Transformative Leadership and
Technology in Education
Greg Kearsley, University = of New England =
If your actions inspire others to learn more, do more, dream more, =
and
become more, you are a transformational leader.
Introduction<= o:p>
Technology has been long heralded as a major vehicle f= or educational change. However, technology has rarely lived up to the promises= of its advocates to improve student learning or school effectiveness. While th= ere is no question that technology has dramatically altered our society, its im= pact on our educational system has been modest at best. This article examines why this is the case and argues that the critical missing piece is the lack of properly prepared leaders; more specifically, the paucity of leaders who ha= ve a sophisticated understanding of technology and a transformative leadership style. An online graduate program intended to address this leadership gap is discussed.
Technology in
Education
The failure of technology to have a major impact on sc= hool reform has been well documented by many, most notably Larry Cuban (1986, 20= 01, 2003). While there are many issues, the crux of the problem is that technology has typically been introduced into schools as a standalone entity that can impr= ove student achievement, independent of teachers, existing curriculum or school culture. The classic example of this is the repeated efforts over the years= by vendors to offer basic skills instruction (i.e., math, reading, writing) vi= a a computer lab setting involving brief sessions. While such computer-based instruction can be shown to be effective, it has a very limited impact on student achievement since it is not connected to anything else going on the classroom. The same can be said for most other technology “solutions” that = have been introduced into schools ranging from “smart boards” to web-based applications.
There are two categories of exception to this generalization about the rela=
tive
ineffectiveness of technology in schools. One is technology used for admini=
strative
tasks such as student records, registration, scheduling, payroll, and resou=
rce
management. There is no question that management of schools has become much
more efficient due to the use of computers. Alas, this doesn’t typically im=
prove
the instructional effectiveness of schools; it just makes them better at tu=
rning
out poorly educated students. The other category of technology that is havi=
ng a
major impact on schools is laptop computers. Putting a laptop computer with=
an
internet connection in the hands of a student gives them access to the worl=
d of
social networks, blogs, multiplayer games, Second Life, Wikipedia, pornogra=
phy,
and an endless stream of new applications that seem to appear every day. Un=
like
computer labs, laptops are under the control of the student for unrestricted
learning and exploration. However, most educators question the value of thi=
s, assuming
that such undirected use is of little instructional value and not contribut=
ing
to the achievement of state mandated curriculum objectives, even though
students are spending many hours writing and reading email or blog messages,
researching topics of interest, or understanding complex game rules.
There is no lack of guidance on how technology should = be applied to schools (e.g., Dede, Honan & Peters, 2005; Shrum & Levi, 2009; Wenglinsky, 2005; Zucker, 2008). The problem is that most administrat= ors and teachers are unaware of this literature and research base. More specifically, they typically have no formal training about to use technolog= y to address major educational issues that affect student learning and achieveme= nt. Since the effective use of technology in schools usually requires cultural change and new ways of teaching (e.g., Ohler, 2007; Thombs, Gillis, & Canastrari, 2008; Warschau= er, 1999), considerable effort and knowledge is needed to succeed.
These introductory remarks about technology frame the = issue that is the main focus of this chapter: how to prepare educational leaders = to employ technology to make sustained improvements to schools. This will take= us into a discussion of transformational leadership and how it compares to the current process of training educational leaders. The discussion will be illustrated with a case study of an online program intended to do that.
Nature of Tra=
nsformative
Leadership
There are many theories and models of leadership. Transformative leadership=
is
about creating change in organizations. Key elements of transformative
leadership are (1) sharing a vision, (2) enabling and inspirng others to ac=
t,
and (3) demonstrating the way. This is contrasted to other forms of leaders=
hip
(e.g., situational, transactional) which are concerned with taking charge,
getting things done, and efficiency (see Stewart, 2006). In the context of
education, transformative leadership involves: (1) help staff develop and
maintain a collaborative, professional school culture, (2) foster teacher
development, (3) help teachers solve problems more effectively (Leithwood, =
1992,
Khine & Saleh, 2009; Tierney, 1989).
