The Digital Looking Glass:A Glance at the Impact of
Innovative Leadership An Approach to Empowering the
Massesby
Dr. Frank RomanoAssistant to the Superintendent for Curriculum,
Instruction, Assessment and TechnologyTenafly Public Schools
Tenafly, NJ
http://[email protected]
The Whole Deal
Empower Educators
Introduce ResourcesRaise Awareness
Change/Innovation
What are the salient factors that inform, drive, and summarize effective
technology integration and sustainability in schools?
Framing the Approach
Framing the Approach
National EducationTechnology Plan, 2004
A Nation atRisk, 1983
Framing the Approach
“Over the next decade, the United States will face ever increasing competition in the global economy” (U.S. Department of Education,
2004). “We live among determined, well-educated, and strongly motivated competitors” and “Our once unchallenged preeminence in commerce, industry, science, and technological innovation is being overtaken by competitors throughout the world” (National Commission on Excellence in Education, 1983).
Framing the Approach
“Good is the enemy of great. We don’t have great schools, principally because we have good schools. We don’t have great government, principally because we have good government. Few people attain great lives, in large part because it is just so easy to settle for a good life. The vast majority of companies never become great, precisely because the vast majority become quite good—and that is their main problem.” (Collins, 2001)
The Teachnologist
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Who Are Those Leaders?
• Andy Hargreaves?• Chris Dede?• Alan November?Maybe, but perhaps they are
also…• Marco Torres• You
Making Sense of It All
“Psychologically our thought—apart from its expression in words—is only a shapeless and indistinct mass. Philosophers and linguists have always agreed in recognizing that without the help of signs we would be unable to make a clear-cut, consistent distinction between two ideas. Without language, thought is a vague, uncharted nebula. There are no pre-existing ideas, and nothing is distinct before the appearance of language....”
(de Saussure, 1966)
Question
What are the salient factors that are found in contemporary educational technology literature and research that inform, drive, and summarize effective technology integration and sustainability in schools?
Synthesis: 10 salient factors that led to effective technology integration and sustainability in schools
The 10 Sustainability Factors
“…synthesizing research to aggregate and substantiate knowledge has
become one of the important challenges of the information age...”
(Cooper as cited in Patton, 2002)
Synthesis Cuban (2001) closely examined funding and edtech use; Dickard (2003) investigated critical actions that sustain
school technology infrastructures and continued progress; Pflaum (2004) investigated optimal computer use and made
recommendations for continued, effective use; Schacter (1999) analyzed the five largest scale studies of
educational technology to date and two slightly smaller studies on the impact of technology on student achievement;
Thompson et al. (1996) overviewed the theories and research that support the use of technology in education; and
Sivin-Kachala and Bialo (2000) used methods of meta-analysis and comparison on 311 studies to make well informed assertions about the following: edtech instruction and learning, software selection, professional development and support, hardware and technology infrastructure, overall implementation, and edtech planning
67 Studies (1994-2004) Journal of Research on Technology in Education
The Educational Technology Plan
• Goal 1: Students will attain the educational technology and information literacy skills that will assist them in achieving the Core Curriculum Content Standards and to succeed in the workplace of the 21st century.
• Goal 2: Educators will attain the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively use educational technology to assist students to achieve the Core Curriculum Content Standards.
• Goal 3: Students, teachers and administrators will have access to educational technology in all learning environments, including classrooms, media centers, schools, and other educational settings, such as community centers.
• Goal 4: New Jersey school districts will establish and maintain the technology infrastructure necessary for students and educators to access electronic information and to communicate freely via technology.” (2003)
The Educational Technology Plan
• Goal 1: Students will attain the educational technology and information literacy skills that will assist them in achieving the Core Curriculum Content Standards and to succeed in the workplace of the 21st century.
• Goal 2: Educators will attain the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively use educational technology to assist students to achieve the Core Curriculum Content Standards.
• Goal 3: Students, teachers and administrators will have access to educational technology in all learning environments, including classrooms, media centers, schools, and other educational settings, such as community centers.
• Goal 4: New Jersey school districts will establish and maintain the technology infrastructure necessary for students and educators to access electronic information and to communicate freely via technology.” (2003)
The Educational Technology Plan
• Goal 1: Students will attain the educational technology and information literacy skills that will assist them in achieving the Core Curriculum Content Standards and to succeed in the workplace of the 21st century.
• Goal 2: Educators will attain the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively use educational technology to assist students to achieve the Core Curriculum Content Standards.
• Goal 3: Students, teachers and administrators will have access to educational technology in all learning environments, including classrooms, media centers, schools, and other educational settings, such as community centers.
