ED5850 Annotated Bibliographies 2005

EDUCATION 5850: Leadership and Technology

Fall, 2005

Annotated Bibliographies

Early, S., R. (2002). The integration of technology into public education: Promises and challenges. Rerived from: http://www.bookstoread.com/etp/earle.pdf

One of the key points of the article is that integration does not mean only placement of the hardware in the classroom nor it is namely a synonym for computers. The article highlights some of the restraining forces of the technology integration. The barriers were grouped into first order barriers, extrinsic to teachers: access, time, support, training; and the second order barriers, intrinsic to teachers: attitudes, beliefs, practices, resistance). Changing attitudes and beliefs is the most difficult aspect of the change. The article emphasizes the fact that it is not the technology integration that results in improving student achievement, but it is the way we use technology in instructional practice.

Don, R. (1997). Technology, leadership and efficacy. Retrieved from http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec596r/students/McKinney/McKinney.html#Reference

The author of the article elaborates the issue of technology integration in teaching. The articles emphasizes the relation between leadership, technology and curriculum. And, it is leadership (effective visionary leadership) that will have to work with teachers in aligning the school curriculum to the vision. In this light, if the vision is to have technology integration then there is a need to do some work on curriculum to align the curriculum to this plan. The author emphasises the need for planning time for teachers when dealing with the change (including technology into teaching) – it is a change and teachers will need to plan how to do it and incorporate that into their lesson plans.

Critical issues: Technology leadership: Enhancing positive educational change. Retrieved from: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/educatrs/leadrshp/le700.htm

The article pursues the issues of leadership and its connection to internet. Initially, the articles gives an overview of some of the leadership styles (transformational, versatile, relational) and then moves to, what it calls, technology leadership. The articles emphasizes issues of technology changes and innovations, the needs for teachers to be up to date with technology, the issue that research findings on technology integration should not be generalized to all the grade levels, subjects etc, and emphasizes the role of the teachers in developing a technology integrations, having the staff learn the technology, design the curriculum (technology-oriented) etc. Many leaders are uncertain about technology integration – they need to first understand the benefits of this technology in order to help the others implement it.

Blacker, D. (2004). Philosophy of Technology and Education. Retrieved from http://www.ed.uiuc.edu/EPS/PES-Yearbook/94_docs/BLACKER.HTM

The articles starts a discussion as to what technology is and how educators should be approaching it. Blacker describes the two opposing philosophies of on technology: One being Instrumentalism, and the other Substantivism. Substantive theorists believe that technology is ingrained into our society and influences every aspect of education – and we must abandon the traditional education to embrace technology if we are to continue to compete in a technologically advanced economy. Instrumentalists, on the other side believe that technology is just tools and the true value comes from understanding how we use these tools. This raises the need to train educators how to use them. The article invites for an inquiry into technology integration and philosophical influences on technology and the importance of learning how to use technology the best.

Critical issues: providing professional development for effective technology use. Retrieved from: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te1000.htm

This web site is a discussion of some of the important issues related to the technology integration in school. It emphasizes the need to offer professional development for teachers in order to use that technology for enhancing student achievement. The article emphasizes that the lack of professional development for teachers is the biggest obstacle to fully integrating technology in the curriculum. Professional development should be an integral part of the School Technology Plan. In other words, you cannot plan for technology integration if you do not plan for professional development of teachers who are key people in making the best use of that particular technology.

Bailey & Lumley (1997). Technology Planning: A toolkit for administrators and school board members. Retrieved from: http://www.netc.org/cdrom/toolkit/html/toolkit.htm

This web site is a useful resource for administrators and leaders who are involved in technology integration or in planning technology integration more specifically. In order to have the technology integration, there is a need for a technology plan, which will specify what will the planning team do, the professional development needs and how the plan will be implemented. The web site highlights the six steps that are required for technology development plan. The steps are: (1) Organize & Empower a District Technology Planning Team and Governance Structure, (2) Prepare the Planning Teams for the Study, (3) Assess Current State of Technology in District, (4) Develop Guiding Documents for Technology, (5) Develop the Long-Range Technology Plan, and (6) Implement and Institutionalize the Technology Plan. The web site also offers some tips as tools for administrators and other leaders involved in planning for technology integration.

Cuban, L. (1998). Interview with Larry Cuban. Taking Stock:
What Does the Research Say About Technology's Impact on Education? (cont.) http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/TL/062000/archives/cuban.html

This web site is an interview with Larry Cuban, a technology integration expert. Cuban emphasizes the importance of technology integration in school. He confirms that technology has a huge impact on student learning and that technology integration has an impact on test scores but it does not necessarily makes students learn faster, better and more. He does not argue against this hypothesis but emphasizes that there has not been enough substantive research on whether or not technology makes this happen (help students learn faster, better and more).

Amey, M., & Vanderlinden, K. (2003). The use of technology. Institutional issues.
Retrieved from: http://www2.nea.org/he/healma2k3/a03p85.pdf

This bring up the issue of what administrators (adapters) think that technology integration is most important for their organizations. The administrators, according to the importance of issues for their organizations, ranked as following (starting from the most important to least important): Technology support for instructional and administrative processes; Student access to computers; Use of technology in current instructional programs; Technological competence of students; Technological competence of faculty; Creation of new technologically mediated program; on-line student services; On-line student recruitment/marketing; Technological competence for administrators. These data show what is perceived as most important for organizations in terms of technology integration. It is interesting to note that Technology competence for administrators was perceived as the least important.

Van D., G., Technology: Higher Education’s magical bullet. Retrieved from:
http://www2.nea.org/he/heta98/s98pg59.pdf

The article discusses the impact of technology in higher education: How can modern technology solve some of the problems higher education is facing? Technology facilitates the administrative work like student registration, admissions, transactional processes etc. On the other hand, modern technology has also facilitated the teaching process. It has made a tremendous contribution to the on-line format of teaching courses. The article emphasizes the benefits that are recognized for on-line format of teaching, such: flexibility in taking courses, reducing living and transport expenses etc. It is widely known that more Universities are increasing their attention to and their offering of distance education format.

Bowers, C., A. The paradox of technology: what is gained and what is lost.
Retrieved from: http://www2.nea.org/he/heta98/s98pg49.pdf

This article is a very good analysis of what are the benefits and what are the losses of technology integration. In fact, the article focuses on the aspects that are considered loses from using technology in teaching. The benefits of technology are in facilitating the administrative work and also in teaching courses on-line. But, the article emphasizes some of the cultural issues that are undermined by technology or distance education. One example of the loses that the article emphasizes is that technology reduces or even eliminates learning from elder knowledge and intergenerational communication based on face-to-face communication.

Lynch, E. (2004). Posting grades on internet. Retrieved from:
http://www.students.sonoma.edu/users/l/lynche/EDUC586-012/PostGradesED586.pdf

This article is a research report focusing on the usefulness of posting student grades on internet. The importance of this is that parents will get to get a regular feedback on the progress of their children and in that way they can push their children to study more regularly. This is a useful method to encourage student growth, assuming that access to internet is available for all parents and students, in both urban and rural areas. So, this is a good way to connect schools with home. The limitation is that by communicating grades on the web teachers do not communicate the assessment of the progress. But, this is a good information for parents to start discussions with their children as to how they have been doing in classes.

Robertson J., M. (2004) International Leadership Development through Web-Based Learning. Retrieved from: http://www.ucalgary.ca/~iejll/volume8/robertson_webber12.html

The article provides an overview and rationale of developing an on-line master course on educational leadership. The article provides some assumptions for on-line teaching (the merit of peer guidance by classmates, the need to validate personal knowledge, the value of international networks, the strength of on-line learning communities etc). Then, the article brings up the lessons learned from developing an on-line course (the importance of a design team that includes technical support personnel; the need for instructors to have computer skills and access to ongoing professional development; cross-cultural differences in online participation etc.) The article concludes by raising some questions that need answers, such as: How much does the success of on-line communities rely on prior relationships? etc. It is the case when students meet in summer courses for example and then continue part time studies on-line. This can influence a lot the on-line communities.

McKenzie, J. (2001). How teachers learn technology best?
Retrieved from: http://www.fno.org/mar01/howlearn.html

This article brings up the issue of how teachers learn technology best. It is an article that emphasizes the need to have schools identify staff professional development opportunities in order to encourage them to integrate the technology into teaching rather than spending resources in buying the technology and then think of the way to have staff implement that particular technology. “Some put the cart in front of the horses”, the article emphasizes. The articles argues that it is not only how to use technology and the skills required that we need to pay attention to, but it is more important how to use this technology in the best ways to support their teaching strategies. It is important to provide the technology and develop the skills of teacher – but it is more important to have the students be prepared; make the necessary curriculum planning and have teachers incorporate this into their Professional Growth Plans etc.

Cradler, J. et al. How does technology influence student learning?
Retrieved from: http://caret.iste.org/caretadmin/news_documents/StudentLearning.pdf

This article is an overview of the ways that technology can improve student achievement. The focus is on the three areas: Improving student achievement in content area learning; Higher order thinking and problem solving skill development; and workforce preparation. Technology can enhance content areas learning if the technology directly supports the curriculum standards being assessed. And, this requires an alignment between the curriculum standards and the type of technology we select for application.

Connecting student learning and technology. Retrieved from:
http://www.sedl.org/pubs/tec26/flash.html

The article brings a view on constructivism, i.e. learner cantered classroom, and its connection to the technology in the classroom. Initially it emphasizes the strengths of the learner centred classroom, compares that to the traditional classroom and then raises the issue of technology integration. Technology can help students complete activities on their individual pace, can help students choose the materials (on-line) that they consider to be valuable for their learning, computer software can help the students to complete their assignments (using pictures), computer helps students to communicate with peers, resources, instructors so that they can best support their own learning (constructivist theory).

Byrom, Elizabeth and Bingham, Margaret. (2001). Factors Influencing the Effective Use of Technology for Teaching and Learning: Lessons Learned from the SEIR TEC intensive site schools . Retrieved October 2, 2005 from: http://www.seirtec.org/publications/lessons.pdf
The authors of this booklet look at some of the factors that influence the integration of technology in schools. Lessons and observations are shared, as well as steps on how to successfully implement technology, using examples from resource-poor schools. The site mostly focuses on professional development with the integration of technology into schools. Some of the key items discussed are effective leadership and what constitutes an effective leader, creating a plan to achieve your destination goal, creating effective learning experiences, assisting teacher preparedness, collaboration with technology professionals, barriers to the implementation of technology, and evaluation of technology programs; most of which are supported with some illustrative case examples. They also attempt to clarify the roles of stakeholders in this process.

ESchool News. (2005). Online field trips boost reading scores. ESchool News online. May 19th. Retrieved November 29, 2005 from: http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/showstory.cfm?ArticleID=5671
The eSchool news online website contains many articles, lessons, and resources regarding education and technology. In this article, a study conducted by Maryland Public television found that students who used free web-based learning materials and online field trips, scored higher on national reading comprehension tests than those students that used traditional methods alone. This study, concerning approximately 400 seventh and eighth graders from two Maryland public middle schools, was conducted during the 2003-2004 school year. Suzanne Clewell, a faculty associate at John Hopkins University, cautions that not all virtual destinations will provide these same results. An appropriate site should contain instructional materials that would be helpful to educators and engage learners. Specifically, the Maryland schools used a program called Thinkport, developed by Maryland Public Television and John Hopkins University.

