A Successful Vision for Technology

Successful Technology Leadership Vision

Reflecting back on the reading and my notes to answer the question: "To what extent have the technology leaders at my school been successful in setting a vision for using technology for learning?" I would say that our vision is not a written, publicized vision but rather a developing, personal growth and supportive vision.

I particularly related to the article by Levin and Schrum (2013) using the systems approach to analysis the implementation of various technology rollouts. Over the past seventeen years in educational technology, I have played a major roll in every technology rollout at our secondary schools beginning with the Digital High School Grant in 2000. In their research they examined the implementation as pieces of a jigsaw puzzle by stating:
   "Taking a systems approach means that all parts of the system have to be addressed in concert, and acknowledging that adding one component (such as technology) to a system disturbs other parts of the system."(p. 30).
Levin and Schrum (2013) define the eight pieces of the puzzle as: vision, leadership, school culture, technology planning and support, professional development, curriculum and instructional practices, funding, and partnerships (p. 36) I highlight these in bold because for me, they became the overarching theme of the reading for the week. Unlike adding a parking lot, basketball court or portables, which can affect certain aspects and departments of a campus, technology has a dynamic, transformational change that requires reframing institutional assumptions. Owen & Demb (2004).

To answer the question of our vision as technology leaders and the growth changes we have experienced, three areas stand out; Tools for school improvement (Levin & Schrum, 2013), building capacity (Owen & Demb, 2004), and sharing leadership (Owen and Demb, 2004). Our Information Technology (IT) Department split three years ago to Educational Technology and Information Systems. I remained on the IS team for two years and this year recently joined the Ed Tech staff. Our District is building capacity by increasing the number of devices, doubling and specializing the support, and weaving us into the Curriculum and Instruction support throughout all departments.

Reading, "The Leadership Challenge" (Kouzes & Posner, 2012) has encouraged me to change my approach for providing professional development. Where you spend your time is the single best indicator of what's important to you. (p. 95) This value direction has encouraged me to spend more time in classrooms with teachers, assisting them to implement technology tools to drive student learning. Relating this to John Maxwell's 5 Levels of Leadership (2013), being with teachers will strengthen my relationships and give me the momentum it takes to advance to Level III.

Through this weeks reading, I have a greater awareness of the need for our department to bond together by creating a vision statement that reflects the Superintendent and Director's values with our personal values leading to the creation of shared values for a meaningful statement.