Professional Development for technology usage is constantly changing and creating great voids in most teachers “tools” as the technology changes so rapidly. As a school leader how will YOU keep current and how will you keep your staff current?
As a school leader, I must "walk the walk" in being informed and up to date on the latest technological tools for teachers. This a daunting task with the other responsibilities school leaders are faced with today. Therefore, I would rely heavily on the school technology specialist in keeping me up to date, supporting teachers in the classroom, and finding effective and user friendly technology. Teachers, especially those who are older (no offense) often can be overwhelmed by new technology in the classroom. I would encourage older teachers to stick with basics with any technology they might try. Hopefully by assuring teachers they do not have to be masters of various technology, their anxiety levels would be lowered.
As a school leader, I will offer as much training/staff development as possible at the school itself during contract hours. There is so much required of teachers already "after hours" that in my experience, a school leader who has consideration to schedule technolgy training at my base school and provide subs for a day so that we don't incur extra travel expenses or unpaid overtime is very appreciated. In addition, the morale of the faculty is positive and enthusiastic. They are more likely to embrace and utilize the training.
When I become a school leader I feel that it will be a dire MUST to keep up with the latest technology for your staff and school. I believe that will raise a big impact in hiring some staff members. I know from experience that you must always be willing to try something new. I think the newest technologies are vital for staying in tune with our students in the 21st century. As a school leader, I will provide several trainings or staff development to bring more technology into each teacher's classroom. It may be a new innovative testing program or new curriculum which includes more technology. We as educators have got to address this need and meet it head on with as much professional development as needed even if it is just a few staff or the whole crew. I believe you have to utilize technology in everyday use, practice what you preach so to speak to become an effective leader. Israel Easter
As a new school leader, I would keep up with the lastest educational technology through journals, articles, blogs, and websites. The best resource I would have is the TRT in my building and the technology supervisor for the district. I would set the example by setting my own personal goals for improvement in this area. I would share that with my staff. Then, I would provide some examples that they could select as their goals for the year. The examples would all be instruction based so as to positively impact curriculum delivery and student learning. I would ask each staff member to commit to learning one new thing that year, implementing it and reflecting upon their use. I would provide whatever staff development they need. Also, I would encourage the staff to maybe pair up in setting their goals so the new task won't seem so overwhelming. Angie Cornett
With technology rapidly changing I believe that it is important to become masters of the technology that we already posses. We as educators should look at technology with eager eyes understanding that as it improves so should we. Schools are limited in the technology resources that have and a principal should be the example that uses it and encourages the usage of all faculty. Also, as the opportunity presents itself scheduling PD with current technology as the focus point would benefit the faculty and principal any time.
As a school leader, I would keep current on technology by going to as many professional development trainings as I could. If I found the trainings benefical then I would try to bring the professional development trainings to my staff. Teachers are constantly going to profesional develoment trainings and I would not want to bring something into my school without going to it first. If the training will not really benefit the students then I would much rather have my teachers in the classroom teaching rather than sitting through a training that they will never use. I would also rely heavily on my ITRT person to keep me current on what was going on. If it was something I felt like teachers could use then I would ask them to do some professional development training with my staff. As a teacher, I already use the ITRT person on a daily basis and I think they are very important when it comes to keeping teachers and staff current on technology.
If I was an AP at a school, this would be a niche that I would want to take on. Ideally, I would ask one person from each department to attend a special workshop about a particular aspect of new technology (SMART boards, podcasting, etc). Those 5 members of the teaching staff would work as a small team, with myself and the technology specialist to develop units, templates or ideas for content delivery. If 4 groups made of 5 people each, each learned how to use a different mode of instructional technology, then a staff development day could be dedicated to each group presenting. If the presentation was not enough to instruct the other staff in how to use the software/equipment, and the other staff were still interested, I would re-offer some of the same trainings the following year so new people could get the same information. New options would be available each year to begin to turn the culture of the school into one of learning on a regular basis how to better use innovations in instructional technology.
Personally I find technology very interesting. I feel it is imperative that the administrator be familiar with the current technological trends. As the principal I would provide professional development in the current trends of technology for my staff on a regular basis. I would continue to create opportunities for my staff to demonstrate their knowledge of technology through their students. I feel that if a staff is proficient in technology then they should be able to model for the students. They would, in turn, be able to develop opportunities for their students to be successful with the current trends as well.
As a school leader you have to be the person in your school that maintains the vision and culture of the school. I think one very important aspect of that would have to be technology. Being on top of technology is something that is a must. I also think that being open to new ideas involving technology and collaboration is essential. Your staff is going to be experts in education and technology, if not you have to plane the seed to have them on the edge (culture). If teachers and staff are working to keep on the cutting edge then students will be exposed the best possible practices for their success.