Gahala, Jan. (2001). Critical Issue: Promoting Technology Use in Schools. North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. Retrieved October 2, 2005 from: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te200.htm
This article discusses some of the problems that surround technology use in schools. Some of these issues include teacher knowledge, computer access, strategies for implementing technology into lesson plans, funding for technology and professional development. The article offers several solutions in terms of equitable computer access for a variety of situations including computer labs, mobile computer labs, having several computers in the classroom, and the one-computer classroom. Continuous support is also required in the form of a technical specialist who can trouble shoot immediately. Gahala suggests that this specialist should be located in the building for immediate access when problems arise. Effective goals for technology use need to be determined. These goals should be used to promote meaningful, engaging activities. Time for ongoing professional development and coaching of teachers at a variety of skill level is also discussed. Some incentives to teachers who use technology that are explored are financial, time, job security and credit. Strategies for obtaining and sustaining funding for technology and software selection are also given. Goals, action options and roles for teachers, technical coordinators, administrators, parents and community members are also given. Links to illustrative examples are included. Concerns and different points of view are also offered.
Honey, M., McMillan Culp, K., and Spielvogel, R.. (1999). Critical Issue: Using Technology to Improve Student Achievement. North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. Retrieved October 10, 2005 from: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te800.htm
The article was adapted from a manuscript written by Margaret Honey, Katherine McMillan Culp, and Robert Spielvogel, all staff members of the Center for Children and Technology. There has been evidence in previous research to suggest that technology can boost student achievement. This article explores some of the factors related to evaluating the relationship between technology and achievement such as: the range of electronic materials used, the assessment process, and other changes in the classroom. Honey feels that researchers need to focus on what kind of technologies are being used in the classroom, how they are used for learning, and for what purposes. Different uses of technology are used for different purposes. The article doesn't discuss assessment at length. Honey does mention that alternative assessment might be more suitable when evaluating the correlation between technology and achievement. There is a link provided that further explains types of alternative assessment to standardized testing. She also argues that it is difficult to pinpoint a causal relationship between technology and achievement since the introduction of technology into a classroom may cause other changes (not just changes in achievement). Again, the importance of planning/ goal setting, ongoing teacher professional development, adequate support, and evaluation are stressed as considerations to implementing technology successfully.
Kleiman, Glenn M. (2000). Myths and Realities about Technology in K-12 Schools. Retrieved October 2, 2005 from: http://www2.edc.org/LNT/news/Issue14/feature1.htm
Glenn Kleiman, Ph.D. is Vice President and Senior Research Scientist at Education Development Center, Inc. and on the faculty of the Technology in Education Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He has a background in cognitive and developmental psychology. He currently directs the Education Development Center's Online Professional Education and Ed Tech’s Leaders Online program. This article explores five of the myths surrounding the use of technology in K-12 schools: that putting computers in schools will improve learning, that there are specific “best practices” that one should follow, that a teacher only needs to know the basics before putting technology to effective use, that district plans for incorporating technology into the classroom are sufficient, and that equity can be achieved by ensuring that the same student – computer ratios are followed in every school (regardless of socio-economic status). Kleiman gives solid explanations of each myth and offers insight into the realities. He also discusses how to maximize our investment in technology use in schools. Additional links are also offered at the conclusion of the article
McAnear, Anita. (2005). Holding ourselves accountable. Learning and Leading With Technology. Retrieved October 3, 2005 from: http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/Publications/LL/LLIssues/200510/October6/33204m.pdf
The author, Anita McAnear, voices her opinion on the accountability of teachers with regards to technology and education. McAnear is acquisitions editor for Learning & Leading with Technology (L & L) and national program chair for NECC. She is a former middle school Math and Language Arts teacher and has been with the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) since 1983. In this article she discusses how teachers are accountable to a variety of stakeholders due to standards-based assessment. She says that teachers mustn’t lose sight of the original goal, which is to help children achieve their potential. Teachers should seek ways that technology can help with this process. Setting high goals is attainable.
McKenzie, Jamie. (1998). The Wired Classroom: Creating Technology Enhanced Student Centered Learning Environments. From Now On, The Educational Technology Journal. Volume 7, No. 6, March. Retrieved October 7, 2005 from: http://www.fno.org/mar98/flotilla.html
This article goes through and explains exactly what a wired classroom is as well as what engaged learning is and how technology can assist in learner investigation and exploration. McKenzie also discusses the possibilities in different classroom computer situations. He stresses the need for the conjunction of professional development with computers in the classroom. Rather than spending money on instructional software, he suggests utilizing funds to support questioning, planning, prospecting, collecting, interpreting, reporting, and communicating. The networks need to have adequate storage space to support student learning. He also suggests the spacing of computers around the classroom where they will be of most use. Teachers should visit other classrooms to see the placement of computers and how they are utilized before deciding on the configuration of their own. He discusses what engaged learning means for students. He also discusses the roles of teachers as “guides on the side” and that they should deliver individualized support. He utilizes constructivism principles. Scaffolding and structure are key ingredients to the framework of this type of classroom. Student assessment of learning is ongoing and frequent.
McKenzie, Walter. (2000). Are You a Techno-Constructivist. Education World. Retrieved October 7, 2005 from: http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech005.shtml
This article delves into the question of how teachers can best utilize technology in the classroom to optimize student learning. He discusses a 4-stage model, which, like other articles, emphasizes teacher professional development as a key ingredient in technology integration. The model looks at the various stages of the teacher-technologist, from novice to expert. McKenzie also discusses the importance of teacher reflection and questioning. He supports the idea of the techno-constructivist teacher: one who creates collaborative online projects, implements lessons conducive to the use of technology and constructivist methods, provides virtual trips, and promotes information literacy. He includes links to examples of these ideas, unfortunately, many no longer work or have moved. Some could still be located by doing a simple web search however. He also provides some additional resources (both links worked), which could prove to be useful to teachers interested in implementing some of these ideas.

Mikulski, Steve. (2005). The Technology Education Lab. Retrieved October 2, 2005 from: http://www.techedlab.com/
The website author, Steve Mikulski is an Instructional Specialist for Engineering, Media, and Natural Resources for Montgomery County Public School, working in the Division of Career and Technology Education in Rockville, Maryland. This website contains a variety of technology resources from grades K-12. Each linked web page offers more links to relevant material with brief descriptors. The information includes resources and products, Math and Science links, K-12 links, article links, and the like. A general philosophy page is also included which defines technology education, the mission, and the vision for technology education. Although the copyright date states the website is current, the last update by the author was 2 years ago in 2003.

O’Brien, John. (2003). Technology in Tough Times. Leadership Abstracts. Volume 16, Number 2. Retrieved October 2, 2005 from: http://www.league.org/publication/abstracts/leadership/labs0203.htm
The author, John O’Brien, is Associate Vice Chancellor for Instructional Technology and Deputy Chief Information Officer for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. This article explores the costs and values of innovation and the implementation of technology. O’Brien calls for higher education leaders to ask pertinent questions to ensure technology programs’ cost effectiveness and value such as: How Does Technology Serve Students? How can partnerships and shared services reduce costs? How Does Technology Promote the Institutional Mission? He speaks about possible answers to each, exploring both pros and cons. O’Brien concludes that calls to leadership will require the ability to better understand both the value and the costs of technology, and their impact on the long-term existence of the organization. As organizations will continually be required to do more with less, student success will increasingly drive the decisions that are made regarding technology.

Peterson, Kent. (1995). Critical Issue: Leading and Managing Change and Improvement. North Central Regional Educational Laboratory.
Retrieved October 1, 2005 from: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/educatrs/leadrshp/le500.htm
The author, Kent Peterson, is a professor of educational administration at the University of Wisconsin. This article discusses the school change or improvement and how stakeholders play a vital role in this process. The article contains several audio links that discuss the role of administrators as facilitators in this change process, collaboration and the viewpoints of two principals. The article emphasizes collaborative school culture. The article lists some action options to instigating the change process. The article emphasizes shared leadership and collaboration in instigating change; how leaders need to be supportive of the leadership of others and be willing to allow others to lead. The article also discusses potential pitfalls in the implementation process and different points of view. The article contains links to illustrative cases, contacts, and a myriad of definitions, clarification of terms and other information with regards to school change or improvement.

Prewitt, Edward. (2002). Leadership Makes Technology Work: An Interview with Jim Collins. CIO Magazine. Retrieved October 1, 2005 from: http://www.cio.com/archive/100102/collins.html
In this interview with Jim Collins, author of the best-selling books Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t (Harper Business, 2001) and Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies (Harper Business, 1994, coauthored with Jerry Porras), Edward Prewitt delves into what makes an effective technology implementation leader. The article focuses on the implementation of technology from a business organization standpoint. The process and cautions appear to be the same as mentioned in other articles: technology implementation is a slow process that cannot be rushed. Leaders must be goal-focused and technology must fit into the mission of the company in order for it to be successfully implemented.

Rodriguez, Ginger and Knuth, Randy. (2000). Critical Issue: Providing Professional Development for Effective Technology Use. North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. Retrieved October 2, 2005 from: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te1000.htm
Ginger Rodriguez is a writer specializing in educational issues in Chicago and Randy Knuth is a senior program associate at North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. This article discusses the urgency of incorporating professional development in the area of technology in order to have effective technology use in the classroom. Ongoing professional development that is aligned with school curriculum goals, has evaluative measures in place and is supported both financially and by staff is required. The article goes through the essential components of a professional development program for teachers for the successful integration of technology into teaching and learning. The professional development should be part of the school plan, be connected to student learning, provide hands-on experience and a variety of learning experiences, and enhance student learning. As reiterated in other articles regarding professional development and technology, it is an ongoing process that requires time, active participation of teachers, continuous evaluation, and administrative as well as expert support. Goals and action options are provided with additional links to more information. Administrative, teacher, parent and community member roles are also clarified. As with other articles within this website, pitfalls, different points of view and illustrative cases are provided.

Roempler, Kimberly. (2001). Connecting Students Through Collaborative Projects. ENC Focus 8(2) p. 10-11. Retrieved September 21, 2005 from: http://www.enc.org/topics/edtech/internet/document.shtm?input=FOC-001919-index
Kimberly Roempler is Eisenhower National Clearinghouse’s (ENC) Associate Director for Instructional Resources. She is a veteran physical sciences teacher and teacher educator. This article by Kimberly Roempler suggests ways of implementing technology into the curriculum and meeting technology outcomes through collaborative projects. She also supports an inquiry-based learning approach, allowing students to discover answers through exploration, communication and asking appropriate questions.

Schrum, Lynne. (2005). “Technology in the Classroom: Asking the Right Questions”, in ENC Focus: A Magazine for Classroom Innovators 7 (2). Retrieved September 11, 2005 from: http://www.enc.org/topics/edtech/context/document.shtm?input=FOC-000694-index
The author, Lynne Schrum is president of the International Society for Technology in Education and associate professor in the Department of Instructional Technology at the University of Georgia. In this article, she discusses how teachers must take the lead in using educational technology effectively to enhance teaching and learning. She encourages teachers to take an inquiry-based approach when implementing technology into the classroom. She leaves teachers with the caution to ensure that the technology is meaningful and free of biases.

Technology Leadership. (n.d.) Retrieved October 2, 2005 from: The Education Alliance at Brown University, The Knowledge Loom Web site: http://knowledgeloom.org/tech/index.jsp
This well arranged, user-friendly website, contains a spotlight on technology leadership. The site is organized into the key elements of vision, planning, access, integration, assessment and evaluation, support, professional development, community relationships, and ethical and legal issues surrounding the integration of technology. The author divides each of these aforementioned sections into links to articles, stories, resources and questions accessible by the reader.

