Fostering a Technology Vision for School Leaders

• In Event: Technology Leadership for Successful Technology Integration in Education: In-Depth Studies Throughout the World

Abstract

Objectives and purposes. Most discussions about technology and leadership however is limited to conference proceedings, unpublished literature, and technology focused journals. Our research is aimed at adding to this important, but limited, body of knowledge by researching how school leaders in preparatory programs develop a school technology leadership vision.

Theoretical frameworks. This research is conceptually grounded in the NETS-A as developed by ISTE.

Methods. The intervention was a required 3-credit, graduate level course focused on educational technology and school leadership. The students wrote a vision statement for school technology leadership prior to engaging in any content about the field of school technology leadership and revised the statement after completing the course.

Data sources and evidence. Two classrooms of doctoral-level students (N=20) over two years are included in this study. Participants were active school leaders seeking a doctorate in Educational Leadership from regional university located in Southeastern United States.

Results. The analysis was guided by each strand under each of the five NETS-A described above. A major change was defined as a conceptual difference between a student’s pre and post vision statement. A minor change was defined as a change in language or a shift from partial understanding in the pre-treatment statement to full understanding in the post-treatment statement. If analysis revealed there was no change from the pre to the post vision statement, the student was given a 0 for no change under that standard strand.

Examples of Change: It was determined that students experienced three major changes and 10 minor changes in Standard 1. Student 2 showed a major change in Standard 1c. In the pre-treatment vision statement, Student 2 wrote, “I envision a school that has the funding and support from local and state governments.” This statement was conceptualized differently in their post-treatment vision statement. “In order to receive this funding and make these visions a reality, I will have to be data-driven and goal-oriented.” Here, the original statement was vague, while the post-treatment vision statement declared the student’s specific intention to advocate for funding to support the technology-infused plan.
Another example of a major conceptual change under Standard 4b was found with Student 10. The pre-treatment vision statement included how the school technology leader must stress that the “comprehensive use of technology in the classroom should include areas of instruction, measurement of achievement or growth, data recording and analysis, and communication.” The post-treatment vision statement detailed that “the school district should use technology as a data-driven decision making tool affecting multiple educational areas, including smart budgeting.” The idea of including data-driven decision-making as a tool for the administrator is a new concept, which developed from the course, thus qualifying the statement as a major change.

Scientific or scholarly significance. This study indicates that shifts in school technology visions occur when the content is aligned with the NETS-A. This research indicates that with appropriate exposure to content and concepts, school leaders can shift their paradigms and be on their way to becoming school technology leaders.

Authors

• Jayson W. Richardson, University of Kentucky

• Justin M. Bathon, University of Kentucky

• Kevin Flora, University of Kentucky