Table 1 lists some specific examples of transformational leadership =
in
school settings (Liontos, 1992). Alger (2009) discusses the transformational
practices of school leaders.
Table 1. Examples of transformational leadership in sc= hools.
|
· Involve the whole staff in deliberating on school goals, beliefs, and visions at the beginning of the year · Use action research teams or school improvement teams as a way of sharing power · Help teachers work smarter by actively see= king different interpretations and checking out assumptions. Let teachers experiment with new ideas. Share and discuss research with them. · Bring workshops to your school where it's comfortable for staff to participate. Get teachers to share their talents with one another. ·
Find the good things that are happening an=
d publicly
recognize the work of staff and students who have contributed to school
improvement · Use bureaucratic mechanisms to support teachers, such as finding money for a project or providing time for collaborative planning during the workday. Protect teachers from the prob= lems of limited time, excessive paperwork, and demands from other agencies. |
Leadership fo=
r Technology
In 2002, a collaborative of many organizations that in= cluded the American Association of School Administrators (AASA), National Associat= ion of Secondary School Principals (NASSP), National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), National School Board Association (NSBA) and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) published the Nati= onal Education Standards for Administrators (NETS-A) which outline the skills and knowledge needed by school administrators to successfully implement technol= ogy in schools. These standards were revised in 2009 (see Table 2). The NETS-A standards complement technology standards for students (NETs-S) and teachers (NETS-T) also published by ISTE (see www.is= te.org).
Table 2. National Education Standards for Administrato= rs (NETS-A), 2009.
|
= 1. &nbs= p; Visionary Leadership – Inspire a= nd lead development and implementation of a shared vision for comprehensive integration of technology to promote excellence and support transformation throughout the organization. = 2. &nbs= p; Digital Age Learning Culture – C= reate, promote, and sustain a dynamic digital-age learning culture that provides= a rigorous, relevant, and engaging education for all students. = 3. &nbs= p; Excellence in Professional Practice<= /i> – Promote an environment of professional learning and innovation that empow= ers educators to enhance student learning through the infusion of contemporary technologies and digital resources. = 4. &nbs= p; Systematic Improvement – Provide digital-age leadership and management to continuously improve the organization through the effective use of information and technology resources. = 5. &nbs= p; Digital Citizenship – Model and facilitate understanding of social, ethical, and legal issues and responsibilities related to an evolving digital culture. |
The NETS-A standards and t= heir associated performance indicators provide a roadmap for the technology trai= ning needed by school administrators and the nature of transformational leadersh= ip involved:
1. = Develop, implement and communicate strategic plans for technology aligned with a vis= ion of change that maximizes digital resources to meet and exceed student learn= ing goals
2. = Model and promote the frequent and effective us of technology for learning
3. = Ensure effective practice with respect to technology use among teachers and staff<= /p>
4. = Allocate adequate time for ongoing professional growth in technology use
5. = Facilitate and participate in learning communities that stimulate and support teachers, staff, and administrators in the use of technology
6.&n= bsp; Stay informed of educational research and emerging trends regarding effective use of technology in schools
7.&n= bsp; Establish metrics, collect and analyze data, interpret results, and share findings regarding the effectiveness of techno= logy to improve student learning and staff performance
8.&n= bsp; Recruit and retain personnel who use technol= ogy proficiently to achieve academic and operational goals
9.&n= bsp; Establish and maintain a robust infrastructu= re for technology to support teaching, operations and management
10.&= nbsp; Ensure equitable access to digital tools and resources that meet the needs of all learners
11.&= nbsp; Promote policies for the safe, legal, and ethical use of technology
12.&= nbsp; Promote and model responsible social interac= tion involving the use of technology
13.&= nbsp; Advocate at local, state and national levels= for policies, programs, and funding to support the implementation of technology=
14.&= nbsp; Establish and leverage strategic partnership= s to support systematic improvement through the use of technology
15.&= nbsp; Participate in local, national, and global learning communities that encourage digital-age innovation and collaboratio= n
It is suggested that the more of these competencies exhibited by school administrators, the more effective they will be as transformational leaders, although its likely that some competencies are mo= re critical than others in a given setting.
An Online Program for Transformative Leadership in Education
The Department of Education at the Universit=
y of
New England offers an online Masters degree (MSEd) program in Educational
Leadership as well as a number of post-Master advanced graduate study
certificates (CAGS) intended to prepare educational administrators for state
licensure as principals or superintendents. Table 3 lists the courses taken=
by
students in both the MSEd and CAGS programs.
Table 3. UNE Online MSEd and CAGS =
Courses
|
|
By virtue of taking a Masters degree or CAGS program online, participan=
ts acquire
first hand experience with online learning. They interact extensively via
discussion forums, sharing ideas and experiences, and develop an appreciation for the power of
online collaboration. However, the curriculum does not address most of the
competencies specified by NETS-A. Indeed the curriculum is aligned with the
Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards which are
accepted by most states as the basis for their administrative certification
requirements. ISLLC standards specify that administrators need to promote a
shared vision of learning, create a school culture that supports profession=
al
growth for faculty and staff, manifest the management and organization skil=
ls
to effectively run schools, interact with parents and community, and behave=
in
an ethical manner (CCSSO, 2008).
The final course in the CAGS certificate program is an internship course in which participants conduct an administrative project under the supervision of an experienced school administrator with support from a UNE mentor. The final project report incl= udes a self-assessment of their skill levels on each of the ISLLC standards. Tab= le 4 provides samples of the comments that participants provide in their final s= elf assessments.
Because ISLLC does not addr= ess technology competencies, nor the transformational leadership qualities that have been discussed in this chapter, it is not likely to result in school leaders capable of employing technology to bring about significant change or improvement. To remedy this gap, we are planning to offer an online doctoral program (EdD) beginning in 2011 that consists of courses focused on the elements of transformational leadership. The program includes a course on technology which maps onto the NETS-A competencies (see Table 4). While a single course does not provide the kind of experience needed to make wise decisions about technology use, it does provide a foundation for doing so, = and in the context of the other courses in the program, reinforces the role of technology in effecting school reform. Table 5 provides the main elements of the course.
Table 4. UNE Online Doctoral Program in Transformational Leadership
EDU 801 Preparation for Transformational Leadership=
Key concepts and practices of transformative leadership
are explored. Working independen=
tly
and collaboratively, candidates identify educational issues of importance,
review pertinent research on those issues as well as effective leadership
responses to them. By the end of=
the
course, candidates will have acquired an awareness of their respective ar=
eas
of experience, knowledge, skills and styles, and how these might be appli=
ed
to transformative leadership roles. EDU 802 Qualitative Analysis
Qualitative research provides field-focused,
interpretative, detailed descriptions of participants and their
settings. Transformative action
research requires a set of skills to critically observe, interview, exami=
ne
artifacts typically used in qualitative studies and compare the purposes =
and
procedures of reflective analysis.
This unique perspective is applied to a diverse range of defined
action research projects that have been selected by candidates. EDU 803 Quantitative Analysis Candidates acquire skills demonstrating a substantive
basis for quantitative research design, methodology and interpretation of
results. Candidates critically a=
nalyze
research studies to become adept at interpreting a wide range of statisti=
cal
results. Quantitative analysis is
applied to typical local based samples as well as large databases. This set of conceptual and methodolog=
ical
skills is applied to defined action research projects that have been sele=
cted
by candidates. EDU 804 Technology &
Educational Transformation EDU 805 Managing Change
=
Candidates
are exposed to critical competencies (attitudes, knowledge, skills) neede=
d to
create conditions for systematic and productive change, and to facilitate=
the
process of introducing and sustaining innovation with maximum collaborati=
on
and minimum disruption. Also considered are various perspectives on how
organizations function, and how individuals and groups within those setti=
ngs
can interact to achieve organizational goals for planned, purposeful chan=
ge. EDU
806 Diagnosing and Dealing with the Educational Environment EDU 807 Leadership Seminar
=
This
seminar functions as a forum for candidates to demonstrate their individu=
al
and collaborative ability as a result of their newly acquired knowledge a=
nd
skills, to address typical challenges faced by leaders. Case studies, rol=
e plays,
and other interactive activities present participants with authentic
situations requiring intervention.