Valdez, Gilbert. (2004). Critical Issue: Technology Leadership:
Enhancing Positive Educational Change. North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. Retrieved September 25, 2005 from: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/educatrs/leadrshp/le700.htm
Gilbert Valdez, Ph.D., is a senior advisor for technology and co-director of the North Central Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Consortium at Learning Point Associates. This Critical Issue focuses on leadership qualities of superintendents and principals, responses to change, and effective uses of technology as major themes associated with technology leadership. Valdez examines findings associated with leadership in general, factors associated with change and their implications for education, as well as research findings and best practices relevant to technology and education. He gives a synopsis of leadership in education over the last few decades. He discusses transformational leadership style and executive leadership. He discusses aspects of leadership relevant to change such as relationship building, complexity, moral leadership, and strategies for change. He gives an overview of the change process and technology and leadership. He concludes with goals and action options at each stakeholder level: administrators, school board members, and teachers. He also provides cautions and different points of view. The website also provides illustrative cases and contacts.

Valdez, Gilbert. (2005). Critical Issue: Technology: A Catalyst for Teaching and Learning in the Classroom. North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. Retrieved October 10, 2005 from: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te600.htm
This article looks at the use of technology in the classroom with specific references to Math and Science. In this article Valdez explores the links between technology, Math and Science. He explores how to make technology use more effective in instruction. Technology can assist in making teachers and students more successful in problem solving across a variety of disciplines. Access, insufficient teacher knowledge, excessive filtering and un-engaging assignments were among the complaints by students with regards to the use of technology in the classroom. Concerns from educational organizations include lack of value or distraction, teacher competency, and student and teacher's unclear expectations of technology use. Technology effectiveness depends upon what we are using it for: what are the results we want and how will we measure the results. Technology should ideally create: discussions, opportunities to complete more complex tasks, and opportunities for multiple ways of communicating information. Valdez looks at other studies' findings with regards to assessment using technology, learner expectations, effect on achievement and effectiveness of technology. It is reiterated in this article as in others, that the effectiveness of technology depends on the amount of technological support received, technology links to learning outcomes, sufficient access to technology, and teacher skills/ comfort levels. Authentic tasks need to be used in order for technology use to be effective for student learning. When used appropriately, technology can also accommodate a variety of learning styles.

Veenema, Shirley and Gardner, Howard. (1996). Multimedia and Multiple Intelligence. The American Prospect. Vol. 7 no. 29, November 1, 1996 - December 1, 1996. Retrieved October 10, 2005 from: http://www.prospect.org/print/V7/29/veenema-s.html
This article delves into cognitive ideas and how they relate to technology. The authors feel that technology can be a useful educational tool, but only if it is used in order to find out more about learning: how the mind works. They look at both the behaviorist and cognitivist views. They also look at multiple intelligences and that not all learners learn in just one way. Therefore teaching and using technology should not just be utilized in just one way. Technology should enhance learning and be used equitably by all children. The authors look at a particular CD-ROM, Antietam/Sharpsburg, that transcends the textbook account of the battle at Sharpsburg. The CD-ROM offers multiple viewpoint of the battle as told by eye-witness accounts, views of the site, and artifacts. The information is given from a multitude of perspectives so that no one particular right way is highlighted. This use of a variety of media through the CD-ROM can help students enhance their learning and form deeper understandings of an event. The use of certain technologies also must be relevant to student goals. What teachers want students to gain from the use of the media is important, otherwise there is no sense in using it. The article gives some good arguments relevant to the use of technology in the classroom to enhance learning and reach a variety of learners.

Blogs in Education. (n.d.). Retrieved November 18, 2005, from http://asw.cl.uh.edu/blog/

This article comes from the University of Houston-Clear Lake website. It is a page that it used to support students within the university; however, it has far reaching uses as anyone can access it. The page contains information regarding the use of blogs in education. It contains links to articles about blogging, blog writing tools, aggregators and tools for advanced blogging. It is useful to anyone interested in learning more about this new technology and how it can be used in the classroom. While this article does not contain a specific author or a specific date, we can assume that this page was developed and is updated and monitored by the University of Houston-Clear Lake. We can use the five criteria for evaluating Web pages to speak to its accuracy, authority, objectivity, currency and coverage. The article is accurate because it contains information at the end the supplies a link to the university’s computer and technology department. Its authority comes from the fact that it is an article that is supplied by the University of Houston-Clear Lake. All of the links are dated 2003, which speaks to the currency of the web page. As noted above we can assume that the current nature of information at the university level will apply to this page and the updating that is done. The article covers a wide variety of issues related to blogging and provides ample information for the educator who is inclined to experiment with this technology.

Cuban, L. (2004) Assessing the 20-year impact of multiple intelligences on schooling.
Teacher’s College Record [Electronic version]. Retrieved November 12, 2005, from http://www.tcrecord.org/PrintContent.asp?ContentID=11515

Larry Cuban has been writing articles for the Teacher College Record since the early 1990’s. The Teacher College Record calls itself the voice of scholarship in education. While no information about the author was given, it could be assumed that because of the nature of the online journal he travels in scholarly circles. Cuban offers a very personal commentary on the impact of multiple intelligences work by Howard Gardner on schooling. The author makes several specific claims about multiple intelligences work. He states that “Multiple intelligences has had the greatest influence on educators’ beliefs and talk about differences in children’s intelligence, moderate to high influence on the formal curriculum and instructional materials, and least influence on mainstream teaching and assessment practices.” (p.1) He sets out in this article to explain these statements and answer the question “why has the influence of MI been highest on educators’ beliefs and language and least on classroom practices.” (p.1) He offers an impressionistic assessment of the impact of multiple intelligences on school reform from his perspective as a practitioner and scholar for nearly five decades. Cuban relies solely on his experiences and expertise and while he uses the names of several people and findings, he has only one reference at the conclusion of the article and that is Howard Gardner. While the author makes some very pertinent points about education one cannot help but notice that this is a personally biased article.

Harris, A., & Chapman, C. (2002). Effective leadership in schools facing challenging circumstances.
National College for School Leadership, June, 2002. Retrieved September 17, 2005,
from http://www.ncsl.org.uk.research

This article is a summary of a research project conducted by Alma Harris and Christopher Chapman for and with the National College for School Leadership in the United Kingdom. The aim of the research was to contribute to the knowledge base concerning effective leadership but with a particular emphasis on leadership in schools facing challenging circumstances. The authors define “schools facing challenging circumstances” as those in which only 25 percent of the students or less achieve five or more grades in the average or above average grade categories. The authors share their three main findings in regards to the leaders of these schools and give a summary of the characteristics of effective leaders. The authors of this article are both from top universities in the United Kingdom and are writing in a timeframe that is both current and timely while being backed by an organization that recognizes the importance of school leadership. The content of the article is brief but it succinctly states the research that was undertaken and the results of the research project. I realize that there are no quick fit checklists that deem one kind of leader to be better than another however; it is always helpful to find a list of those characteristics which lend themselves to being an effective leader. The authors provide a link to the full report, which is a very thorough presentation of the research conducted.

Hulley, D. & Dier, L. (2005) Harbors of hope: the planning for school and student success process.
Bloomington, Indiana. National Educational Service

Wayne Hulley and Linda Dier are experts in the field of school improvement and effective schools. They have dedicated their life to effective school research and practice that brings this book to life. This book offers a proven way for schools to deal effectively with change and to create a climate and culture of hope in which students receive the support they need to achieve success. The authors imbed practical solutions for improving student achievement, attitudes, attendance, and behavior within the model that they provide. They address using the power of purpose to align staff efforts, using critical evidence to establish meaningful goals and to track progress, engaging the professional learning community in developing plans to improve, implementing high-yield strategies to enhance student performance, involving parents and the community in supporting school improvement plans, creating a culture of change and following the cycle of continuous improvement. Their work echoes that of Michael Fullan and the work of Richard Dufour on professional learning communities. This is a current educational topic that is in the forefront of educational change and building professional learning communities in our schools today. This work is imperative for school leaders to peruse and to take seriously in their approach to leadership.

Jacobsen, M., Hunter, W.J. (2003). Special issue: leadership and technology in
schools. International Electronic Journal for Leadership in Learning, Vol.7,
Num. 9. Retrieved October 10, 2005, from http://www.ucalgary.ca/~iejll/volume7/leadershipandtechnologyeditorial.htm

Dr. Michelle Jacobsen, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Calgary and Dr. William Hunter, Dean of the School of Education at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, work together to serve as editors for this volume of the International Electronic Journal for Leadership in Learning, which is a refereed academic journal. This article is the editorial for this issue and is deemed to be a credible resource for those interested in technology and leadership issues. Their editorial sited above gave an overview of the recent literature regarding leadership issues as they pertain to the impact of technologies in schools. They provide excellent summaries of the six articles contained in the journal and tie the work of the other authors to well known research in the field of leadership such as Michael Fullan and his book, Leading in a Culture of Change.

Kennedy, K. (2003). Writing with web logs. Technology and Learning Online
Journal, February 2003. Retrieved November 8, 2005, from http://www.techlearning.com/db_area/archives/TL/2003/02/blogs.html

Kristen Kennedy offers an article that explains the use of blogs as an emergent genre for students to publish their work online. She writes a superb explanation of what a weblog is and how to use blogs in an English class. In addition Kennedy discusses the politics of online publishing, the power of collaboration among teachers, and the challenge of assessment. In this last topic she offers some great examples of using blogs for assessment purposes and how that can increase the useful data collection that drives many of the current educational systems today. Throughout her article Kennedy imbeds many resources and websites that can help an educator to use blogs efficiently and effectively. Both her suggestions and resources are practical and can be easily accessed and applied to many different classroom settings. It is always refreshing to read an article from which you can take away an idea that can be implemented immediately. The article speaks well to the accuracy and authority of the content and the author. Kennedy is the senior editor for the online magazine within which this article appears. Its content is current and provides a great introduction to a new fascinating technology.

Lohnes, S. (2003). Weblogs in education: bringing the world to the liberal arts
classroom. The NITLE News, Volume 2, Number 1. Retrieved November
8, 2005, from http://newsletter.nitle.org/v2_n1_winter2003/features_weblogs.php

The Newsletter of the National Institute for Technology and Liberal Education published this informative article about weblogs and their use in education by Sarah Lohnes. The author speaks with excitement and passion about this new technological publishing tool. She clearly defines the use of weblogs and speaks objectively about the services and software choices that educators can use to engage in this new, easy-to-use web-publishing tool. Lohnes explains how blogs are currently being used in the classroom as either a course management system, as student portfolios and for collaboration. She realizes that because this is such a new tool it has not found its way into a lot of educational settings, however, she believes that it could be the best tool ever developed for developing communities of learners that include not only students and teachers in a class but also people from the outside world such as professionals, parents, and local community members. This article speaks to learning communities in a way that echoes Wayne Hulley and Linda Dier and their work Harbors of Hope. This is an excellent article that speaks to a current technology that has fantastic potential.

National School Boards Foundation (1995). Technology’s impact on learning.
Education Leadership Toolkit: change and technology in America’s schools. Retrieved November 8th, 2005, from http://www.nsba.org/sbot/toolkit/tiol.html

While this article is slightly dated, it speaks to concerns and issues that are current in the educational technology arena. Most importantly this article contains information regarding the results of a decade of research on technology’s impact on learning. The article speaks to two comprehensive studies that show the positive benefits from the use of technology, the first is a U.S. Department of Education-funded study of nine technology rich schools and the second is a ten-year study supported by Apple Computer, Inc. (ACOT). The successes that could be seen are well documented for both of these studies. The article also delves into the impact technology has on the various intelligences as described by Howard Gardner. This article only portrays that technology is making a significant, positive impact on education. Imbedded in the article is a whole list of research projects that show the impact of technology. The author gives the names and addresses of these research projects as well as links to the research documentation. This article does not state a specific author, however, the information is deemed reliable, current, and relevant to the topic because of the documentation it contains and the body who produced the information.