To keep my staff current on technology in education, I would model my expectations for my faculty. I would attempt to stay as up to date as possible and implement schoolwide strategies using technology. I would also utilize my ITRT and have inservices to for all faculty members.
I myself, along with the chairs of each department would go to seminars and/or workshops to keep current with the trends of technology. I would let my department chairs know that once a month I epect a meeting with the department for the chair to teach what they have been taught and to open the floor for discussion and demonstration if needed. I would expect notes to be taken, who was present, and duration of the meeting. After the first semester I would reassess teachers and their use of technology to see if more seminars or workshops are needed. I would also ask to see if anyone other than the department chair would like to join in going to a work shop or seminar.
I believe that I will need to have a very good realationship with the technology department in my own divsion to begin with. I would look for them for advise on good professional development, what may be coming to the division so as not to waste money on trainings that may not be revelent. Also, participating in trainings myself so I don't turn into one of those "dinosaurs".Shane Reed
I would ask incoming new teachers to volunteer ways that they have been trained and plan to use technology, and I would present these to the faculty. This would keep me up to-date and keep fresh ideas and innovations flowing. I would also try and teach some new technology at an in-service to demonstrate my commitment to technology.
I would educate myself as much and often as possible in the area of technology. I need to be the one whom teachers can come to and get an answer for the basics. We have tech folks, but they are few and far between. Most teachers need help now, so it is important that I know as much as possible. I would also keep abreast using ideas for new programs and such from other systems, the news, and conferring with the tech people in my system. Jake Leonard
I would keep up to date as much as possible on technology through workshops, talking with our technology department, and staying current through internet/news sources. I would also try to incorporate as much technology into my position as possible and send teachers/staff members to learn and come back to share. Sam
I would keep up to date on all new technology that is available to schools and are the newest tools to help enhance education. Also, I would use the technology specialist as a big resource to provide professional development to teachers to help implement the tools in the classroom and encourage teachers to use as much interactive technology as possible.
It is important for an administrator to have at least a basic understand of most of the technology in the school. To ensure this is the case and to kept myself up to date on new technoloby I would try out new technology when it is purchased. If we buy 10 smartboards and spend that kind of money then the administrators should at least know the basics. Additionally, as I observe teachers in the classroom and they use technoloby I am not familar with, I would ask for a quick demo. As time permitted, I would look into the technologies in more detail. Workshops can be great and I would deffinately attend for technology I would use on a regular basis. However, if it is something a teacher will use on a regular basis then he or she should be sent in my place.
For starters I would definately stay on a first name basis with my tech people in my school. Also I would just make conversations with those teachers that may be more tech savvy than myself. For the Montgomery Co area, we have great resources to pull from since T/TAC has offices in both Blacksburg and Radford campuses. The thing with technology is that you can almost stay up-to-date by yourself as long as you actually use it consistently. Also, pay attention to the news and articles that are printed in educational magazines like ASCD and The Principal. Many times there are articles of how principals can capitalize on the use of technology in their schools.
As an older educator I have always wanted to know more about technology. Technology is changing so rapidly that all educators need to make a concerted effort to be aware of the latest trends. As an administrator I would establish a technology committee with representation from each grade and speciality area. I would attend, technology conferences with my committee members. We would present the latest technology to our staff when we return to school. I would encourage the technology staff to hold their staff development training at our school. I would provide support for technology funding within the county and at a school level. Misty Zyvoloski
I work for a principal now who does a mini technology staff development during our monthly faculty meetings. We normally meet for one hour and these credit hours go toward our technology requirements throughout the year. I know many of our staff members appreciate how this is set up. We usually get a staff member or one of our administrators to volunteer some type of technology application that has been very useful to them during their career. Like someone mentioned in an earlier post, some of the 1st or 2nd year teachers who have just graduated from college have a lot of good ideas and have taught the staff some new technology uses. I would like to implement something like this with my faculty when that time comes.
As a leader in a school environment I would as said before "walk the walk and talk the talk". I believe that actions speak louder than words and by myself being interested in the current trends in and of technology I would be demonstrating what behavior I expect to be modeled in my classroom leaders. Of course you will have those teachers who may use more technology than others and that is where I would tap into my professional staff and have them demonstrating some of the uses they may have found valueable. The ITRT in any school/division is going to be helpful. The state policy and division policy on competencies in technology is going to be helpful but as I saw those may not be changing as quickly as our current technology so we must always be researching and practicing with new innovative ways to incorporate technology in the school environment. I also have the reality that you can lead a camel to water but that doesn't mean they will drink!! I as an administrator must be diligent in working with ITRT, central staff, and staff to make sure that we are doing all we can to help be the spark of enthusiasm for students and help them to use the current technology at its most to become successful.
