Abstract
Some school administrators may be ill prepared to lead their staff into the digital landscape of the 21st century. Technology leadership is not limited to administrators. Teacher technology leaders have arisen in some institutions as a means of meeting the needs of fellow faculty and students. These teacher technology leadership practices may serve as a catalyst in altering school culture to embrace technology throughout the curriculum. This is explored in this chapter.
TopIntroduction
We live in a society permeated with information and communications technology (ICT) (Cisco, 2008; Prensky, 2010). From Web 2.0 applications to smartphones, tablets, and cloud storage, ICT has become a commonplace part of our lives (Anderson, 2007; Askin & Randewich, 2012; Barret, 2010). ICT can play a powerful role in the education of children (Bell, 2010; Cisco, 2008; Norton, 2007; Prensky, 2007). In schools, it is imperative that educators use technology throughout the curriculum in order to better prepare students to be productive workers on a digital and global stage (Bell, 2010; Cisco, 2008; Jukes, McCain, & Crockett, 2010; Prensky, 2007; Silva, 2009). The National Education Technology Plan (2010) states technology must be utilized in providing timely and meaningful learning experiences. Technology leadership must strive to foster a climate that supports technology infused lessons throughout the curriculum (Luthra & Fochtman, 2011; Prensky, 2007; Silva, 2009). In 1999, the Governor of Maine, Angus King organized a task force to research the educational technology needs of students. The task force concluded:
We live in a world that is increasingly complex and where change is increasingly rampant. Driving much of this complexity and change are new concepts and a new economy based on powerful, ubiquitous computer technology linked to the Internet. Our schools are challenged to prepare young people to navigate and prosper in this world, with technology as an ally rather than an obstacle. The challenge is familiar, but the imperative is new: we must prepare young people to thrive in a world that doesn’t exist yet, to grapple with problems and construct new knowledge which is barely visible to us today. It is no longer adequate to prepare some of our young people to high levels of learning and technological literacy; we must prepare all for the demands of a world in which workers and citizens will be required to use and create knowledge, and embrace technology as a powerful tool to do so. (Silvernail, 2011, p. 3)
Starting in 2001, Maine embarked on a statewide laptop initiative tasked with providing students the necessary technological skills and experiences for the 21st century (Penuel, 2006; Silvernail, 2011). Luthra and Fochtman (2011) in their research of technology integration at the American School of Bombay concur that students need to be “critical consumers of technology tools (p. 17).” Students need educational opportunities that will prepare them with 21st century skills.
Key Terms in this Chapter
ICT: Information Communications Technology.
ISTE: International Society for Technology in Education.
Tablet: A thin computer with a touch interface.
Blog: An individual or shared online journal that may allow readers to post comments.
21st Century Skills: The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) has identified the following standards as necessary 21 st century skills: (a) creativity and innovation, (b) communication and collaboration, (c) research and information fluency, (d) critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making; (e) digital citizenship and, (f) technology operations and concepts.
Web 2.0: Web applications that allow the user to participate. This is most often referred to as user-generated content on Websites.
Smartphone: A mobile phone that combines Internet access with a camera and music player.
Cloud Storage: A backup or storage service on the Internet.
Communities of Practice: A group of people who come together to share their expertise in solving a problem.