The Role of Leadership in a SuperNet Connected World

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The Role of Leadership in a SuperNet Connected
World
Karen Andrews, Research and Planning, Stakehold
er Technology, Alberta Education
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Discussion Format

• The Study SuperNet Snapshot Research Results
• The Results (correlation with experience)
• The Role of Leadership

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SuperNet Snapshot Research Results

• The Study Extension Learning Solutions, U of A
• 15 Schools (selected by JTCs)
• ISTE Essential Conditions (Handout)

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The Study Extension Learning Solutions, U of A

• Exemplar schools
• Genesis School That means things like
  technology typically go to the back burner. It
  was just in this current school year that we
  actually were given enough money to fulfill a
  technology plan.
• Pilot-Project School its videoconferencing
  for schools like ours that have a smaller high
  school population. We basically pool all of the
  teachers in a school division to teach a course.
• Champion-Driven School the only way my staff
  are going to become aware of the virtual
  classroom and using the SuperNet was if somebody
  took the time to either train themselves or go to
  some PD where they learned how to use it and then
  they are now teaching the rest of them teachers
  at the school.

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Site Visit Overview

• Let us tell you what were doing with technology
• Let us show you what were doing with technology
• Discussion of various school visits
• Variation between schools
• Impact of administrators
• Differences in access to technology

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SuperNet Snapshot Results

• All 15 schools have benefited from access to
  SuperNet.
• Even though the 15 schools were selected by JTCs
  as above average in terms of technology use,
  none of the 15 schools had all of the essential
  conditions in place. The majority were missing at
  least 3 of the essential conditions.  

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Access to technology

• The average student to computer ratio was 61 (14
  out of 15 were in lab settings) and students
  spent about 1 hour per week using technology.
• Teachers reported that they had adequate access
  to technology but that it is difficult to book
  lab time.
• Students generally did not agree that they had
  adequate access to technology within their
  school.
• How does this compare with your situation?

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Teaching

• About a third of teacher survey respondents were
  only somewhat comfortable (28.3) using
  technology. 58.6 were comfortable. 13.1 were
  not comfortable.
• Teachers have adequate PD opportunities but the
  PD is not preparing them to integrate technology
  within their teaching.
• New teachers do not have the required level of
  technology training and sophistication in terms
  of technology integration within curriculum.
• How does this compare with your situation?

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SuperNet Snapshot Highlights Continued

• Of the 8 essential conditions, schools were
  weakest in the following areas Professional
  Development (targeted), Assessment and
  Accountability (reflection), and Support Policies
  (plans and structures).
• Policies related to filtering software and
  firewalls actually hindered rather than helped
  schools progress in technology use and
  integration.

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The Impact of Leadership

• In the schools that were able to demonstrate
  Essential Conditions, administrators were
• Able to articulate benefits of technology
  implementation and the shared vision for tech
  implementation and SuperNet use
• Able to highlight ways in which they were
  actively supporting tech integration and SN use.
• Directly promoting the use of specific
  technologies
• Providing adequate access to technology
• Providing adequate access to technical support
• Engendering an environment where experimentation
  and innovation were encouraged
• Providing a vision that includes higher level
  thinking skills

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Technology in Schools A Range of Use
Technology Construction Tools.
High Order Thinking
Problem Solving w/ Data Sets, Probes, etc.
Simulations
Real-World
Online Courses
Complexity
Authenticity
Integrated Learning System
Drill Practice
Artificial
Basic Skills
Instruction
Didactic
Constructivist
Coaching
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Open discussion

• How do we move from broken front to united front?
• What is the role of leadership in ensuring that
  meaningful technology integration is happening in
  schools?
• What strategies have you seen or used?

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Open discussion

• How do we move from broken front to united front?
• How can we engage and support leaders in their
  efforts?
• What strategies have you seen or used that work?

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Stay Connected

• http//cnets.iste.org/administrators/ National
  Educational Technology Standards for
  Administrators
• http//www.cosn.org/ The Consortium for School
  Networking (CoSN) Advancing K-12 Technology
  Leadership
• http//www.lnt.ca Alberta Education - Learning
  TechnologyResearch
• http//vcalberta.ca Alberta resource for all
  things video-conferencing
• E-mail Newsletters
• tech.news Alberta Education monthly newsletter
  targeted to technology leaders in school
  jurisdictions. To subscribe, send an e-mail to
  tech.news_at_gov.ab.ca, and enter "Subscribe to
  tech.news" in the subject line.
• VITAL- Valued Integration of Technology Through
  Administrative Leadership published bi-monthly
  by 2learn.ca www.2learn.ca/satirritas/vital/vital.
  html

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Thank you
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