Module 1 Post

I think that teacher leadership can be defined as teachers who go above and beyond what is normally expected of them.  They are the teachers who try and set an example for not only their students, but other teachers around them.  They take on roles and responsibilities that they might not normally have to, such as heading up a club or committee around their school.  While doing my student teaching, I had an excellent example of teacher leadership.  I was fortunate enough to placed with a mentor who showed excellent leadership.  He was not only the chair of the department, but also head of several clubs, such as National Honor Society, and he even helped with lighting and other technical things during the school's theater productions.  He also helped provide training in technology to other teachers.  He set examples of leadership for me not only in the classroom, but also in the school community.

I don't necessarily feel that leadership for technology integration is different from other kinds of leadership.  To be a leader, someone has to have knowledge of what they're doing.  You can't lead a marching band if you have no knowledge of music or composition.  Similarly, you cannot successfully lead technology integration if you have no knowledge of the technology you're using.  However, I feel that everyone can be taught how to use the technology they need, and this will make them effective leaders.  This is probably the biggest challenge for teacher leadership.  Learning new technology takes time, and as technology is constantly changing, it is harder to take the time to teach every teacher how to use this technology.  One benefit, though, are many teacher leaders, like my mentor, who are ready and willing to provide training to colleagues on how to use technology.

Chapter 1
1.  "Digital learners prefer to access information quickly from multiple-media sources, but many educators prefer slow and controlled release of information from limited sources."

I've seen evidence of this many, many times.  I've been asked frequently by students "can I just Google it?" when I've worked in schools.  I think to desire to just "look things up" is even stronger now that we can access the internet on our smartphones and it's right there at our fingertips.  I also agree that many educators encourage only using information from certain sources.  This is very limited, though, because there are so many resources available out there.  Instead of limiting access, we should teach students how to use what's available to them and how to interpret good information from bad.  I actually have encouraged the use of smartphones for research on group projects, because sometimes there just aren't enough school resources available.  There might not be enough working computers or maybe the computer lab cannot be accessed because someone else is using it on that day.  This happens frequently, especially in lower income schools that have fewer resources.  There should be nothing wrong with using the technology available in an effective manner.

2. "Digital learners prefer learning that is relevant, active, instantly useful, and fun, but many educators feel compelled to teach memorization of the content in the curriculum guide."

I think this is a very accurate depiction of what occurs in the classroom.  I hear so often "am I ever going to use this in the real world?" and "have you ever used this [math] outside of school?"  Students want information that is relevant and demand an explanation, or justification, as to why it's being taught to them.  They don't care about content standards or standardized tests, but about how they're going to use the information they're given.  To get them interested in what they're learning, you have to do all those things.  You have to justify what you're teaching and why you're teaching it, and then you have to make it fun and engaging, or the students completely disconnect from it.  You have to show them that what is being taught in the classroom actually has meaning for them, or many times they just don't care.

Chapter 2
1.  "The principal must provide appropriate professional development time and resources to support effective classroom implementation of technology."

I think this is one of the most important guidelines.  As I have already mentioned, teachers can not be effective leaders if they do not know how to use the technology they are meant to be using.  This is also, unfortunately, one that is frequently overlooked.  Implementation of technology cannot happen within the schools if teachers don't first learn how to use it.  Otherwise, it is simply going to take up space within the classroom and fail to be an efficient use of funds.

2.  "The principal must be an active and public champion for all students, staff members, and the school of implementing a vision of fully integrating learning technology for the second decade of the twenty-first century."

In order for teachers to be effective leaders of technology integration, their principals must first set the example.  Nothing can change within a school if the principal does not support the teachers and what is occurring within their classrooms.