• Goal 4: New Jersey school districts will establish and maintain the technology infrastructure necessary for students and educators to access electronic information and to communicate freely via technology.” (2003)
Vision andMissionthrough
Leadership
Vision andMissionthrough
Leadership
ConnectivityConnectivity
SharingEdTech
Practices
SharingEdTech
Practices
Agent Accessto TechnologyAgent Accessto Technology
Digital ContentDigital Content
TechnicalSupport
TechnicalSupport
AuthenticEdTech
Assessment
AuthenticEdTech
Assessment
TechnologyIntegration
throughLiteracy
TechnologyIntegration
throughLiteracy
ProfessionalDevelopmentProfessionalDevelopment
CreativeEdTechFunding
CreativeEdTechFunding
TenSustainability
Factors
TenSustainability
Factors
Vision and Mission through Leadership• The innovations and/or general
changes to the organization that have been initiated by direction toward technology integration
• The degree to which the integration of technology into teaching, learning, and administrative activity has created cultural shifts
Creative EdTech Funding
• The district and/or building process for ensuring technology integration, support, and replacement requirements
• The district and/or building technology funding allocation and the rationale behind it
Professional Development
• The technology professional development provided to administration and staff in terms of level
• The technology professional development provided to administration and staff in terms of impact
• The technology professional development provided to administration and staff in terms of focus
Technical Support
• The status, stability, and efficiency of the technical support services that exist at the building level
• The status, stability, and efficiency of the technical support services that exist at the district level
Authentic EdTech Assessment• The practices and method(s) of
assessment that are performed at the building, district and/or state level
• The practices and method(s) of assessment and their connection to specific technology and education goals
Technology Integration through Literacy
• The skills and content knowledge that are tied to technology integration through the curriculum for the purpose of producing technology literate students
• The degree to which teachers and students use technology to both automate and informate the teaching and learning process
Digital Content
• The digital content (e.g., online resources, software, video, etc.) to which the school subscribes
• The digital content and its place in student learning
Agent Access to Technology
• The mechanisms and/or programs for ensuring equal access to technology for all students at both home and school
• The access for all agents in the immediate educational community to technology for administrative and instructional purposes
Sharing EdTech Practices
• The collaborative partnerships and/or sharing of information/findings that exists among the immediate educational community and the greater educational community
• Reports of unanticipated changes that resulted from technology integration
Connectivity
• The presence of networked technology systems and centralized, standardized distribution systems
• The degree to which those systems provide safe, efficient, and effective communications
A picture is worth a thousand words.
…but a thousand words can capture the entire picture.
Vision andMissionthrough
Leadership
Vision andMissionthrough
Leadership
ConnectivityConnectivity
SharingEdTech
Practices
SharingEdTech
Practices
Agent Accessto TechnologyAgent Accessto Technology
Digital ContentDigital Content
TechnicalSupport
TechnicalSupport
AuthenticEdTech
Assessment
AuthenticEdTech
Assessment
TechnologyIntegration
throughLiteracy
TechnologyIntegration
throughLiteracy
ProfessionalDevelopmentProfessionalDevelopment
CreativeEdTechFunding
CreativeEdTechFunding
TenSustainability
Factors
TenSustainability
Factors
…not mutually exclusive
Vision andMission through
Leadership CreativeEdTechFunding
ProfessionalDevelopment
TechnologyIntegration
throughLiteracy
AuthenticEdTech
AssessmentTechnicalSupport
Digital Content
Agent Accessto Technology
SharingEdTech
Practices
Connectivity
TenSustainability
Factors
Vision andMission through
Leadership CreativeEdTechFunding
ProfessionalDevelopment
TechnologyIntegration
throughLiteracy
AuthenticEdTech
AssessmentTechnicalSupport
Digital Content
Agent Accessto Technology
SharingEdTech
Practices
Connectivity
Ten Sustainability Factors
One rose to the top.
ConnectivityConnectivity
SharingEdTech
Practices
SharingEdTech
Practices
Agent Accessto TechnologyAgent Accessto Technology
Digital ContentDigital Content TechnicalSupport
TechnicalSupport
AuthenticEdTech
Assessment
AuthenticEdTech
Assessment
TechnologyIntegration
throughLiteracy
TechnologyIntegration
throughLiteracy
ProfessionalDevelopmentProfessionalDevelopment
CreativeEdTechFunding
CreativeEdTechFunding
Vision andMissionthrough
Leadership
Vision andMissionthrough
Leadership
Ten Sustainability Factors
…not mutually exclusive
CreativeEdTechFunding
ProfessionalDevelopment
TechnologyIntegration
throughLiteracy
AuthenticEdTech
Assessment
TechnicalSupport
Digital Content
Agent Accessto Technology
SharingEdTech
Practices
Connectivity
Vision and Missionthrough Leadership
Ten Sustainability Factors
The Pioneer at WorkVision & Mission through
Leadership
The evidence suggests that leadership is the core factor, not mutually exclusive of any other
factor.
Sample FindingsIn the Absence of Leadership…
• Higher Level Technical Support - NO• Evaluation of Curriculum Integration -
NO• Use Relevant Research - NO• Technology is used infrequently - YES• Connectivity for Instructional Purposes Is
Low - YES
The Architect at Work
Creative EdTech Funding
TimeSpace
FundingPopulation
PhilosophyPedagogyDemands
Needs
The Hybrid Classroom
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 31
Class A Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Tuesday, Thursday, etc.
