalls is the concept of online versus offline reading. They are concerned that students will be inundated with an array of reading materials that while appear to be legitimate may, in fact, be leading them astray.

Despite this concern, they discuss three ways in which technology integration can be a useful tool in literacy instruction. They look at the areas of constructivist learning, informal learning, and social learning as areas in which technology can be an asset. In the realm of constructivist learning, digital media is a perfect medium for student driven projects. The mere advent of tools such as desktop publishing and the Internet have changed the way research is conducted and papers written. The writing process has changed from outlines and note cards to a seamless flow of consciousness that can, when used properly with traditional writing skills, create a fine work of publishing.   Social or informal learning is an excellent way for students to explore an area in which they are interested and for teachers to engage student’s diverse interest while teaching formal curriculum. They stress, however, that it is imperative to manage their student’s on-task work when working online, as it is easy to gravitate off task. Social learning provides an excellent opportunity for students to put their literacy skills into practice while interacting with others on a global level. The authors particularly cite the Flat Classroom Project as an excellent way for students to develop global literacy while at the same time integrating web 2.0 materials. The pitfall, with projects such as Flat Classroom, is sustainability. They suggest, as with any new collaboration or idea, that a teacher will assure a variety of opportunities to collaborate on and off-line.

As has been stated before, a school leader must connect these ideas of dual-literacy to the vision of the school. Specifically with regard to the three ways cited by Weigel and Gardner, a school administrator must provide resource support and model appropriate use of these tools for their staff. This article offers practical advice for an instructional leader who wants to begin to work with their staff to integrate technology into instruction. Desktop publishing is already an indispensable part of any middle or high school classroom. The use of web 2.0 tools to enhance this publishing experience or to create global partnerships for sharing work allows students to make even stronger connections. As this promotes student achievement, it squarely fits into any school leader’s vision.

Technology Leadership: Enhancing Positive Educational Change

Dr. Gilbert Valdez analyzes current and standard research regarding educational leadership and change management. He discusses how technology and educational technology can be used to increase productivity, engage students creatively, and provide for differentiation. He provides a history of school leadership from Sputnik to A Nation at Risk and subsequently defines common leadership styles including Transformational, Versatile, and Relational Leadership. Dr. Valdez articulates how the role of a school leader has grown from the traditional managerial or operational leader (p.2) to a reform leader through distributive leadership and collaboration. The author cites an array of educational and managerial research in defining an effective school leader and their traits.  Effective school leaders must have a clear understanding of the adaptive process (Heifetz), manage complexity and chaos delicately (Jacques and Clement), engage in systems thinking (Zaccaro), build relationships (Mitchell and Tucker), have a firm grasp of the strategic planning process (Senge), and recognize the need for organizational learning (Dyer). The author does not take a particular stance on which of these leadership frameworks are best suited for enacting positive technology leadership; he simply identifies each type and provides a synopsis of their attributes.

Dr. Valdez cites Fullan and Kotter in his presentation of the critical factors for effective change.  He has identified that successful change management will have reason and clarity, meet essential needs, be guided by a vision, have measurable objectives, have a clear action plan, identify effective communication, and have an evaluative process. He also cites common reasons for why change efforts fail as defined by Fullan that include unclear purpose, poor communication, and lack of trust.

In his final section of the article, the author shares the need for increased technology leadership within a school community. He cites a NCREL study that articulates the three reasons technology must be used in a school setting: "the need to prepare students to function in an information-based, Internet-using society; the need to make students competent in using tools found in almost all work areas; and the need to make education more effective and efficient." (p. 11) He cites Fulton as he presents the role of the teacher in this technology integration and identifies it as being critical. Technology is effective in many subject areas and he provides useful examples of such including using technology for differentiation, support of math curricula, and teaching music theory or composition. He closes his work with clear improvement goals and action step plans that can be transferable for use by teacher-leaders and administrators.

The first few sections of the article are quite useful as a primer or synopsis to change theory and educational or managerial leadership. He keenly articulates that a school leader must have a firm grasp of transformational leadership, as cited by Lashway, Mazarella, and Grundy as well as Fullan, in order to effectively manage technology integration. The use of educational technology to increase efficacy within the school environment will require a tightrope-like balance between leadership and management. While this article primarily focuses on the change process, he offers some tangible examples of useful integration ideas. The most beneficial resource within the article is found in the improvement goals and action options in which he cites the NETS for administrators and teachers. These standards used in conjunction with curriculum standards and ISLLC standards provide an excellent platform for the justification of a technologically integrated curriculum.

Transforming Schools with Technology

In his article, based on his book, Andrew Zucker discusses the way the world is changing through technology, offers ways in which technology can transform schools, establishes six educational goals for using digital tools, and discusses the key characteristics of digital tools. As a veteran of both the technology department, formerly known as the computer lab, and school leadership Mr. Zucker gives a brief history lesson on how technology has grown so rapidly since the early 1970’s. He articulates a theory held by many that education often is seen as a “technological backwater” that is to say, behind the times on the technology wave. Yet, he also suggests that a “great majority of American teachers have reported for years that computers are now “essential” to their work.” He offers that schools that learn to use technology in an appropriate and effective way will streamline their success.

