tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158157279489866895.post6299228260767320480..comments2024-03-13T06:04:34.407-04:00Comments on The 21st Century Principal: 10 Things School Leaders Do to Kill a Teacher's Enthusiasm for TechnologyJohn Robinson Ed.Dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14155145743617621924noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158157279489866895.post-77801066672874172202012-10-08T18:14:39.676-04:002012-10-08T18:14:39.676-04:00I perhaps should have made myself a bit clearer. T...I perhaps should have made myself a bit clearer. The mandates I was referring to were those times when a district administrator sees a sales pitch, then purchases the software. Then the use of the software is mandated district wide. This actually happened in one district where I worked, thought the mandate was weak. Thanks for commenting.John Robinson Ed.Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14155145743617621924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158157279489866895.post-29336750922669254722012-10-08T10:13:13.328-04:002012-10-08T10:13:13.328-04:00I somewhat disagree on #1, but only for the sake o...I somewhat disagree on #1, but only for the sake of information management (a non-teaching tool). I, too, have witnessed a terribly designed student information system. Actually, I've heard student information systems all around are usually awful. It's as if the programmers design it for themselves rather than for teachers and non-techies.<br /><br />However, there has to be a centralized area for student information. This only makes it easier to process information later if everyone is on the same system. Of course, the platform should be well designed, too, which it usually isn't, unfortunately.delainanicolenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158157279489866895.post-65233851448733470852012-10-05T06:15:28.881-04:002012-10-05T06:15:28.881-04:00An excellent post.
A while ago I gave a conferen...An excellent post. <br /><br />A while ago I gave a conference presentation on implementing new technology in education with the title Now That They Don't Teach, When Will They Ever Learn [ http://q2news.blogspot.co.uk/2010/03/when-will-they-ever-learn.html ] and suggested enthusiastic staff 'Adopt An Executive' or 'Support A Senior' to try and ensure that leaders could be seen to be utilising at least some modern techniques in their own communications and activities.<br /><br />That, itself, built on an article I had written entitled "Until Heads, Principals get it, use it, live it or retire much frustration continues".<br /><br />[ http://q2news.blogspot.co.uk/2010/02/until-heads-principals-get- it-use-it.html ]<br /><br />The point about insistence on using particular brands or products is a good one too and I suspect that now that there are many excellent web tools available free on-line and not requiring download, students and teachers will be more likely to have access to a broader range and to use whichever suits them.<br /><br />Blocking sites has always frustrated me and students, with the very general 'category' settings that many IT departments use. At one time I found that all my Blogger materials - containing assignments, criteria, notes and examples for all the modules I taught - were blocked and, although I did get them unblocked, IT Services were extremely reluctant, saying that 'the 'Next Blog' feature on Blogger could take them to undesirable content'. (As if mistyping a url couldn't so easily do the same!)<br /><br />'Safeguarding' is a big thing here in the UK and tutors are finding that they have to erase almost any reference to personal contact information on any web material they wish to use. The regulations themselves focus on under 18s and vulnerable students but have been much more broadly interpreted to support a range of policies requiring limitation of resources utilised in the Further Education sector I work in. At the heart of most IT managers' strategies is protection against being sued at some point by a parent and rather than trust tutors to control use of applications in class they prefer the 'lock-down' and 'compliance' regimes which are simpler to manage.<br /><br />There has also, for a long time, being a belief that a 'standard' look and feel across the curriculum - from lesson plans to how assignments were presented - would gain better OFSTED grades on Inspection. Indeed, many OFSTED reports highlight this as being favourable and this further deters innovation and the essential individual experiment with new techniques for providing resources. I recall spending far longer making my assignments look 'right' on the web pages I wanted to use for their display in place of printed A4 sheets than I did writing the things! VLEs are now everywhere but most contain just lists and lists of Word or PowerPoint files!!<br /><br />IT managers also have a fear of allowing access to a network for equipment they do not control, citing such things as students having programmes on their devices which may then be accessible by others for which the institution has no licence or risk of virus etc. With severe cutbacks in the staffing of IT support departments, the extra work for the remaining few in opening networks and dealing with queries for unfamiliar applications or kit does tend to mitigate against a rapid development in the direction we'd like.<br /><br />Change for the better requires informed leadership. That may be some time coming but articles such as yours are welcome and can only help others to recognise why all this new technology hasn't actually had as significant and measurable impact in many institutions yet as might have been hoped.<br />Andrew Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00976984938460821874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158157279489866895.post-87616307905519545532012-10-04T12:38:52.835-04:002012-10-04T12:38:52.835-04:00I would add a 3.b. Inadequate release time. All th...I would add a 3.b. Inadequate release time. All the funding and access in the world won't make much difference without time to use the technology, observe others using it, build a community of practice. An administrator needn't add to the budget for this--s/he could simply do a few tasks (e.g. paperwork, records reviews, etc.)from a teacher's desk in the teacher's classroom. The teacher could prepare appropriate learning tasks for the class while the administrator supervises them. This would free the teacher to take a professional development training session, watch training clips, read, experiment, learn--maybe observe a colleague's use of technology, confer with a colleague, etc. This is a very visible and concrete way that an administrator can show his/her support of technology use in a school.Julia Hengstlerhttp://www.twitter.com/jhengstlernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158157279489866895.post-43459906680704271822012-09-23T14:48:27.629-04:002012-09-23T14:48:27.629-04:00Don't forget technology coordinators who conti...Don't forget technology coordinators who continue to use outdated systems because of the time and money spent on them in the past, rather than whether they are currently still relevant. Trying to teach 21st century students with 20th century technology models is incredibly frustrating.Susan Rileyhttp://educationcloset.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158157279489866895.post-25178482770360265262012-09-09T20:14:13.732-04:002012-09-09T20:14:13.732-04:00For us it is really simple. Our policy clearly sta...For us it is really simple. Our policy clearly states that neither our school nor district supports personal devices. In fact, there's some state regulations that guide whether state personnel can work on personal devices anyway. The use of the WiFi ia "as is." We make clear that neither the school nor district is responsible for anything that might happen to these devices while accessing our WiFi. The district simply does not provide tech support for personal devices and we let students, parents and staff know that up front. <br /><br />As far as school-provided devices, you do have a separate set of issues. A neighboring district has successfully implemented a 1:1 program. I can't speak for the level of support they provide in the evening, but I hardly think they could afford to have evening tech support for even those devices. If it is school-issued laptops, there are options such as installing remote desktop access software and tools too.<br /><br />Bottom line, you can make clear that your school or district does not provide tech support for personal devices. That's no different than students going to the local Barnes and Noble Bookstore or Starbucks. Those businesses allow the use of their WiFi "as is" too. Truth is, I have not encountered students running into too many problems at home with these devices any way, but it may simply be they are getting others to handle the issues since we don't. I hope that helps. Email me if you would like a copy of our policy. The email address is above.John Robinson Ed.Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14155145743617621924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158157279489866895.post-22079750798536366562012-09-09T18:29:02.173-04:002012-09-09T18:29:02.173-04:00With #3 in mind, I have run across a question from...With #3 in mind, I have run across a question from many administrators wanting to take their school to a 1:1 initiative. The question revolves around tech. support and in situations such as "Bring Your Own Device" (BYOD), what ethical issues are cross if a device has to be fixed and the parent of a student cannot be present when the device is being fixed. This automatically gives access to personal information to the one with control of the device. Even a bigger issue, that is not so much legal, remains. If a homework assignment is to be completed on a school-bought device and the student is at home and working at 9pm, should tech. support still be available? Is an online help desk good enough? In this era of more and more 1:1 initiatives, I come across more questions about tech. support and ethics than anything else. (Well, maybe equity is thrown in there too). Just wondering if you have come across any experience with this?Kevinhttp://www.edmatics.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158157279489866895.post-30247081280624624672012-09-08T10:40:43.068-04:002012-09-08T10:40:43.068-04:00I would agree. Assuming that a substitute knows ho...I would agree. Assuming that a substitute knows how to effectively use tech is a mistake many make. Though another plan to help with this is to connect the sub to one of the students who is tech savvy and have that student assist in getting the class moving. Thanks for the additional idea.John Robinson Ed.Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14155145743617621924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158157279489866895.post-23803091491721503472012-09-08T10:12:25.883-04:002012-09-08T10:12:25.883-04:00And, while you are at it, offer training to subs o...And, while you are at it, offer training to subs on the use of technology, too. You wouldn't believe how many different set-ups there are and how inadequate the instructions for their use can be. If teachers have a plan B, they should also have an easily accessible place for the sub to find instructions for it.Laura Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17579160512689867301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158157279489866895.post-62991234512163309352012-09-06T06:07:41.443-04:002012-09-06T06:07:41.443-04:00It makes a great deal of sense. I suppose I write ...It makes a great deal of sense. I suppose I write from the perspective of being a principal of an entire staff that I would classify as avid technology users. It seems as a school leader, I spend more time trying to remove barriers to their implementation ideas, than just about anything else when it comes to technology. Your idea of focusing on a few technologies makes sense, and we have done that at our school with online tools like Edmodo and Engrade. Two of my teachers began tinkering with the technology, then the next year, my entire staff chose to implement schoolwide. <br /><br />I suppose for me I've seen too many mandated tech initiatives in my state and in the districts where I've worked fail. I am skeptical of the success of dictating technology. For example, our state mandated a new student data system over ten years ago. If their goal was to get every teacher using it, then the state was successful simply because there was no choice, and all teachers use it, though most hate it. But the program has never been entirely utilized to its potential because it has become universally despised. There are so many features of the program that have never been used, because, quite literally, the software has become a pariah and a joke. I've seen this happen with other technologies too. Mandates can kill enthusiasm, but I certainly understand the need to do so.<br /><br />Your comment makes perfect sense. However, I do think school leaders need to be very careful about any technologies they mandate though. Mandating can destroy the enthusiasm of those few enthusiastic users too. If we don't accommodate their enthusiasm we risk dampening their excitement for tech.John Robinson Ed.Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14155145743617621924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158157279489866895.post-12461450771602736092012-09-06T05:58:56.288-04:002012-09-06T05:58:56.288-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.John Robinson Ed.Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14155145743617621924noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158157279489866895.post-23774677152751777242012-09-05T23:11:55.747-04:002012-09-05T23:11:55.747-04:00Hey John,
I somewhat disagree with 1. Somewhat b...Hey John,<br /><br />I somewhat disagree with 1. Somewhat because you are talking about the person who is enthusiastic about technology. I am not saying that you "mandate" any technology, but I do think that some technologies should be focused on a school to put adequate training and resources into them. I have asked many staffs that I have worked with if they would prefer I just let them choose "whatever" or if I picked 2 technologies as a focus that we work on, they mostly pick the latter choice. I think it is because many that are excited about technology, aren't necessarily great with it, and want to get better. There are so many things out there that the amount of choice can be overwhelming and paralyzing.<br /><br />I think that it is essential that as a school we focus on a small number of technologies that will improve learning for all why also allowing the innovators to be innovative. They should use those few technologies to be able to help and lead others, but they should also be able to go on and try different things as well. Sometimes the idea of "mandating" helps push some people forward when they have no idea where to start. Don't limit but do have focus.<br /><br />I hope that made sense in writing the way it sounds in my head :)<br /><br />Thanks for the post!George Couroshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04253972152649235179noreply@blogger.com