How Distributed Leadership Facilitates Technology Integration: A Case Study of "Pilot Teachers"

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 10
  In Roundtable Session: Equity, Accessibility, and Quality in Transformative Education

Abstract

Schools and teachers are under immense pressure to incorporate technology into classrooms toward a goal of improving educational equity. As such, it is important to understand what school-level practices can support more meaningful technology integration in classrooms. This study examines a blended personalized learning school to demonstrate how leaders can help teachers integrate technology into their classrooms in a meaningful and sustainable way. I found that successful technology integration can be supported by the use of “pilot teachers” – more experienced teachers who were willing to test new technology-driven practices, measure the results, regularly share best practices and failures with their teams, and train other teachers on those practices. Further, the pilot teacher program represents a successful example of distributed leadership.

Author

• Andrea J. Bingham, University of Colorado - Colorado Springs