Technology professional development is a necessary to improve school culture and the learning environment of the students. I would use the ITRT department to stay up to date on technology trends and changes. I would also use internet sites and schooling to keep me informed. I would use the ITRT department and peer-to-peer technology teaching to keep my staff current with technology. Hopefully, working as a cohesive team we would be able to embrace the ever changing technology trends.
Keeping up with technology can be an issue for an administrator because it takes commitment to stay on top of what is out there. And while we might not be the expert in all things technological, there are many ways that technology can make our jobs more efficient. Some ways to do this include: attending conferences such as the Virginia Society for Technology in Education [VSTE]; subscribing to tech journals; taking part in division-wide training opportunities, and using your IRT!
As the instructional leader in your school integrating technology into the classroom is a must. We do our students a disservice not to prepare them for an ever-changing technological world. This includes being open to new methods that appeal to students’ interest levels such as podcasting and wikis.
As administrators we must be mindful of the different levels of comfort and competency among the faculty and staff. There needs to be the expectation that, with our students in mind, we as a faculty will continue to grow in this area. I think modeling this growth is a great idea as Angie noted in her post. Not all staff members will be at the same place, but it will be important to lead the discussion about what things “should” be done as a professional learning community (on-line testing, using the Activeboard in your classroom, communicating by email, etc.) and what “could” be done (classroom wikis, student podcasts, video conferencing, etc.) by those more tech savvy. The idea here is that we continue to move forward in our learning as a school community even though we may have different entry points.
While consistently using the latest technology to model how beneficial it is, I would encourage teachers to utilize these technologies by setting up training time with the ITRT. This could be as a faculty meeting, or grade level meeting, or if needed, one-on-one.
It is necessary for an effective school leader to provide for staff professional growth. I think that administrators themselves should be participating in the same professional development activites. If you are asking "your people" to know how to use technology effectively, you should be able to as well.
As a school leader, I must "walk the walk" in being informed and up to date on the latest technological tools for teachers. This a daunting task with the other responsibilities school leaders are faced with today. Therefore, I would rely heavily on the school technology specialist in keeping me up to date, supporting teachers in the classroom, and finding effective and user friendly technology. Teachers, especially those who are older (no offense) often can be overwhelmed by new technology in the classroom. I would encourage older teachers to stick with basics with any technology they might try. Hopefully by assuring teachers they do not have to be masters of various technology, their anxiety levels would be lowered.
ReplyDeleteGood comment, some use is better than none
ReplyDeleteAs a school leader, I will offer as much training/staff development as possible at the school itself during contract hours. There is so much required of teachers already "after hours" that in my experience, a school leader who has consideration to schedule technolgy training at my base school and provide subs for a day so that we don't incur extra travel expenses or unpaid overtime is very appreciated. In addition, the morale of the faculty is positive and enthusiastic. They are more likely to embrace and utilize the training.
ReplyDeleteWhen I become a school leader I feel that it will be a dire MUST to keep up with the latest technology for your staff and school. I believe that will raise a big impact in hiring some staff members. I know from experience that you must always be willing to try something new. I think the newest technologies are vital for staying in tune with our students in the 21st century. As a school leader, I will provide several trainings or staff development to bring more technology into each teacher's classroom. It may be a new innovative testing program or new curriculum which includes more technology. We as educators have got to address this need and meet it head on with as much professional development as needed even if it is just a few staff or the whole crew. I believe you have to utilize technology in everyday use, practice what you preach so to speak to become an effective leader.
ReplyDeleteIsrael Easter
As a new school leader, I would keep up with the lastest educational technology through journals, articles, blogs, and websites. The best resource I would have is the TRT in my building and the technology supervisor for the district. I would set the example by setting my own personal goals for improvement in this area. I would share that with my staff. Then, I would provide some examples that they could select as their goals for the year. The examples would all be instruction based so as to positively impact curriculum delivery and student learning. I would ask each staff member to commit to learning one new thing that year, implementing it and reflecting upon their use. I would provide whatever staff development they need. Also, I would encourage the staff to maybe pair up in setting their goals so the new task won't seem so overwhelming. Angie Cornett
ReplyDeleteWith technology rapidly changing I believe that it is important to become masters of the technology that we already posses. We as educators should look at technology with eager eyes understanding that as it improves so should we. Schools are limited in the technology resources that have and a principal should be the example that uses it and encourages the usage of all faculty. Also, as the opportunity presents itself scheduling PD with current technology as the focus point would benefit the faculty and principal any time.
ReplyDeleteAs a school leader, I would keep current on technology by going to as many professional development trainings as I could. If I found the trainings benefical then I would try to bring the professional development trainings to my staff. Teachers are constantly going to profesional develoment trainings and I would not want to bring something into my school without going to it first. If the training will not really benefit the students then I would much rather have my teachers in the classroom teaching rather than sitting through a training that they will never use. I would also rely heavily on my ITRT person to keep me current on what was going on. If it was something I felt like teachers could use then I would ask them to do some professional development training with my staff. As a teacher, I already use the ITRT person on a daily basis and I think they are very important when it comes to keeping teachers and staff current on technology.
ReplyDeleteAmy Woodard
If I was an AP at a school, this would be a niche that I would want to take on. Ideally, I would ask one person from each department to attend a special workshop about a particular aspect of new technology (SMART boards, podcasting, etc). Those 5 members of the teaching staff would work as a small team, with myself and the technology specialist to develop units, templates or ideas for content delivery. If 4 groups made of 5 people each, each learned how to use a different mode of instructional technology, then a staff development day could be dedicated to each group presenting. If the presentation was not enough to instruct the other staff in how to use the software/equipment, and the other staff were still interested, I would re-offer some of the same trainings the following year so new people could get the same information. New options would be available each year to begin to turn the culture of the school into one of learning on a regular basis how to better use innovations in instructional technology.
ReplyDeletePersonally I find technology very interesting. I feel it is imperative that the administrator be familiar with the current technological trends. As the principal I would provide professional development in the current trends of technology for my staff on a regular basis. I would continue to create opportunities for my staff to demonstrate their knowledge of technology through their students. I feel that if a staff is proficient in technology then they should be able to model for the students. They would, in turn, be able to develop opportunities for their students to be successful with the current trends as well.
ReplyDeleteAs a school leader you have to be the person in your school that maintains the vision and culture of the school. I think one very important aspect of that would have to be technology. Being on top of technology is something that is a must. I also think that being open to new ideas involving technology and collaboration is essential. Your staff is going to be experts in education and technology, if not you have to plane the seed to have them on the edge (culture). If teachers and staff are working to keep on the cutting edge then students will be exposed the best possible practices for their success.
ReplyDeleteTo keep my staff current on technology in education, I would model my expectations for my faculty. I would attempt to stay as up to date as possible and implement schoolwide strategies using technology. I would also utilize my ITRT and have inservices to for all faculty members.
ReplyDeleteI myself, along with the chairs of each department would go to seminars and/or workshops to keep current with the trends of technology. I would let my department chairs know that once a month I epect a meeting with the department for the chair to teach what they have been taught and to open the floor for discussion and demonstration if needed. I would expect notes to be taken, who was present, and duration of the meeting. After the first semester I would reassess teachers and their use of technology to see if more seminars or workshops are needed. I would also ask to see if anyone other than the department chair would like to join in going to a work shop or seminar.
ReplyDeleteI believe that I will need to have a very good realationship with the technology department in my own divsion to begin with. I would look for them for advise on good professional development, what may be coming to the division so as not to waste money on trainings that may not be revelent. Also, participating in trainings myself so I don't turn into one of those "dinosaurs".Shane Reed
ReplyDeleteI would ask incoming new teachers to volunteer ways that they have been trained and plan to use technology, and I would present these to the faculty. This would keep me up to-date and keep fresh ideas and innovations flowing. I would also try and teach some new technology at an in-service to demonstrate my commitment to technology.
ReplyDeleteI would educate myself as much and often as possible in the area of technology. I need to be the one whom teachers can come to and get an answer for the basics. We have tech folks, but they are few and far between. Most teachers need help now, so it is important that I know as much as possible. I would also keep abreast using ideas for new programs and such from other systems, the news, and conferring with the tech people in my system.
ReplyDeleteJake Leonard
I would keep up to date as much as possible on technology through workshops, talking with our technology department, and staying current through internet/news sources. I would also try to incorporate as much technology into my position as possible and send teachers/staff members to learn and come back to share.
ReplyDeleteSam
I would keep up to date on all new technology that is available to schools and are the newest tools to help enhance education. Also, I would use the technology specialist as a big resource to provide professional development to teachers to help implement the tools in the classroom and encourage teachers to use as much interactive technology as possible.
ReplyDeleteIt is important for an administrator to have at least a basic understand of most of the technology in the school. To ensure this is the case and to kept myself up to date on new technoloby I would try out new technology when it is purchased. If we buy 10 smartboards and spend that kind of money then the administrators should at least know the basics. Additionally, as I observe teachers in the classroom and they use technoloby I am not familar with, I would ask for a quick demo. As time permitted, I would look into the technologies in more detail. Workshops can be great and I would deffinately attend for technology I would use on a regular basis. However, if it is something a teacher will use on a regular basis then he or she should be sent in my place.
ReplyDeleteFor starters I would definately stay on a first name basis with my tech people in my school. Also I would just make conversations with those teachers that may be more tech savvy than myself. For the Montgomery Co area, we have great resources to pull from since T/TAC has offices in both Blacksburg and Radford campuses. The thing with technology is that you can almost stay up-to-date by yourself as long as you actually use it consistently. Also, pay attention to the news and articles that are printed in educational magazines like ASCD and The Principal. Many times there are articles of how principals can capitalize on the use of technology in their schools.
ReplyDeleteAs an older educator I have always wanted to know more about technology. Technology is changing so rapidly that all educators need to make a concerted effort to be aware of the latest trends. As an administrator I would establish a technology committee with representation from each grade and speciality area. I would attend, technology conferences with my committee members. We would present the latest technology to our staff when we return to school. I would encourage the technology staff to hold their staff development training at our school. I would provide support for technology funding within the county and at a school level. Misty Zyvoloski
ReplyDeleteI work for a principal now who does a mini technology staff development during our monthly faculty meetings. We normally meet for one hour and these credit hours go toward our technology requirements throughout the year. I know many of our staff members appreciate how this is set up. We usually get a staff member or one of our administrators to volunteer some type of technology application that has been very useful to them during their career. Like someone mentioned in an earlier post, some of the 1st or 2nd year teachers who have just graduated from college have a lot of good ideas and have taught the staff some new technology uses. I would like to implement something like this with my faculty when that time comes.
ReplyDeleteAs a leader in a school environment I would as said before "walk the walk and talk the talk". I believe that actions speak louder than words and by myself being interested in the current trends in and of technology I would be demonstrating what behavior I expect to be modeled in my classroom leaders. Of course you will have those teachers who may use more technology than others and that is where I would tap into my professional staff and have them demonstrating some of the uses they may have found valueable. The ITRT in any school/division is going to be helpful. The state policy and division policy on competencies in technology is going to be helpful but as I saw those may not be changing as quickly as our current technology so we must always be researching and practicing with new innovative ways to incorporate technology in the school environment. I also have the reality that you can lead a camel to water but that doesn't mean they will drink!! I as an administrator must be diligent in working with ITRT, central staff, and staff to make sure that we are doing all we can to help be the spark of enthusiasm for students and help them to use the current technology at its most to become successful.
ReplyDeleteTechnology professional development is a necessary to improve school culture and the learning environment of the students. I would use the ITRT department to stay up to date on technology trends and changes. I would also use internet sites and schooling to keep me informed. I would use the ITRT department and peer-to-peer technology teaching to keep my staff current with technology. Hopefully, working as a cohesive team we would be able to embrace the ever changing technology trends.
ReplyDeleteKeeping up with technology can be an issue for an administrator because it takes commitment to stay on top of what is out there. And while we might not be the expert in all things technological, there are many ways that technology can make our jobs more efficient. Some ways to do this include: attending conferences such as the Virginia Society for Technology in Education [VSTE]; subscribing to tech journals; taking part in division-wide training opportunities, and using your IRT!
ReplyDeleteAs the instructional leader in your school integrating technology into the classroom is a must. We do our students a disservice not to prepare them for an ever-changing technological world. This includes being open to new methods that appeal to students’ interest levels such as podcasting and wikis.
As administrators we must be mindful of the different levels of comfort and competency among the faculty and staff. There needs to be the expectation that, with our students in mind, we as a faculty will continue to grow in this area. I think modeling this growth is a great idea as Angie noted in her post. Not all staff members will be at the same place, but it will be important to lead the discussion about what things “should” be done as a professional learning community (on-line testing, using the Activeboard in your classroom, communicating by email, etc.) and what “could” be done (classroom wikis, student podcasts, video conferencing, etc.) by those more tech savvy. The idea here is that we continue to move forward in our learning as a school community even though we may have different entry points.
While consistently using the latest technology to model how beneficial it is, I would encourage teachers to utilize these technologies by setting up training time with the ITRT. This could be as a faculty meeting, or grade level meeting, or if needed, one-on-one.
ReplyDeleteIt is necessary for an effective school leader to provide for staff professional growth. I think that administrators themselves should be participating in the same professional development activites. If you are asking "your people" to know how to use technology effectively, you should be able to as well.
ReplyDelete