Technology Statement

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“Measured by communication and cultural trends, today’s youth inhabit a flattening world. Digital technologies make it as easy to send an instant message to an acquaintance thousands of miles away as to the next-door neighbor,” (Tapscott, 2009, p. 23). As technology rapidly shrinks the world, the responsibilities of a school leader grow exponentially. In order to guarantee a system of accountability for every student’s academic and social success, the school leader must develop principles of self-awareness, reflective practice, transparency, and ethical behavior while safeguarding the values of democracy, equity, and diversity.

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When aligning and integrating 21st Century Skills into school policy and curriculum, educators, administrators, and other key school stakeholders can assimilate and tier the implementation of the skills with specified student outcomes and support systems. Educational leaders must ensure they foster a technological environment which focuses on authenticity, universal accessibility, and support. “Schools should be places to learn, not to teach. Net Geners need to learn how to look for information, analyze and synthesize it, and critically evaluate the information they find,” (Tapscott, 2009, p. 134). The active use of personal laptops and other personal electronic devices integrated into classroom learning experiences support this premise. However, “you can’t just throw computers in schools and hope they will be used properly. You need a Web-based curriculum for teachers…The teacher becomes more of a mentor than instructor,” (Tapscott, 2009, p. 144). Districts must provide ongoing professional development and support to help foster teacher efficacy in utilizing the technology efficiently and effectively to support instruction and student learning.

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With the practical experiences of being a classroom teacher and committee chair of my district’s current Strategic Action Plan, specifically dealing with Environment, I have gained an in-depth perspective of how and why it is imperative districts create 21st Century Learning Environments. In my district we have access to a variety of hardware and software options which encourage educators to actively integrate and infuse technology into their instruction and student learning.

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Districts often give teachers tools or secure grants for the integration of new technologies, but they do not continue with the necessary infrastructure to support and sustain the learning environments. Districts must physically provide the correct tools such as wireless access or acceptable use policies to cultivate 21st Century Learning Environments. In addition, districts need to synthesize and align the use of professional development with curriculum and instruction, as well as state standards in order to maintain and expand 21st Century Learning Environments.

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Educational leaders must understand and implement the International Standards for Technology Education. In addition to embracing the ideas of inspiring shared vision for technological integration, “educational administrators create, promote, and sustain a dynamic, digital-age learning culture that provides a rigorous, relevant, and engaging education for all students” (ISTE 2). Understanding the culture of the school and the students it serves are critical components to ensure success for all stakeholders.

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Technology is constantly evolving and for the Net Geners technology is an integral part of their everyday experiences. Educational leaders must guarantee students have access to technology while acting in accordance with district policy. “As technology has become the "pen and paper of our time" and "the lens through which we experience much of our world" (Warlick,2006, ¶4), knowing how to use digital and connected technology has become an increasingly important aspect of literacy,” (Van’t Hooft, 2007, ¶12). “While technology plays an important role in this respect, the greatest obstacle to be overcome is human; parents, teachers, students, and other stakeholders need to come to understand school as a process, not a place (Thornburg 2002),” (Van’t Hooft, 2007, ¶19). Educational leaders are best situated to be conductors of technology implementation and support for their stakeholders.

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References

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International Society for Technology Education. The international society for technology education (ISTE) and national education technology standards (NETS) for administrators (2009). Retrieved on February 11, 2011 from:

http://www.iste.org/LibrariesPDFs/NETS_for_Administrators_2009_EN.sflb.ashx .

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Tapscott, Don. Grown Up Digital: How the Net Generation is Changing your World. (2009). New York: McGraw Hill.

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Van 't Hooft, Mark (04/2007). Schools, children, and digital technology: Building better relationships for a better tomorrow. Innovate (North Miami Beach, Fla.) (1552-3233), 3 (4).