Raelin, J. (2004). Leaderful practice: a new compelling model for successful
leaders. Ivey Business Journal Online, Jan-Feb 2004. Retrieved October
10, 2005, from http://0-web7.infotrac.galegroup.com.darius.uleth.ca/itw/infomark/345/974/70618900w7/purl=rc

Joe Raelin produces an article that comes from his recent extensive work and publishing on the timely and current topic of “leaderful practice” and encouraging leadership in everyone. This particular article is copyright of the University of Western Ontario and published in the Ivey Business Online Journal. The information contained within this article is deemed to be valid and well researched. Raelin speaks to the need for organizations to unlock the leadership capacity in their employees. He discusses the art and science of what he calls “leaderful practice”, summarizes the direct and indirect effects of this practice and draws our attention to consider those effects beyond the bottom line, which from a business perspective is the profit margin. Throughout the article he uses excellent references and refers to people well known in the business industry such as Bill Gore. He simply states that “While leaderful practice has great potential to affect the bottom line, there is also an ethical perspective to consider-that is, allowing people to share in the leadership of their communities is simply the right thing to do.” (p.5) While this article is written from a business point-of-view, its application to the world of education can certainly be made. After all we are in the business of “producing” lifelong learners who contribute positively to society.

Reilly, P. (2005). Leadership: walking the talk, TechLearning. Retrieved October
10, 2005, from http://www.techlearning.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=56900348

Peter Reilly writes an article about leadership and technology which is found on the techLEARNING.com website. TechLEARNING.com is produced by Technology & Learning Magazine, with contributions from hundreds of K-12 teachers, administrators & other experts in the field. In this article Reilly speaks to the need for embodied leadership, which to him means influencing by performance and minimizing the discrepancies between our beliefs and our actions. Reilly believes that this is the key to setting the highest leadership standard. His article outlines key points to consider if this is the type of leadership you wish to undertake. In addition he quotes some top people in business who share their secrets to effective leadership. Reilly finishes with a checklist of ten tips for leaders that include examples and practical applications. The article concludes with a list of embodied leadership resources, most of which appear to be courses or seminars that one would have to pay to attend. This gives the article a slightly propaganda feel to it. The author does include textual resources as well however. This article is a quick read that is very current and echoes the work of Michael Fullan. He gives the reader something immediate that they can act upon in order to be more effective in their leadership.

Schacter, J. (1999). The impact of education technology on student achievement:
what the most current research has to say. Milken exchange on education
technology. Retrieved November 8, 2005, from http://web.mff.org/pubform.taf

The Milken Exchange on Educational Technology serves as a clearinghouse of research and information on learning technology. Their belief that technology can be kept in service to learning by paying attention to the learner, the learning environment, professional competency, system capacity, community connections, technology capacity, and accountability, which is stated clearly at the conclusion of this article along with their contact information, makes this a reputable source of information regarding the impact of technology on student achievement. This article is a summary of an article written by the author for the Journal of Educational Computing Research, Volume 20, 1999. Although the information is slightly dated it still serves to inform our practice as educators. Schacter summarizes the positive and negative impact of various technology studies from 1994 –1999 on student achievement. The author gives links to the actual research that was conducted which makes his conclusions authentic. This is a wonderful summary of some credible research that gives the reader a non-biased glimpse of some of the significant studies that were conducted in this area in the late 1990’s.

Sherry, L. & Jesse, D. (2000). The impact of technology on student achievement.
Retrieved November 8, 2005, from http://carbon.cudenver.edu/~lsherry/pubs/tassp_00.htm

The authors in this article speak to the critical issue of demonstrating that technology is having an impact on student achievement. They acknowledge that using technology to enrich learning is a good thing but demonstrating its impact on test scores is tricky. In this era of increasing accountability this is a current and timely article. The authors present a new model for assessment that can be used to describe the connection between student motivation, metacognition, learning processes, and learning outcomes in a technology-rich environment. They believe this model will be equally as effective in situations in which standards-based instruction is the norm. Their model consists of both process and product measures of student performance. This model is not only new and useful for assessing student achievement; it also represents a good sound instructional model. The authors offer examples and practical applications of the model that are good fits for a variety of classroom situations. This article was prepared for the RMC Research Corporation for the University of Colorado at Denver. This speaks to its academic focus and research authenticity of the authors.

Sherry, L., Biillig, S., Jesse, D., & Watson-Acosta, D. (2001). Assessing the
impact of instructional technology on student achievement. T.H.E. Journal
Online, February 2001. Retrieved November 8, 2005, from
http://www.thejournal.com/magazine/vault/A3297.cfm

Technological Horizons in Education (T.H.E.) online journal features this article, which measures the impact of a project designed to infuse standards-based instruction in multimedia, digital art, music composition, and online discourse into general arts and humanities curricula of Vermont K-12 schools. Multimedia technology was incorporated within six academic content areas: art, music, technology, history/social studies, English/language arts and interdisciplinary studies. The authors use structural equation modeling to correlate the various elements of the extended Sternberg model. They used mixed methods that consisted of online survey, student pretest and posttest surveys, and scores on teacher-created/selected rubrics that assessed students’ learning processes and final products to receive the data required. The article clearly outlines the procedures that were used to conduct the research and met all the necessary requirements for authentic, quality research. In the article the authors reveal their preliminary findings and draw conclusions based on these findings. This is an interesting article that reveals information that pertains equally to sound teaching practices and to promising practices for teaching and learning with technology.

Weblogs in and around the classroom. (n.d.). Blogging Across the Curriculum: a course
resource for the interactive digital design program at Quinnipiac University.
Retrieved November 18, 2005, from http://mywebspace.quinnipiac.edu/Phastings/classroom.html

This article comes from a website that is developed by Quinnipiac University. It is a course resource for an interactive digital design class. This page displays links to information regarding current practice and the use of blogs in and around the classroom. It speaks to the use of blogs by all stakeholders at the university level; researchers, teachers, and students. It includes information on what a weblog is, how to blog, blogs and teaching, blogrolls, blog projects and a bibliography. In terms of an evaluation of this website, the author of the site is Patti Hastings who is an Assistant Professor at Quinnipiac University and gives her own blog as a resource for contacting her. This speaks to the accuracy of the website’s information as well as the authority of the person who has prepared this page. The information on the page is clearly not for promotional purposes but for education purposes only and may contain the author’s bias in terms of her opinions about the usefulness of blogs themselves. I believe the page is current having checked the resources to discover most are from 2003 to 2005. The links that are given are not evaluated specifically but are deemed to be what is currently going on in academic circles. This is a useful resource to educators who are interested in reading more in-depth articles and information about weblogs.

Yendol Silva, D., Gimbert, B., & Nolan, J. (2000). Sliding the doors: locking and unlocking
possibilities for teacher leadership. Teacher’s College Record, Volume 102, Number
4, August 2000.

The authors of this article are all professional educators who work at reputable universities in the United States. This article reveals the results of a case study conducted by the authors that describes the experience of three teacher leaders who attempt to lead from within their classroom. The article explains in detail the experiences of these teacher leaders and the authors provide an analyses that states that teacher leaders navigate structures of schools, that teacher leaders nurture relationships, that teacher leaders model professional growth, that teacher leaders help others with change and that teacher leaders challenge the status quo by focusing on the needs of the students. The article begins with siting recent literature in the area of teacher leadership and professional learning communities. They define what teacher leadership means and then set off discuss the experiences of the three teachers. Their summary and conclusions site the work of Fullan, Barth, and Sergiovanni, to name a few. This article speaks to the importance of building leadership capacity in schools and is both current and timely. The authors provide ample current and knowledgeable references from which they built their platform.

1. Becker,H., Riel,M., (2000) The beliefs, practices, and computer use of teacher leaders. , Irvine: University of California.

This is a study of 4,000 U. S. teachers "concerning their educational background, teaching philosophy and instructional practices both with and without computers." The teachers were grouped according to the degree of their professional engagement as Teacher Leaders, Teacher Professionals Interactive Teachers or Private Practice Teachers. The study found that Teacher Leaders and Teacher Professionals were more likely to have the following qualities:

The study recognizes that teachers at various levels of professional engagement will use technology differently. It supports the need to encourage leadership among teachers.

This paper is a companion article to two other articles by Shirley Hord and Sylvia Mendes-Morse. This paper to examines the context in which leaders find themselves as they engage in school improvement efforts. Boyd suggest that "teachers and students are strongly influenced by the culture of the school, the mores, routines, and conventions about how things are done in their schools". She argues that attempts to improve the school using this approach must take into account contextual aspects of schooling to assure lasting change. This particular article adds another piece to the complex issue of sustaining change.

International Center for Leadership in Education.

This article discusses the topic of reform and change in American high schools. It draws conclusions from the 2004 "Bringing Best Practices to Scale" to discuss the three stages that schools usually progress through to achieve high academic standards for all students. These stages address the why , what and how of the changes being sought. Daggett's conclusions and ideas follow along the lines of many other authors in the field of leadership and change. He outlines the importance of creating a shared vision, planning, relationships and managing change. This is a short concise paper that supports the need for leaders to understand change and the change process.

EDTECH is a discussion board that was "conceived to bring together students, faculty, and "interested others" in the field of educational technology to share ideas and information." Topics that can be found in various discussion groups include problems with educational technology and possible solutions, good books or websites, information on worthwhile education software and hardware and conferences and events related to educational technology. This discussion board is a good place to get connected to other people interested in the issues around educational technology integration and possible uses of technology.

• Fink, D., & Hargreaves, A., (2003). The seven principles of sustainable leadership.

This article summarizes the findings of a study of educational change over three decades in eight high schools in Canada and the United States. The authors present seven principles that could ensure the sustainability of improvements that occur over time in schools. Fink & Hargreaves list the seven principles of sustainable leadership and provide an explanation and examples for each one. This is an excellent article for those interested in leadership, leadership succession and leadership sustainability.

6. Fleming, G. &, Leo, T. (2005). Principals and teachers: continuous learners. Issues About Change , 7,2.

This publication focuses on "Principals and Teachers: Continuous Learners." It discusses how three principals, who are continuous learners themselves, have increased staff capacity by developing professional relationships with their staffs, provided opportunities for their staffs to learn, and encouraged their staffs' participation in the decision-making process.

7. Granger, C., Lotherington, H., Morbey, M., Owston, R., Wideman, R. (2002). Canada: factors contributing to teachers' successful implementation of information technology . Toronto: York University.

This is a study of four Canadian schools that used qualitative data to address the question: What do educators perceive as the factors that contribute most to successful ICT implementation in schools?

Data was collected from interviews with teachers, principals, teacher-librarians, and technical support personnel. The researchers looked for commonalties under the themes: environmental factors, individual characteristics, and ways of learning. The conclusion points to the positive impact of supportive relationships among teachers, commitment to pedagogically sound implementation of new technologies, and principals who encourage teachers to engage in their own learning. This is an interesting study because of its findings and because it is a Canadian study.

8. Guerrero, R., Sweet J., Wimmer, N. (20040 Case studies of high-performing, high- technology schools: final case report on school L . North Central Regional Educational Laboratory.

This is a study funded by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) and the U.S. Department of Education, sought to answer the following research questions:

· What effects on student achievement do administrators and teachers in high-performing, high-technology schools attribute to educational technology?

· What types of educational technology do administrators, teachers, and students use in high performing, high-technology schools?

· What educational technology practices do administrators and teachers in high-performing, high-technology schools employ?

· What educational technology policies do administrators and teachers in high-performing, high-technology schools implement?