This seminar provides candidates the opportunity to practice probl=
em
solving and decision-making tasks associated with transformative leadersh=
ip. EDU 808 Research Team Project
As teams, candidates identify and fully investigate,
design, conduct, and report research on authentic action research
projects. Using a project-based =
model,
second year candidates will have direct experience with all of aspects of=
the
research process they will encounter independently during the third year =
of
the program. Project findings will be submitted for publication, professi=
onal
presentations, or as grant applications.
EDU 809 Ethical Analysis and Decision Making
=
Candidates
are exposed to the complex set of issues relating to ethical behavior in
institutional settings, including academic integrity, curriculum choices,
student assessment, parental involvement, community relations, and
administrative-staff conflict. Through readings, case analyses, and other
means of investigation, the consequences of ethical and unethical practice
and their impact on individuals and organizations is examined. EDU
810 Educational Policy EDU 812 The Politics of Change =
Effective
transformative leaders must understand and address the dynamics, whether
positive or negative forces, affecting change efforts in their respective
settings. The course engages
candidates to issues of power, conflict, negotiation, and compromise. Emphasis is placed upon how best to
introduce and advance innovation by maximizing collaboration and minimizi=
ng
opposition. EDU 811
Dissertation Seminar
Candidates work directly with their dissertation chair and committee to define the research problem, literature and methodology they will use during the thi= rd year of the program. By the com= pletion of the course, candidates will be prepared to pursue their dissertation independently and confidently, and will present a preliminary proposal for review and comment. |
Table 5. Technology & E= ducational Transformation (EDU804) course
|
Objectives: · &nbs=
p;
Discuss the past and present use of technology in education · &nbs=
p;
Describe the typical obstacles to successful technology use in
education and strategies to overcome them. · &nbs=
p;
Discuss assessment methods associated with technology in education<=
br>
Develop a strategic plan for technology in a particular educational setti=
ng Activities: 1.=
Prepare
and present a case study of a specific application of technology in an
education setting that includes: intended/actual outcomes, audience,
technology used, obstacles encountered/overcome, and lessons learned. (25%
grade) |
Conclusions
In 2010, the U.S. Departmen=
t of
Education published its National Educational Technology Plan (see http://www.ed.gov/technolog=
y/netp-2010).
This plan calls for a 21st century model of learning powered by
technology. Here are some excerpts from this plan:
The model =
of
21st century learning described in this plan calls for engaging and empower=
ing
learning experiences for all learners…It leverages the power of technology =
to
provide personalized learning instead of a one-size-fits-all curriculum, pa=
ce
of teaching, and instructional practices. The model of 21st century learning
requires new and better ways to measure what matters, diagnose strengths and
weaknesses in the course of learning when there is still time to improve
student performance, and involve multiple stakeholders in the process of
designing, conducting, and using assessment. In all these activities,
technology-based assessments can provide data to drive decisions on the bas=
is
of what is best for each and every student and that in aggregate will lead =
to
continuous improvement across our entire education system. Professional
educators will be supported individually and in teams by technology that
connects them to data, content, resources, expertise, and learning experien=
ces
that enable and inspire more effective teaching for all learners. Our educa=
tion
system at all levels will redesign processes and structures to take advanta=
ge
of the power of technology to improve learning outcomes while making more
efficient use of time, money, and staff.
In order to achieve this pl=
an, it
will be essential that school administrators have strong technology and
transformational leadership skills. This chapter has discussed the nature of
these skills and outlined a graduate program intended to provide the traini=
ng
needed. Hopefully it will be joined by many other efforts to prepare the ne=
xt
generation of school leaders.
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Web Sites
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http://www.legacee.com/Info/Leadership/LeaderResourcesTop.html
http://educationnext.org= /high-school-2-0/