After a brief look at the overzealous, purporting that “digital natives” must have technology, and resisters, who claim that technology is unnecessary, he moves into a discussion about pace of change. The rise of technology since the first browser in 1993 has been moving at a break-neck pace. Schools have had to work hard to use these ever-changing technologies to improve their curriculum, instruction, and management.

He identifies four areas where schools are being transformed through the use of technology and digital tools:
1.    Where and when students learn. Students have an ability to learn wherever and whenever they may find appropriate through the use of online communication and curriculum delivery devices.
2.    Who students learn with. The global community is easily accessible through the use of digital tools allowing for increased access.
3.    What students learn. Students have a wider variety of course offerings available to them through the use of online learning and educational software.
4.    How students learn. Students are able to use a variety of tools at hand beyond the basics of desktop publishing.
He also identifies that these changes directly support No Child Left Behind, as they can increase student achievement by meeting a variety of learning needs.  He likewise presents “Six Key Educational Goals” that he believes can be engaged through the use of digital technology.
•    Making schools more engaging and relevant
•    Providing a high-quality education for all students
•    Attracting, preparing, and retaining high-quality teachers
•    Increasing parental and community support for children; and
•    Requiring accountability for results.
He suggests that educators, and perhaps school leaders, need to have a thorough understanding of how digital technology can help achieve these goals more effectively.

Finally, he identifies the “key characteristics of digital tools”, highlighting how they are useful to student and institutional advancement. While there are twelve key characteristics, the understandings that might serve a school leader best include “inexpensive and pervasive”, “immediate”, “insensitive to distance”, “community friendly”, “less time sensitive than other communication technologies”, and “extensible”. These characteristics tend to fall into categories for possible answers to a school leader’s visionary needs. Digital tools are “inexpensive and pervasive”, therefore once broadband access is established; they provide a readily available cheap or free tool. Communications across the school community can be improved through social networking, email, blogs, and forums that are “insensitive to distance”, “community friendly”, and “less time sensitive”. This allows for immediate broad access to information within the community. Digital tools are also “extensible” meaning they can be extended beyond their original components through the addition of such devices as web-cams, cameras, or other hardware.

These goals and characteristics must be on the tip of a school leader’s tongue when discussing the implementation of technology integration. The goals support a standards-based curriculum, should it be necessary, and clearly promote student achievement while the characteristics provide justifications for appropriate use of tools.

Transformational Leadership

Dr. Jerry Larson offers an overview of the leadership needs in an independent school as 21st century change rapidly shifts the focus within and around the school building. He cites Karl Fisch's work of Shift Happens to identify the changes in the way an independent school must shape its program to fit the needs of its constituency. "Curricula will need to focus on competencies and skills such as creativity, adaptability, collaboration, resiliency, and global awareness." He offers that while the world around us, technology specifically, has changed that much of schooling has remained the same including in hierarchical leadership.

In order to remain both effective and competitive, a school leader must embrace innovation and collaboration. He suggests that this is going to require a leader who can effectively manage the change process.  The "Level 5 leader" as defined by Jim Collins (Good to Great) is one who "acts with quiet, calm determination, relying principally on inspired standards, not charisma, to motivate." The "Transformational Leader" as defined by James McGregor Burns (Leadership) is one who "combines moral and virtue with a desire to contribute to a collective intent toward real, positive social change." It is these types of leaders, suggests Larson, who are going to lead the paradigm shift into 21st century learning. Leaders must leave behind the old model of transactional leadership and embrace what Robert Quinn defines as "fundamental" leadership. This type of leadership is based on a collaborative, open model that is "other-focused; openly seeking real feedback and input, reaching greater levels of awareness, competence, and vision....internally directed, examining their behavior and values rather than being concerned about what others think....focus on results that need to be created and then tirelessly pursue those results."

Dr. Larson also puts a strong emphasis on the emotional intelligence (EQ) of a leader. A strong leader will have a high functioning EQ. He cites University of Texas psychologist Reuven Bar-On who identifies five areas of emotional intelligence where a leader must thrive. These are intrapersonal, interpersonal, stress management, adaptability, and general mood. Dr. Bar-On makes clear that these are traits are malleable and essential to positive transformational leadership ability.

The final area Dr. Larson addresses, perhaps the most important, is that of resistance to change. Change that is seen to come from one central leadership figure is often resisted. The causes of the resistance stem from a variety of bases not the least of which is fear. A transformational leader will frame change initiatives through the lens of the school vision and build up the change from a place of improvement.

It is Dr. Larson’s belief that the best leaders moving ahead will “utilize a blend of the transactional leadership, through clarifying roles and responsibilities, and the transformational leadership with a strong emphasis on being visionary and on developing others.”  In the realm of change for technology integration, this balance is critical. A leader initiating a dramatic paradigm shift in pedagogy in the realm of 21st century learning must build consensus, collaborate, and know the appropriate ways to work with their staff, students, and community to build support for the change.