Class B Tuesday, Thursday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, etc.
Pay vs. Open Source Apps
Blackboardvs.
Moodlemoodle.tenafly.k12.nj.us
moodle.org
The Nurturer at Work
Professional Development
PROJECT INFUSION
CHART
INSTRUCTIONALFull Day Sessions
LEADERSHIPHalf Day Sessions
FUNCTIONALHalf Day Sessions
Instructional Instructional
Teaching w/ Technology
Reading wRiting and aRithmetic
(K-5)
Using Multimedia Projects to
Engage Students
Designing a Classroom
Website w/ FP 2003
Designing a Classroom
Website w/ FP 2003 Part II
Designing a Web-Based
Inquiry Oriented Activity
Reading wRiting and Inspiration
(6-12)
Moodle School: 21st Century
Online Learning (5-12)
Data Management
District Communications
SASIxp Input & Query
SASIxp Export & the
Merge
Outlook
Magic Help Desk
Dynamic Presentation
Managing a Safe and
Supportive Environment
Encouraging Effective
Implementation
Observation
Planning
Software
Hardware
Strategies
The AUP
Modeling
Sharing Ideas and Resources
Groups Drive
The Building Website
Websites: District,
Building and Staff
Resource Awareness
SASIxp Planning and
Administration
Disk Management
Specialization
M3
Health Office
Visual Thinking: Problems,
Processes, and Products w/ Kidspiration
Techno-Therapy for Terrified
Teachers
Every Picture Tells a Story: A Visual Literacy
Journey
The ABCs of PBLs w/
Technology
The Orchestrator at Work Technical Support Identify strengths and
weaknesses Surround one’s self with
talented and capable people
The Appraiser at Work
Authentic EdTech Assessment
Sustainability Factor Description
Factor Item
NJ SurveyItem(s)
Vision and Mission through Leadership 1 2,3,8,9,10,11d,18,29
Creative EdTech Funding 2 26
Professional Development 3 1,4
Technical Support 4 6,7
Authentic EdTech Assessment 5 5,8
Technology Integration through Literacy 6
9,10,11d,11g,11h,11i,11m,14,20,21,22
Digital Content 7 11j,11l
Agent Access to Technology 811c,11e,11f,23,
24,27,28
Sharing EdTech Practices 9 -
Connectivity 10 11a,11b,11k,11l,11m,12,13,15,16,17,
19,23,24,25
Sustainability Factor Description
Factor Item
NJ SurveyItem(s)
Vision and Mission through Leadership 1 2,3,8,9,10,11d,18,29
Creative EdTech Funding 2 26
Professional Development 3 1,4
Technical Support 4 6,7
Authentic EdTech Assessment 5 5,8
Technology Integration through Literacy 6
9,10,11d,11g,11h,11i,11m,14,20,21,22
Digital Content 7 11j,11l
Agent Access to Technology 811c,11e,11f,23,
24,27,28
Sharing EdTech Practices 9 -
Connectivity 10 11a,11b,11k,11l,11m,12,13,15,16,17,
19,23,24,25
Sustainability Factor Description
Factor Item
NJ SurveyItem(s)
Vision and Mission through Leadership 1 2,3,8,9,10,11d,18,29
Creative EdTech Funding 2 26
Professional Development 3 1,4
Technical Support 4 6,7
Authentic EdTech Assessment 5 5,8
Technology Integration through Literacy 6
9,10,11d,11g,11h,11i,11m,14,20,21,22
Digital Content 7 11j,11l
Agent Access to Technology 811c,11e,11f,23,
24,27,28
Sharing EdTech Practices 9 -
Connectivity 10 11a,11b,11k,11l,11m,12,13,15,16,17,
19,23,24,25
Sustainability Factor Description
Factor Item
NJ SurveyItem(s)
Vision and Mission through Leadership 1 2,3,8,9,10,11d,18,29
Creative EdTech Funding 2 26
Professional Development 3 1,4
Technical Support 4 6,7
Authentic EdTech Assessment 5 5,8
Technology Integration through Literacy 6
9,10,11d,11g,11h,11i,11m,14,20,21,22
Digital Content 7 11j,11l
Agent Access to Technology 811c,11e,11f,23,
24,27,28
Sharing EdTech Practices 9 -
Connectivity 10 11a,11b,11k,11l,11m,12,13,15,16,17,
19,23,24,25
The Synthesizer at Work
Integration through Literacy
The Researcher at Work
Digital Content
The Capacitator at Work
Agent Access to Technology
The Ambassador at Work
Sharing EdTech Practices
The Builder at WorkConnectivity
CreativeEdTechFunding
ProfessionalDevelopment
TechnologyIntegration
throughLiteracy
AuthenticEdTech
Assessment
TechnicalSupport
Digital Content
Agent Accessto Technology
SharingEdTech
Practices
Connectivity
Vision and Missionthrough Leadership
Ten Sustainability Factors
Sustainability lies not in the technology
but in the human infrastructure.