· How does the technology capacity of high-performing, high-technology schools affect administrator, teacher, and student use of educational technology?

· What resources, strategies, and structures do schools use to become high-performing and high-technology; to what extent are these integrated with other school improvement efforts?

The researchers studied 19 high technology/high performing schools using a combination of quantitative and qualitative data to uncover answers to their initial research questions. The research presented in this document refers to one school in the study.

The findings in this study point strongly to the important role of human factors involving teachers, administrators, and teamwork. Administration leadership, administration supporting teachers, staff teamwork, and content-specific strategies were mentioned as key components to successful technology use.

9. Hord, S. (1992) Facilitative leadership - the imperative for change . Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.

This article is a companion article to two other articles by Victoria Boyd and Sylvia Mendes- Morse. Shirley Hord provides a brief history of approaches to change and the emergence of the need for administrators to be aware of the need to facilitate change. The article also explores the actions of successful school leaders in the past decade and indicates how these leaders contributed to successful change. Shirley Hord emphasizes the need for leaders to understand the requirements for effectively guiding change in behalf of all children.

10. Jacobsen, M. & Hunter W., (Eds.) (2003). Leadership and technology in schools. International Electronic Journal For Leadership in Learning . 7, 9.

This website addresses leadership issues related to the impact of technologies in schools. The six papers included in this issue highlight how successful leaders manage technology related change processes. They represent a range of perspectives on the relationship between leadership, technology and learning. The intent of the editors was to examine how current research into technology related change issues would deepen and extend understanding about the role of leadership in effectively implementing information and communication technologies for learning. The articles demonstrate the complexity of leadership in managing technology-related change.

This website and discussion board is part of the Business Research Information and Technology site. The organization is mainly concerned with Business technology and knowledge management. For those interested in leadership, change and knowledge management a discussion thread of interest is The Knowledge Management Think Tank. This discussion forum addresses the issue of knowledge management.

12. McKenzie, J. (1999) The dangers of ignoring history and the research on change in schools. From Now On- The Educational Technology Journal . Vol.8, 9.

This article urges educators and administrators to pay attention to history of school change efforts. McKenzie says that leaders show by their actions, their promises and their strategies that they have little understanding of the failures and mishaps that accompanied many earlier school change efforts. He says that they appear unaware of educational research that outlines the elements of successful innovations. McKenzie briefly outlines the history of virtual change. He uses the work of Michael Fullan, Larry Cuban, Ellen Mandinach, Steven Hodas and Henry Becker to highlight the key features and understanding that accompany successful change. Three successful professional development technology examples are included in this article.

Sylvia Mendes-Morse says that effective leadership in an organization is critical. She tries to address the question: What is it about certain leaders that enable them to lead their organizations to change? This paper is a companion article to two others by Victoria Boyd and Shirley Hord. Mendes-Morse reviews the literature to determine the personal characteristics that appear to facilitate or impede the implementation of school improvement interventions for at-risk students. The paper includes a brief review of some key leadership concepts. Common characteristics found in effective educational leaders are discussed. These include vision, believing that schools are for learning, valuing human resources, being a skilled communicator and listener, acting

proactively, and taking risks. The concluding discussion is about the implications of leaders' characteristics on implementing or initiating change within an educational system. The information is useful to anyone attempting to implement an educational innovation or a systemwide change at the school or district level.

14. National School Board Foundation.(nd) Education leadership toolkit: change and technology in america's schools.

This website is a toolkit meant to provide tips, articles and other resources for education leaders trying to address issues around technology and education. The toolkit is divided into different modules:

Each module provides information and tools that can be used by educational leaders to involve colleagues and communities in building successful change practices. The toolkit is a comprehensive resource that touches on virtually all issues related to technology and education.

This Digest provides an overview of some issues associated with effective integration of technology in schools that are relevant to school leaders. It answers questions related to the promotion of technology, technology planning, legal issues, funding and professional development. Some practical suggestions are offered to administrators interested in supporting teachers in the implementation of technology.

This website is an umbrella website for the Technology and Learning Network, Technology and Learning Magazine, techlearing.com and Technology and Learning Events. The website has a link to the School CIO newsletter that was awarded Best Newsletter by the ASBPE (American Society of Business Publication Editors). The website is divided into sections for teachers, technology coordinators and administrators. Each section contains information on issues, trends and products relevant to each group. For example, under the technology coordinator section there is an article that lists ten top technology problems that teachers would like to have solved. There are a range of solutions offered and a look to what the future might hold. This website would be useful to technology leaders as they keep up to date with new products and the educational possibilities of these new products. This website also includes a link to Leadership Articles related to the promotion of technology in schools. http://www.techlearning.com/outlook/columns/leadership.jhtml

This site is part of The Knowledge Loom website. Its purpose is to provide an online forum for educators so they can be part of an online learning community. There are opportunities to "Ask an Expert", participate in panel discussions and to "have your say" about a topic of your choice. Best practices are discussed in the context of real schools and real school districts. There are links to supporting organizations and resources.

This article is part of a larger website, Pathways to School Improvement, devoted to many education related issues. Technology and Education is one of the organizing categories. This is about the issue of Technology Leadership .It includes goals, action options, pitfalls, different viewpoints, case studies, contacts and references. Valdez says that knowledgeable and effective school leaders are extremely important in determining whether technology use will improve learning for all students.

He is aware that many administrators may not be comfortable providing leadership in technology areas or that they may feel inadequate to provide such leadership in their schools. Opposing viewpoints are referenced and mentioned in this article. The article is quite lengthy and covers leadership qualities in general, responses to change, and effective uses of technology. This is a worthwhile article to read for anyone wanting a quick lesson in the latest thinking on leadership and who may want to be exposed to some of the major writers in the area of leadership.

Beaudin, L. & Grigg, L. (2001). Integration of Computer Technology in the Social Studies Classroom : An Argument for a Focus on Teaching Methods. Canada’s National Social Studies Journal, 35, 2. Retrieved from the internet on October 26, 2005 from http://www.quasar.ualberta.ca/css/Css_35_2/integration_computer_ssclassroom.htm
This article challenges the notion that by pouring money into professional development training sessions, that teachers will automatically transfer this learning into their teaching practice. The results of one study demonstrate that computer self-efficacy does not necessarily translate into greater classroom usage of computers. It is founded that teachers need training on methods to integrate technology rather than just learning about particular software. “The ability to see what resources may be useful to their students, to have a vision of how to group the resources effectively and choose when to integrate these into their classrooms teaching, are ore useful skills than being able to create a web page without those other skills being present.” This article includes the implications that this has for professional development and teacher education courses. “Education will not be improved by technology, it will be improved by teachers who develop creative methods and strategies for using technologies in their classrooms.”

Boldt, D. & Gustafson, L. (1995). The Internet: a curriculum warehouse for social studies teachers. Social Studies, 86, 105- 113.

This is an interesting article that conveys the early excitement that the internet brought to the subject of social studies. Boldt and Gustafson identified what a valuable resource the internet could be in terms of using email, and accessing important information. One point that is made that some teachers may have forgotten is the point about teaching students about reliability and evaluation of the information on the internet which is a concern that has increased in importance since the explosion of internet articles since 1995. The authors suggest some areas to explore on the internet based on five social studies themes; federal and state government, history, economics, international studies, and multicultural and world religions. The suggested items to explore could be valuable for the Alberta social studies teacher (event the American government category) but the resources are difficult to get to. Some of the sites they suggest are no loner working, which may be expected from an article hat is ten year old. Their lesson plan ideas, such as emailing politicians can be transferred to the Canadian system with ease.

Burdette, M. & Schertzer K. (2005) Cultivating leaders from within. Educational Leadership, 62, 40-42

This article is concerned with the shortage of qualified applicants for administrative roles. Schools must now cultivate leaders from within the schools. The California Teaching Assistant Principal (TAP) program experienced great success at providing future potential leaders some administrative duties. This gives teachers genuine experience in that role, as well as provides money that they would need for any coursework that would qualify them to be in an administrative role such as a Masters program. The teacher-administrators learn by doing through interaction with administration supervising them. It is a good article showing the duties that administration could hand over and the role that TAP could play as a teacher liaison. It is also a valuable way to cultivate and retain principals. The experience would paint a realistic picture of the overwhelming load that administration carries for those aspiring to fill that role.

Bybee, R. & Loucks-Horsley, S. (2000). Advancing technology education: the role of professional development. The Technology Teacher, 60, 31-34

The authors focus this article on the importance that professional development play technology teachers. It is assumed that professional development will allow technology teachers to "learn what they need to know and be able to assist students in achieving the technological standards". Such professional development must focus on four areas: learning about the technology they are expected to teach, learning how to teach this technology to students, acquiring the technology that is vital to instructing their classes and developing a long range program that will emphasis a continual growth plan. These area of focus can greatly improve the sustainability of a technology teacher's ability to meet the technology standards set out for them. The article is a guide not just for administrators and technology teachers, but for classroom teachers attempting technology integration in their classes.

Daggett, W. (2005) Preparing students for their future. International Center for Leadership in Education. Presented June 2005 at Model Schools Conference. Retrieved from the World Wide Web October 20, 2005
www.dagett.com

An effective educational system is one that can adapt to change. Daggett points out that American schools have had to adapt to industry needs in the past and now academic standards are raised to meet the demands of this new information age. Four major challenges are discussed as areas to focus on to increase student achievement. These are globalization, demographics, technology and the changing values and attitudes. These challenges to education and the future of society as a whole cannot be ignored. While Daggett makes no attempt to offer solutions to these challenges, he does provide a view of the future of education which should be considered for school boards and administrators directing the outlook of teaching and learning.

Diem, R. (2002). An Examination of the Effects of Technology Instruction on Social Studies Methods Classes. A paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 465 691)

The importance of technology use and education on technology is initially stressed in this paper. It is critical that technology instruction for all teachers, and social studies teachers in particular, be given to pre-service teachers in methods classes. This paper provides the results of a study used to gauge the effects of pre-service technology education and technology use in the classroom. One hundred and eight pre-service socials studies teachers and two methods instructors participated in this study over a two year period. The results shoe that the pre-service teachers’ knowledge about technology use and application increased; that more high school teachers use technology in their classes than university professors; the internet was the most common use of technology; more time must be spent on the application of technology in social studies; and that students seemed to know more about technology than the teachers. It is necessary that if computers are to be used to their greatest potential in social studies, there must be greater instruction at the pre-service level.

Gibson, S. & McKay, R. (2001). How research on the use of computer technologies can inform the work of social studies educators. Retrieved November 26, 2005 from the World Wide Web http://www.quasar.ualberta.ca/css/Css_35_2/research_computer_technologies.htm

This is an article specifically focused on social studies teachers to highlight the benefits of using technology in the classroom. It emphasizes some of the best reasons for using computers such as providing for the acquisition of research and literary skills, knowledge construction, and providing the opportunity for global communication ad collaborative learning. Although it does not provide any resources or tools on how to foster the benefits technology brings, it certainly encourages the timid teacher and reminds those already involved of the many reasons why computer technologies are an essential part of any sound social studies program. Persons investigating the inquiry method of instruction could use this article as a starting point.

Kincaid, T. (2002). Leadership for Technology Integration. Educational Technology & Society 5 (1). Retrieved October 25, 2005 from the World Wide Web http://ifets.ieee.org/periodical/vol_1_2002/kincaid.html

Kincaid discusses the findings of a North Dakota study of classroom teacher and administrators in their roles concerning technology integration in the classroom. Teachers were asked to prepare a new technology lesson plan or tool, use it in their classroom and reflect on their experience. Administrators and mentors attended workshops on their roles in assisting and encouraging teachers to incorporate technology into the classroom. In response to research proving that the lack of classroom technology integration was because to the lack of support and professional development, mentors and administrators were included in this study. It was hypothesized at the start of the study that administrators who used technology as a tool would act as mentors to classroom teachers, helping them to integrate technology in their classrooms. The results showed that mentors and administrators who participated in the study rated themselves as more proficient than classroom teachers in using technology and that teachers who had mentor and administrative support were significantly more likely to move on with further phases of the study. However, at the end of the study, it was not conclusive that mentors and administrators who displayed greater technological competency had greater teacher success in integrating technology. Further research must be done to investigate the conditions that would lead to greater teacher success through mentorship programs. It would be worth noting the importance of having administrators and mentors to ease the tensions that technology integration brings to classroom teachers.

Krysa, R. (1998). Factors Affecting the Adoption and Use of Computer Technology in Schools. Retrieved October 20, 2005 from the Word Wide Web http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/802papers/krysa/ron.htm

In this graduate studies research paper, Krysa firstly looks at several barriers that may prevent classroom teachers from using computer technologies in their classrooms. Krysa focused on the factors of time (potential interruption to teaching an learning time), availability of hardware, software issues, attitudes of administrators, and pedagogical factors (a shift from the product of learning to the process of learning), teacher attitudes about computers, teacher familiarity with computers and teacher training. All are discussed as obstacles to potentially overcome for successful computer integration. He continued the paper with interviews from four urban elementary school teachers in Saskatchewan to investigate how these classroom teachers implemented technology and the factors surrounding their implementation and allow teachers to express their personal views about computer integration. The paper concluded with key issues and trends for change facing that urban school district. This is a solid source for examining the barriers that affect computer integration in the classroom.

Lipscomb, G. (2003). ‘I guess it was pretty fun’ using Webquests in the middle school classroom. Clearing House, 76, 152-156.

Lipscomb initially argues for the meaningful use of computers in the classroom since the acquisition of computers by schools has not necessarily transferred into using them for more than word processing or simple research. Webquests, are a great activity for teachers to use to integrate subject material into technology use. Devised by Bernie Dodge in 1995, Webquests are “an inquiry-orientated activity in which some or all of the information that learners interact with come(s) from resources on the internet.” Lipscomb continues to demonstrate examples of the use of this activity in the middle school classroom and provides suggestions for teachers unfamiliar with Webquests. This article provides a straightforward view of why and how to use Webquests in the classroom, although it does not contain any links to popular Webquest databases. Webquests are gaining popularity in Alberta classrooms and can be created or adapted to fit an array of material, specifically in social studies but in all subject areas as well.

Petrides, L. & Nodine, T. (March 2003). Knowledge management in education: defining the landscape. The Institute of the Study of Knowledge Management in Education. Retrieved October 15, 2005 from the World Wide Web http://www.iskme.org/kmeducation.pdf.

This article provides a framework by which professionals can sort through the overwhelming amount of information that is delivered to educational institutors. It is based on the premise that the sharing of knowledge is essential amongst colleagues if growth is to occur. The authors focus on how the resources of people, processes and technologies combine to make the sharing of information more effective. This article is valuable for administrators of all school levels seeking to gain arguments for collegial collaboration and ways it can improve decision making and foster change.

Renard, L. (2005). Teaching the DIG generation. Educational Leadership, 62, 44-47.

All of the technological advances in society have created a culture that expect instant results and digital immediate gratification (DIG). These expectations by students have implications for teaching and learning. Educational leaders can use this to their advantage in several ways. For example English as a Second Language programs are able to use it to quickly translate. Educators should capitalize on this technology to improve stouten learning and become aware of everything available to them. Examples included in the article are instant messaging, blogging, email and Webquests. Teachers must be trained in the use of these technologies to keep the pace of change.

Rose, S.A., & Fernlund, P.M. (1997). Using technology for powerful social studies learning. Social Education, 61, 160-166.

The stated purpose of this article is to “identify key considerations that should influence the selection of instructional technology in order to assist educators to evaluate current products and assess the feasibility of their use in the classroom.” The most recent and advanced developments in computer software necessitates the evaluation of them for their suitability and use in the classroom. Social studies teachers must also participate in the constant upgrading of their school’s hardware facilities. The authors offer some crucial questions to answer before purchasing new hardware. Computer assisted instruction, multimedia and the internet are also areas that are presented as valuable elements of computer use and questions to consider are provided before using any related products. The article has an excellent evaluative tool that will get teachers thinking about why they are using a particular tool or piece of software. The authors challenge teachers to evaluate a product’s relation to the purpose of social studies, to one or more of the ten NCSS curriculum themes and to factors that are essential to powerful teaching and learning in social studies.

Theroux, P. (2004). Are you integrating technology yet? Or... are you still resisting change. Retrieved November 25, 2005 from the World Wide Web http://members.shaw.ca/priscillatheroux/change.htm

Priscilla Theroux highlights Everett M. Rogers most important elements effecting the acceptance of new ideas. These are how people perceive the value of the changes; how the ideas are communicated; sufficient time to understand new ideas; change attitudes and make a decision; and how people respond to change. Responses to these elements can be a large determiner of how well teachers adopt change. This article is one page of a site entitled Embracing Learning With Technology. It is an Albertan site built for teachers that provides ideas and arguments for computer integration in the classroom. Sample lessons and resource links for all subject areas to meet ICT outcome are supplied. There are also good links for those interested in differentiated instruction.

Warren, W. (1999). Using the world wide web for primary source research in high school history classes. Journal of the Association for History and Computing. 2, 2. Retrieved November 29, 2005 from the World Wide Web http://www.mcel.pacificu.edu/JAHC/JAHCII2/ARTICLESII2/warren/warren.html

Warren first examines the need for high school history teachers to use primary sources in their classes to engage the students in that subject area. Too often teachers use “textbook reading and regurgitation of factual material” as their sole method of instruction. In teacher’s defense, up until recently, high school libraries had limited access to historical documents. With the ease of access that teachers now have to online primary documents, it is much easier to bring the benefits of primary sources to students. Warren uses the book Beyond the Textbook: Teaching History Using Documents and Primary Sources by David Kobrin (1996) to outline the many educational benefits primary source use has in the history classroom. Concerns about the time it takes to use such documents are addressed. Warren provides examples of “prepackaged” primary source web sites for teachers who may need some initial direction in using primary sources. This article gives yet another use and argument for the use of technology in the history or social studies classroom.

White, C. (1997). Information Technology in U.S. Social Studies Classrooms: Potentials and Realities. Paper presented at the meeting of the Korean Social Studies Association. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 421 415)

In this speech delivered at a Korean- U.S. symposium, White focuses on how technologies can be use to achieve American social studies goals. He is concerned with knowledge navigation and the software that can be used to achieve this (SemNet, Learning Tool, Inspiration). Interactive multimedia products can be used to broaden the understanding of the contemporary world and its history. He is among the many authors extolling the virtues of email and the World Wide Web and its potential in social studies. His section on the current use to technology is dad and does not reflect the present situation, since it limits its discussion to CD-ROMs, the internet and email. He does predict he exponential growth of technology in schools and mentions the reasons for this. The ideas he presents on the obstacles to technology integration is still quite relevant, considering this article was published 8 years ago. These obstacles and necessary conditions are important considerations for all educators who aspire for true technology integration in the classroom.

Anderson, Ron and Dexter, Sara. (2001). School-wide Factors Facilitating
Technology Integration and Implementation. (Electronic version) Barriers
to Leaping the Digital Divide. Paper presented at the Millennium School
and College Summit, April, 2001, Washington, DC. Retrieved December 3,
2005 from
www.k-12world.com/Documents/Nowhere_In_Technology.pdf

This article, entitled “School-wide Factors Facilitating Technology
Integration and Implementation” is one of twenty articles that were
combined and submitted under the title “Barriers to Leaping the Digital
Divide” for the Augsburg College PT3 “Millennium Teachers Technology
Project”. This project, in response to the “No Child Left Behind”
legislation, asked a number of the state and nation’s educational leaders
in technology based school and college reform and improvement, to,
independently, describe three of the biggest barriers to technology
infusion in schools today. It was widely recognized that even though
there have been a number of educational improvements of late, we are
nowhere near where we should be in terms of technology in today’s schools.

The authors of this particular article, are Ronald Anderson (Professor of
Sociology) and Sara Dexter, (Professor of Education, Center for Applied
Research and Educational Improvement) from the University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, Minnesota. The three barriers they describe are: (1) a lack
of quality technology, (2) a lack of professional community and (3) a lack
of strong technological leadership. In addition to outlining their three
barriers, they provide some suggestions for how to overcome these
barriers. Some of the suggestions they provide support the current views
on leadership and technological infusion that exists in other leadership
and technology literature (Leithwood, Depree, Fullan, Roszak, Cuban). In
terms of technology support, they suggest that schools need to go beyond
the technical domain and incorporate an instructional domain to coincide
with the technical aspects. (This would mean that teachers need to know
what to use the technology for, in terms of educational best practices, as
well as knowing how to operate the technology.) In terms of professional
community, they provide a number of suggestions as to how to create a
professional technology community. And, in terms of technology
leadership, they state that it’s not just the job of the teachers to be
the technological leaders; the administrators need to get in on the act
and lead by example as well. This article is concise and informative. I
would recommend this article as a starting point in a literature review
for teachers and administrators who are looking to implement some
long-term goal setting and planning in terms of technology for their
schools.

Costello, Ronald. (1997, November). The Leadership Role in Making the
Technology Connection. The (Technological Horizons in Education) Journal.
(2005, August). Retrieved December 3, 2005 from
http://www.thejournal.com/magazine/vault/A1861.cfm

This article, authored by Ronald Costello, Director of Secondary Education
with Noblesville Schools, Indiana, presents the idea that technology has
the potential to change how we work, teach and learn in our school
districts, but only if the leaders assume the lead role. He goes on to
outline a plan for how that can happen which includes: moving from an
individual vision to a shared vision, monitoring influences (leading by
example), making technology a budgetary priority, involving the staff in
the decision-making, training staff and creating and coordinating a
comprehensive technology plan. He echoes the likes of Fullan, Sergiovanni
and Hord, in saying that we need to take on the role of transformational
leaders and that we need to have a shared vision of where we’re going and
how we’re going to get there. He makes it clear that our students will be
using technology, but it is up to us to decide if we are going to be “on
board” with how this will happen in a way that will best serve our
students’ needs. I would recommend this article to anyone who is
interested in becoming a leader for change in regards to technology, in
his/her school. This article is more geared toward teacher-leaders than
administrators, but administrators who want to “put the bug” in a
potential teacher-leader’s ear might also find this article useful.

Cusack, B., Gurr, D. and Schiller, J. (1999, July) The Impact of
Technology on the Work of Educational Leaders. Hot Topics. 3, 1-2.
Retrieved December 3, 2005, from
http://staff.edfac.unimelb.edu/au.david_gurr/…/Cusack_Gurr_and
Schiller_pdf

This article examines the current issues and inconsistencies involved with
ICT implementation in three different districts of Australia. Cusack (New
Zealand) says that ICT implementation is no longer the be-all and end-all
in education. Now it is regarded as part of a whole balanced plan for
education. The focus is no longer just on acquiring technology, but on
how it will serve the learning needs of the population, making time for
training and professional development, and making technology part of the
school’s daily activity, as opposed to an add-on. Gurr (Victoria) says
that laptops and e-mail are now standard practice for school staffs. And,
schools have now moved toward developing and maintaining their own
networks. Schiller (New South Wales) says that the focus in New South
Wales is still on acquiring software and hardware. But, along with that
goes the movement toward providing support and professional development to
go along with the resources. Some of the things schools have been doing
to encourage ICT literacy amongst the staff include: making computers
accessible in the staffrooms, encouraging staff to take computers home for
the weekends and holidays and incorporating regular ICT discussions and
professional development into the school culture. The school officials
here have also recognized that ICT is part of the educational system, not
all of it. This article is an interesting read for Alberta educators, as
they will recognize some of the same issues and inconsistencies that exist
here, also exist on another continent. The article does not provide any
suggestions to solve these issues or inconsistencies, so it is not helpful
in that regard, but is an interesting read all the same.

Gurr, David. (2001, September/October). Principals, Technology and
Change. The Technology Source Archives at the University of North
Carolina. Retrieved December 3, 2005 from
http://www.technologysource.org/article/principals_technology_and_change

This article is part of a larger website, called The Technology Source
Archives, which includes a wide variety of articles that can assist
educators to face the challenge of integrating informational technology
into teaching and managing educational institutions. Although it has
ceased to exist as of 2003, the wide variety of articles, ranging from
assessment, to the use of the Internet, to multimedia use, and to how
administrators are using technology, are still fairly current and
relevant. This particular article, authored by David Gurr, of the
University of Melbourne (Australia), examines the notion that principals
are expected to be the key leaders of increasingly self-managed schools.
Being a principal has changed over the last decade, mot notably in the
areas of leadership, business orientation, human resources management,
communication, accountability, planning and technology. Gurr makes
reference to a study he conducted, in which he interviewed 21 Victorian
principals about how technology was changing their daily practices as
principals. Most of the principals claimed to have noticed the biggest
differences in the areas of Knowledge/Skills (knowing what technology is
available and how to use it), New Ways of Working (using e-mail and the
Internet instead of more traditional and personal communication methods)
and Educational Leadership. The article provides links to the
interviewees’ responses, which are quite interesting and easy to relate
to. Gurr concludes the article by saying, overall, the principals he
interviewed have realized that they need to become more familiar with
technology for how it will improve education, rather than for their
personal use. I would recommend this article to principals who are not
that comfortable with technology, as an article of general interest only-
not as an instructional tool.

Kincaid, Tana and Feldner, Lisa (2001). Leadership for Technology
Integration: The Role of Principals and Mentors. Educational Technology &
Society. 5. (1) Retrieved December 3, 2005 from
http://www.ifets.info/others/journals/5_1/kincaid.pdf

Tanna Kincaid (Information Technology Supervisor) and Lisa Feldner
(Technology Coordinator) were both involved with the North Dakota’s
Teaching With Technology (TWT) Program in 1998. This article is a
research study that describes the preliminary results of a 5 year
Technology Innovation Challenge Grant initiative that took place in North
Dakota in 1998. The main purpose of the research was to examine the roles
of principals and mentors in assisting classroom teachers to integrate
leadership and technology skills in their classrooms. The hypothesis was
that those teachers who were associated with administrators and mentors
who were rated as average or better in the areas of technology
knowledge/use and leadership would be better prepared to do the same types
of things in their own classrooms. The study results were inconclusive,
possibly due to some problems with how the mentor/mentee relationships
were formed and/or a lack of mentor training. This article might prove
helpful to Alberta educators who are interested in creating mentorship
relationships for technology integration. Intervisitation has become
somewhat of a trend in Calgary Catholic lately, so this article might be
helpful in pointing out some pitfalls to avoid. I would also recommend
this article to teachers who are interested in doing action research on
intervisitations for technology integration (particularly those M.Ed.
students, focussing on IT.)

Mendez-Morse, Sylvia. (1992). Leadership Characteristics That Facilitate
School Change. Learning and Leading With Technology. (Electronic
version). Southwest Educational Development Library. Retrieved December
3, 2005 from
http://www.sedl.org/change/leadership/welcome.html

This article, authored by Sylvia Mendez-Morse, Ph.D., Texas Tech
University, outlines and describes in detail, the six characteristics that
are needed to be an effective leader: having a vision, placing a focus on
learning, valuing human resources, communicating effectively, being
proactive and taking risks. Mendez-Morse stresses the idea that a good
leader has the ability to both initiate structure and apply consideration
to the people around him/her. The article also examines the idea of how
personal qualities contribute to leadership practices and how these
personal characteristics are related to educational leadership. This
article echoes the works of Fullan, Leithwood, Hargreaves, and Lonergan,
in terms of effective leadership and transformational leadership.
Although the article does not specifically mention anything about
technology, all of the ideas of leadership in general can be applied to
educators who want to be leaders for technological change. This article
is especially relevant to Alberta’s educational leaders, as Alberta
Learning is currently creating a Leadership Standards document which has
is its main categories: providing visionary leadership, creating a culture
of learning, developing and facilitating leadership in others, providing
instructional leadership, managing effectively, building relationships and
connecting with the community; all of these are discussed in
Mendez-Morse’s article.

Moersch, Christopher. (2002, November) Six Instruments to Assess Teachers’
Use of Technology. Learning and Leading With Technology. International
Society for Technology Education. Retrieved December 3, 2005 from
www.learning-quest.com/software/Measurers OfSuccessNov02.pdf

This article by Christopher Moersch, Director of the National Education
Alliance in Corvallis, Oregon, briefly describes the trend of assessing
teachers’ technology use in the classroom. Moersch developed the Lo Ti Q
(Level of Technology Implementation Questionnaire) in 1997, which was
intended to provide stakeholders with data on specific needs to help make
decisions about professional development, instruction and assessment and
budgetary items. This article compares his assessment tool with six other
instruments also designed to assess technology use practices, using the
following categories for comparison: item analysis, feedback, summary
reports, survey versions, standards alignment, prescriptive use and
customization. He then goes on to explain that when choosing a technology
use survey, the purpose in conducting the assessment must be taken into
consideration. The article also provides a brief description of the other
six instruments, website addresses and pros and cons of each one. This
article might prove to be quite useful for technology coordinators or
administrators who are interested in assessing teachers’ technology use in
a given school or district. These tools would prove useful in terms of
making data-driven decisions on technology.

Nworie, John and McRiff, Steven J. (2001, November). Towards the
Transformation of Higher Education: Educational Technology Leadership.
Paper proposal for AECT, November 7-11, Atlanta, Georgia. Retrieved
December 3, 2005 from
http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/s/j/sjm256/portfolio/professional/
Presentations/ETleaderpresent.html

This very brief article is actually a proposal for a presentation to be
delivered at a technology conference in Atlanta, Georgia, prepared by John
Nworrie and Steven McRiff from Penn State University. The article
outlines what the key points of the presentation would be, namely that
there is a lack of leadership in the educational technology arena in
higher education. As a result, most of the decisions made about
educational technology in higher education are not made by people who are
trained in educational technology. The “leaders” need to step forward and
become part of the transformative process, by using their training where
it is needed. This article’s aim is to encourage more qualified leaders
of change in education to seek jobs in higher education. I would
recommend this article to anyone who is interested in educational
leadership, educational technology, or both. I would particularly
recommend this article to anyone who has the potential and educational
technology training to move into a management position, particularly in
higher education.

Prewitt, Edward. (2002, October) Leadership Makes Technology Work.
(Electronic version). CIO Magazine. Retrieved December 3, 2005 from
http://www.cio.com/archive/100102/collins.html

This article explores the words of Jim Collins, of Good to Great fame.
Collins claims that businesses and educational institutions are not that
very different. He explores the idea, that in either case, there are
great leaders. But what do we have to do to get them to become great
technology leaders? He also poses the question of how big a role does
technology play in an organization’s success? He goes on to say that in
an organization, any technology acquired should be relevant to a mission.
There is some technology around that lacks revolutionary potential, but it
is needed anyways. And, some technology is mote than a distraction. If
you don’t really need it, you shouldn’t worry about acquiring it. With
these ideas, Collins echoes Fullan’s beliefs about the ever narrowing gap
between business and education. Essentially, he says that good technology
is important, but it is more important to be a good company first. I
would recommend this article to any teachers or administrators who are
interested in leadership. The main ideas about leadership can be taken
from this article and applied to educational technology.

Rodriguez, Ginger. (2000). Critical Issue: Technology Leadership:
Enhancing Positive Educational Change. North Central Regional Educational
Library. Retrieved December 3, 2005 from
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te1000.htm

This article by Ginger Rodriguez, is part of the larger Pathways to
Education website. In this “Critical Issue” segment, Rodriguez examines
the idea that whether or not technology will be used in schools is not the
question, but how it will be used, is. In light of this, Rodriguez
stresses the importance of professional development to ensure the
effective use of technology for teaching and learning. She includes some
key points on the importance of professional development, the goals that
such professional development should have, some action options for
administrators, teachers and parents, some pitfalls to avoid and some
illustrative cases. She also stresses how important professional
development is in a school’s overall technology plan. What is another
nice feature about this site is that it provides some links to other
related sites. Rodriguez also echoes Fullan in saying that technological
change is an ongoing process that needs to be given sufficient time and
technical assistance and support, in order to make it work. I would
recommend this site to any teachers or administrators who need to create a
school technology plan or a professional development plan. It might also
be helpful for members of a Professional Development committee.

Sanders, B., Brown C., & Zellner, L. (2002, September). Piloting,
Polishing & Perfecting: Implementing a Technology Staff Development
Model. The (Technological Horizons in Education) Journal. September 2002
Issue. Retrieved December 3, 2005 from
http://www.thejournal.com/magazine/vault/A4145.cfm

This article outlines how the Technology Literacy Challenge Fund (Texas)
monies were distributed to schools in the form of TIE (Technology
Integration in Education) grants. This was a three year plan, with
various program creations being piloted, refined and polished through a
collaborative process. The largest benefits of the program were the
growth of teacher leadership and the opportunity to work with other
professionals. The first year of the program included mostly basic
technology training for teachers, which included a specific scope and
sequence of skills to be acquired, and prompted the creation of some
technology modules. The second year included the creation of new, more
complex modules and a refinement of the previous modules. As a result of
this process, a Technology Academy for Teachers, and later a similar
academy for administrators was created to further advance technology
skills. In the third year, the process expanded to include even more
training and an evaluation process, which included technology
questionnaires and surveys, to assess the validity of the program.
Because of this program, thousands of students and teachers benefited in
terms of technology and leadership. I would recommend this article to
anyone who is interested in learning about how these types of models work,
especially if they are interested in developing or coordinating a similar
program in their school or district.

Sherry, Lorraine and Gibson, David. (2002). The Path to Teacher Leadership
in Educational Technology. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher
Education (Online Serial). 2 (2) Retrieved December 3, 2005 from
http://www.citejournal.org/vol2/iss2/general/article2.cfm

This article outlines five stages of learning/adopting as they pertain to
technology in schools as well as providing effective strategies for each
stage. The five stages include: Teacher as Learner, Teacher as Adopter,
Teacher as Co learner, Teacher as Reaffirmer or Rejecter and Teacher as
Leader. It then shows this process in action, through the Boulder Valley
Internet Project, conducted in 1998 in Boulder, Colorado. It then moves
on to try the same process in a university setting. As a result of the
two studies, some ideas about systemic change were brought into the
forefront of education, which, in turn, led to other technology
integration projects. The article, although providing some specific,
illustrative cases, focuses on the ideas of systemic change and leadership
as they pertain to integrating technology into education. This article
would be relevant to Alberta educators who are interested in bringing
together theory and practice as they relate to technology integration in
schools.

Slowinsky, Joseph. (2000, January). Becoming a Technologically Savvy
Administrator.
Clearinghouse on Educational Policy and Management. Eric Digest 135.
January, 2000. Retrieved December 3, 2005 from
http://eric.uoregon.edu/publications/digests/digest135.htm

This article by Joseph Slowinsky, Associate Professor of Education at
Indiana State University, examines some of the basic topics school
administrators should be aware of in today’s educational climate. He
starts off by pointing out that several states require teachers to
demonstrate technological competence in order to be certificated and
licensed, so administrators should have at least the same basic working
knowledge of technology. He also goes on to stress that no matter what,
the main goal of educational technology should always be to enhance the
teaching and learning, not to get rid of teachers. He states that
administrators, in order to properly oversee the appropriate use of
technology, should have in place: technology vision and objectives, an
assessment of their school’s current technological reality, a group
analysis plan, an evaluation strategy and a strategy for altering
objectives if the first plan needs some modification. He also briefly
outlines how administrators should be aware of legal issues related to
technology, how they should go about supporting professional development
and how they can go about obtaining more money for technology. I would
recommend this article for administrators who do not know much about
technology, as a very basic introduction to the concept.

Staples, Amy, Pugach, Marleen C & Himes, JD. (2005). Rethinking the
Technology Integration Challenge: Cases from Three Urban Elementary
Schools. (Electronic version). Journal of Research on Technology in
Education. Spring 2005. Vol.37, Iss.3, p.285 Retrieved December 3, 2005
from http://O-search
epnet.com.darius.uleth.ca:80/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&an=17859463

This article is a very lengthy and detailed research study that documents
the case studies of three unnamed Midwest urban elementary schools’
experiences with technology integration. The paper is framed from the
perspective of how new technology resources are absorbed into the already
existing school culture. Each case study briefly describes the school,
the technology situation prior to the technology grant provided and then
the growth and development that occurred during the project. The article
also concludes with some discussion of future directions for each school
to consider. The article then goes into a detailed explanation of
scaffolding technology integration. Lastly, it presents a compelling
argument for continued professional development in the areas of
technology integration and leadership. I would recommend this article to
teachers and Grad Study students who are interested in educational
research on technology integration. This would most likely be helpful in
terms of a literature review before taking on a research study of a
similar sort.

Valdez, Gilbert. (2004, July). Critical Issue: Technology Leadership:
Enhancing Positive Educational Change. North Central Regional
Educational Library. Retrieved December 3, 2005 from
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te1000.htm

This article, by Dr. Gilbert Valdez, senior technology advisor and
co-director of the North Central Eisenhower Mathematics Consortium at
Learning Point Associates, is part of the larger Pathways to Education
website. In this “Critical Issue” segment, Dr. Valdez examines the
importance of knowledgeable and effective school leaders in determining
how and if technology use will improve student learning. He discusses
both sides of the issue, supported by references, but leans toward the
notion that even if technology is poorly used, it is better than not
having it at all. This article is quite lengthy and detailed, but easily
accessible. Valdez discusses leadership qualities, responses to change
and effective uses of technology. The main ideas discussed in the article
(transformational leadership, complexity and chaos, and relationship
building) are reminiscent and supportive of similar literature on change
theory (Fullan, Leithwood, Hargreaves). I would recommend this article
and website to teachers who want a quick overview on the issues of current
leadership theory and how it relates to technology integration. It is not
particularly detailed or in-depth, but would be a good starting point for
a study on these two issues.

This article discusses how teachers can integrate technology into the curriculum and ways that professional development can help facilitate that process. The premise of the paper is to show how the knowledge management research is used in order to create a professional development model for teachers to use. It talks about a mentorship program and collaborative learning communities. The article contained some valuable strategies on how to implement the professional development model. The author talked about explicit and tacit knowledge and the role it plays in knowledge creation.

This article was a short paper that discussed challenges that are currently facing the education system when it comes to technology and its implementation. The writer was very clear in their views on these issues as being more about excuses than challenges. All of the challenges are legitimate; however, the writer does talk about the need for government accountability around these issues. Teachers play a role in their reluctance to support technology because of the increase it will make in their workload. Lack of resources and equipment was talked about and how the government can be blamed for that lacking. We need to work on raising the bar and implementing technology is part of that. Teachers and administrators need to show flexibility and have a constructivist philosophy about computer use.

Critical Issue: Providing Professional Development for Effective Technology Use.

This article stressed the importance of professional development for teachers. It is essential that teachers feel supported and educated about technology and how to use it effectively in the classroom. It is stated in the article that the role of the teacher is a crucial factor. It requires that educators align technology with curriculum and student learning goals. Professional development is seen as the key to improve the quality of technology learning for students. The article makes reference to the thought that professional development needs to be part of the school's technology plan and what that may look like. The writer describes ways that districts and schools can use professional development as a way to promote effective technology use in the classroom. The writer believes that professional development is the only way to endorse effective technology use.

Cross, Jay (2002) Blogs. Learning Circuits. April 2002. Retrieved November 23, 2005

This article was a valuable reference to understanding blogs and how to use them in any setting. It gave an overview of the definitions and ways to use blogs for both professional and personal means. The article made reference to how blogs can be used in a learning environment and the benefits of using them for that purpose. The article talked about how children can use blogs to showcase their work and for their work to be viewed by others. Blogs give children a voice and a way for them to feel in control. The writer provided information in practical ways that were user-friendly. The writer gave a candid description that we need to find ways to use blogs in our teaching practices and that blogs are the way of the future.

This article poses six questions about educational technology. All of the questions are relevant to all school settings and are valuable in the implementation process. Schools are using technology but often in a fragmented manner. It is usually on a small scale and viewed as an "add on". The writer states the importance of large-scale, sustained systematic reform in the area of technology. Leaders in the school need to familiarize themselves with ways to make these systematic changes happen. Technology based changes are challenging because they require special knowledge and skills that not all teachers possess when leaving teacher training. The article talks at great lengths about the challenges and how we can overcome them. Systemic reform is discussed in detail and how we can use that to produce change. The paper is all about up-scaling from the traditional educational practices to ones that are innovative.

Dias, Laurie, B., & Atkinson, S. (2001) Technology Integration: Best Practices -

This article discusses how teachers can implement technology into their classrooms and their programs. There are a series of steps that teachers can use to implement technology and the article offers examples of how that can be done. Teachers are becoming more accountable to the students, parents and government and need to integrate technology into their programs. The article suggests that this can be done through curriculum-based and future-based learning. It focuses on how teachers can become technology integrators, how administrators can support that process and best practices teachers can use in their classrooms.

Gavin, Donna. (2002). "How Should Administrators Support Teachers in the Integration

This article offers practical strategies for administrators to promote the implementation of technology in their classes. Administrators have a huge role to play in how teachers view and use technology. Administrators need to consider two questions: 1. How do they best use technology in their schools? And 2. How do they support teachers in this process and promote best teaching practices? Curriculum needs to be developed in the area of technology in a way that teachers understand and can use in their classrooms. The article discusses ways to integrate technology successfully and in a user friendly way. Administrators have a variety of considerations when implementing technology in their settings. They need to work closely with the teachers to support their staff. Questions considered in this article were: What resources are needed to support technology? What materials are grade appropriate? How can technology be best used in the classroom? The writer does a nice job in addressing these essential questions from an administrator's point of view.

This book is a practical hands-on guide for teachers. It gives step by step accounts as to how to use the Internet in a classroom. There are project ideas included and fast efficient ways to implement technology and the Internet in many curriculum areas. It gives a realistic approach to Internet use and ones that teachers can understand. There are time-saving tips included and various Internet web sites. All the work is done for you in this book. It is easy to follow and a great starting point for teachers who may be new to technology and the Internet.

Kennedy, K. (2003) Writing with weblogs. Technology Online Journal. February 2003.

This article describes how teachers can use weblogs in their classrooms and how their students can use weblogs in their writing. Students can publish their work on the web and are able to showcase to an audience. Weblogs have the potential to enhance the literacy and writing skills while offering a uniquely stylized form of expression. Students can write when they have something to say and get feedback from the teacher. The barriers of online publishing are discussed. However, the writer feels that despite the barriers, weblogs are extremely beneficial for student learning.

Krysa, Ron. (1998). Factors Affecting the Adoption and Use of Computer Technology in

This in-depth article gave a series of factors that are currently affecting how teachers and schools are implementing technology. The article included segments of interviews that were conducted on four teachers around their attitudes toward technology. It was an interesting analysis of thoughts and feeling from teachers who are front line. The article gave detailed explanations of barriers that are experienced and how we can work toward breaking down those barriers from a practical point of view. The article gave a detailed description of the various terms that were used throughout the paper, which was helpful for understanding. A clear message about how important the role of teachers is in this process was a central theme. Teacher training was addressed and how teacher training can assist in linking pedagogy and technology. The article discussed what districts can do for the teachers and that they, at this point, are not establishing strong links between technology and specific learning goals and outcomes.

Montgomerie, Craig, T., & Irvine, Valerie. (2000). Computer Skill Requirements for

The author in this article explains how districts can work to ensure that new and existing teachers have computer skills. This is necessary because of the increased expectations that we are too implementing technology in our schools. The article talks about ICT outcomes and a study that was completed in this area. This is an Alberta-based study done by teachers in various school districts across Alberta. It looks at ways that districts can work toward ensuring that their teachers are computer literate through professional development and hiring standards. The study was conducted through telephone interviews of 60 representatives from various school districts. Conclusions were made that administrators have a role to play in hiring practices and technology standards. All teachers are teachers of technology and it is important that they view themselves as such. Further research was recommended in the area of specific themed and questions around teacher training and hiring.

The article describes several theories when implementing technology. It talks about how to use the theories to encourage teachers to use technology. It gives an in-depth description of each of the theories and some practical ways teachers can use them. The writer provides visual representations of the implementation process. The implementation phases are discussed. They may be viewed as complex, as they can happen simultaneously. However, it was stated that with communication and trust within a setting, the phases could happen with success.

Richmond, Ron. (1997). Integration of Technology in the Classroom: An Instructional

This article describes the pedagogical use for new technologies in the classroom. The writer believes that there is a need for more teacher support when we are looking at implementing technology in the classroom. The responsibility and accountability lies on the shoulders of the teachers and they need to be aware of the benefits of technology use in the classroom. Instead of thinking about technology as learning about technology we need to come to a place that we are supporting learning with technology. It is no longer considered a separate entity; it is necessary to teach with technology. Technology has in the past simply been viewed as an "add on" that teachers don't add on due to time, experience and comfort level. The author feels that technology integration needs to be embedded in all aspects of teaching. In order to do this, he believes that teachers need to be provided with resources such as professional development and on-site support. Work is needed on the part of the teachers in order to create and sustain effective learning approaches that include technology.

This article gives a concise description of schoolblogs and how they can be used by teachers to promote technology use. It highlights how students can use them to showcase their work and they are able to do this in their own terms. The writer is an advocate for children to use technology to their educational advantage. Schoolblogs promote collaboration among teachers and students. The article describes how schoolblogs provide limitless opportunities and can enhance teaching and learning. The writer talks about the simplicity of schoolblogs and that all teachers should be working toward using blogs in their classroom to some degree.

This article considers the need for change in the area of technology in our schools and the resistance that comes with change. The article quotes Fullan's theory on change and how change is considered a major innovation not a minor one. Themes that were talked about in this article were that change is happening at a rapid pace and that change is necessary however there is little agreement as to how and why of educational change. Barriers are always associated with change and the barriers include: lack of resources, lack of equipment, lack of time, lack of expertise and lack of support. All of these barriers are common in all educational settings and can cause frustration. The paper discusses change theory and how the teacher plays a key role. The writer discusses the importance of

professional development as an essential aspect of technology integration and is necessary in order for true change to happen.