21st Century Leading and Learning

Robert Witt brings a case study of transformative change from the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools. His work begins with a look at change leadership during the process of “adaptive challenge”. He suggests that an effective leader will find these challenges and see them as possibilities for forward motion. Mr. Witt believes that a school leader must blend the concepts of “change leadership” and “schools of the future” to create school programs that equip students for a future that is not easily defined.

Mr. Witt, in conjunction with the Change Leadership Group (CLG) at Harvard Graduate School of Education, suggests that leaders must “reframe the problem” that is preventing forward motion. Specifically, good leaders must “see more deeply into why it is so hard for our organizations to change…and…see more deeply into why it is so hard for individuals to change”.  They clearly state the need for independent schools as “the need to integrate the practice of change leadership with a clear vision of what students will need to know and be able to do in order to thrive in our rapidly evolving culture.”

In Hawaii, the CLG and Mr. Witt created the “Leadership Practice Council” to build a cadre of school leaders to work through what they called “problems of practice.” By working with other leadership professionals, problems that occur with change management can be addressed from many sets of eyes.  The LPC used a framework of highlighting three facets of their school’s function: “school culture, the competencies of faculty and staff, and the conditions that exist in the school architecture and physical design that contribute to enhanced teaching and learning.” They used this group assist school leaders in changing their frame for leading from managerial leadership to instructional leadership. They did so in a practical rather than theoretical context. Using the work of Ronald Heifetz as a guide, the CLG encouraged their participants to “think adaptively” that is to face an adaptive challenge as a method to move the organization (school) forward.

By accomplishing this leadership “mind-shift” from the participants, leaders were able to tackle 21st century instructional changes by creating completely different ways of working.  They moved the curriculum away from “content, toward mastery of competencies” while also “aim[ing] to leverage a Daniel Pink-like conceptual framework.” These changes would not have been possible at the instructional level without first creating a paradigm shift within the school leaders. The author presents a chart (p. 90) depicting the new paradigm. The school head or principal serves as “change” leader who coaches and supports their “communities of practice”, small groups of teachers working in teams. They found, in their case study in Hawaii that the LPC format was extremely successful. This led to the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) executive coaching program that will in turn assist new and emerging school leaders to frame their leadership in this mind-set.

This case study truly demonstrates the need for strong change management as leaders work to integrate technology into their school’s instruction practice. A leader who is unable to bring their constituencies on board, manage resources and time, or build professional development communities will struggle to embed technology integration initiatives into the vision.

Implications for the School Leader

Technology has unequivocally changed the way the world works and schools are not an exception to this change.  An effective school leader must have the multi-faceted capacity to lead their school through these changes. The vision for the learning institution must, at minimum, have elements that incorporate technology as both a management and learning tool. A school leader has an obligation to promote the effective use of technology to support teaching and learning (ISLLC 2h).
How then, does a school leader do this in a way that is conducive to the school culture and enables support from the school community? Larson, Witt, and a plethora of change management leaders such as Fullan, Heifetz, and Collins make it clear; this leader must be transformative, able to manage the adaptive challenge that is moving to a 21st century learning environment, and consistently bring the focus back to the vision and mission of the institution.
The successful school leader will look to collaborate with their staff to identify the areas in which technology can serve as a positive means of practice. They will have up-to-date and thorough understanding of best practices in technology integration for management, curriculum, instruction, assessment, and communication. This does not have to be a one-person task. A school leader would be wise to consult with early adopters of technology within their building creating a cadre of both resources and support for initiatives.
In the area of technology, as with any new initiative, a school leader will inevitably face strong resistance. This may come from veteran and new teachers alike who may see technology as an impediment or add-on in the classroom that will personally affect their practice. They may also look upon the unknown elements of technology as overwhelming or find they “can’t” learn. It will be through the effective implementation of professional development and support that these resisters may be able to see how technology integration supports their work and additionally will become an indispensable part of their practice. As Gardner and Weigel make clear, technology does have a positive impact in the classroom and beyond.
A school leader must bring their faculty on board with the vision for technology integration by promoting its usefulness and helpfulness in the classroom in addition to the imperative of teaching digital natives. It is through this avenue that leaders might have greater success with those resistant to change. By promoting early success through web 2.0 tools such as suggested by Gardner and Weigel or small instructional changes in literacy instruction as suggested by Rooney, a wider cadre of adoption is possible.
A school leader can no longer wait to embed technology into their school vision. Schools are currently preparing students for a future that is more un-certain that in any other time in history and it is the imperative of the school to meet these preparatory needs. A leader cannot wait until resistant or veteran teachers retire or move on, they must work collaboratively to highlight the effectiveness of digital tools, enable resources to support both training and implementation, and provide on-going professional development. Within this process they subsequently must balance the use of transactional and transformational leadership, manage the change process effectively, and consistently return to the vision for 21st century learning.

 

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