The Dearth of Technology Leadership Coverage

Abstract

This study focused on understanding the extent to which technology leadership is discussed, framed, and given voice in the fields of educational leadership and educational administration. To do this, we collected data and conducted content analyses on conference programs from three leading professional organizations in the field and on a selection of professional journals spanning 1997 to 2009. We found 2.12% of American Educational Research Association presentations had a technology leadership focus, compared to 2.94% for the University Council for Educational Administration and 7.40% for the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration. After determining the 25 most often-cited journals in the field, we found that 43 articles in these journals had a focus on technology leadership, most often centering on technology integration, staff development, and technology policy. Suggestions for moving forward are included. Preparing future-ready citizens who are technologically savvy, globally competent, and prepared to engage in a 21st-century knowledge-based economy with applicable skills requires a school leader who is prepared to lead changes in schooling, as catalyzed by technology and its ubiquitous presence. Collins and Halverson (2010) argued that the digital age has fostered a knowledge revolution that has transformed our jobs, home lives, and social lives and will inevitably change schools: new technologies create learning opportunities that challenge the traditional practices of schools and colleges.. .. People around the world are taking their education out of school and into homes, libraries, Internet cafes and workplaces where they can decide what they want to learn, when they want to learn and how they want to learn. (p. 18

Collaborative leadership development with ICT: experiences from three exemplary schools

“…Their study confirms the crucial lessons from earlier studies that successful school reforms depend on system coherence and the transformation of practices at different institutional levels (Elmore, 2004;Olson, 2003;Seashore, 2009). The studies on school leadership and technology reforms correspond with this general picture, by indicating that the interactive web of leadership running across institutional levels is a significant premise and indicator of the widespread and effective use of ICT for learning (Anderson & Dexter, 2005;Blau & Presser, 2013;Dexter, 2011;Erstad & Hauge, 2011;Inan & Lowther, 2010;McLeod & Richardson, 2011;Seong & Ho, 2012;Schrum & Levin, 2013).…”

“…Dexter, 2011;Law et al, 2008;McLeod & Richardson, 2011;Ottestad, 2013;Schrum & Levin, 2013;Tondeur, Devos, van Houtte, van Braak, & Valcke, 2009). Additionally, our findings suggest that in schools oriented towards collaborative (Web 2.0) technological practices, leadership is enacted as a team-based and distributed activity, which relies upon educational and technological expertise at multiple levels.…”

“…In a cross-case analysis of five case studies of middle schools with laptop programmes, Dexter (2011) confirms this suggestion by concluding that successfully implementing complex technology warrants a team-based leadership approach, especially when the objective is using the technology to improve teaching and learning. The growing body of research focusing on 'technology leadership' in schools emphasizes the necessity of regarding ICT implementation and integration as an activity that must be undertaken as an institutional developmental task involving leadership, pedagogy and ways of organizing teaching and learning (Afshari, Bakar, Luan, Samah, & Fooi, 2009;Blau & Presser, 2013;Davies, 2010;Haughey, 2006;Mcleod & Richardson, 2011;Richardson, