ISTE+Standard+VIII+Reflection

ISTE Standard VIII: Leadership and Vision

In direct contrast to ISTE Standard VII, my coursework and internship have prepared me exceptionally well for the vision and leadership required to create a campus environment where technology acts as a catalyst for student-centered learning (Williamson & Redish, 2009, p. 179). In particular, a focus of my education and training in the past months has centered on the need for comprehensive training and support for teachers and other stakeholders. A plan aligned to larger strategic goals, formatted to be achievable and timely, and set in the foundation of best practices still falls short without the proper teacher preparation and guidance (pp. 179, 182-183, 186). This prioritization begins with a commitment to my own development of skill and expertise through the participation in appropriate field-based experiences (p. 187). It is only through these activities can a facilitator/leader gain the knowledge and context necessary to look reflectively at past actions and future decisions.

The development of a comprehensive plan requires an ability to organize, prioritize, and evaluate ideas along with an aptitude for ongoing evaluation and adjustment of the plan in order to meet objectives (p. 187). In //Why Don’t St////udents Like School:// //A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom//, Daniel Willingham (2009) sets apart the cognitive processes of experts from those of novices: the difference between a novice and an expert stems from something more complex than simply having more information stored in long-term memory. Experts use this information in fundamentally different cognitive ways, thinking in terms of deep structure versus merely surface structure (p.133). Reflection is the mechanism by which new information is incorporated into existing abstract functions and by which adjustments are made to future action.

One necessary component of leadership and vision mentioned only obliquely in the ISTE standards involves tapping the passions of a leader. As educators, we are custodians of the public trust, entrusted with the most precious commodity of our society. I came to the profession, like thousands before me, passionate about the idea that all students can be successful, and that we as educators are charged with giving them all of the tools necessary to create that success. Many of my former colleagues have left the profession with a profound frustration for the barriers to student success seen every day in campuses and homes around the country. As mentioned in the Standard VII reflection, my school district will be investing significant dollars into technology over the next few years, and much of that will be spent on providing interactive whiteboard technology to every classroom in the district. However, an informal polling of teachers on campuses with existing technologies reveals many teachers who are not comfortable enough with the technology to fully incorporate it into their current practices. Such disparate positions harkens back to the concerns indicated by Whitehead, Jensen, & Boschee (2003) regarding lack of proper configuration as a barrier to true technology integration (p. 152). Quite possibly this disconnect stems as much from a lack of passion as a lack of planning. My years in the classroom offer up a dose of that passion that years in the private sector could not.

References:

Whitehead, B., Jensen, D., & Boschee, F. (2003). //Planning for technology: A guide for school administrators, technology coordinators, and curriculum leaders.// Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.

Williamson, J., & Redish, T. (2009). //ISTE's Technology Facilitation and Leadership Standards: What Every K-12 Leader Should Know and Be Able to Do.// Washington: International Society for Technology in Education.

Willingham, D. (2009). //Why don't students like school? A cognitive scientist answers questions about how the mind works and what it means for the classroom.// San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.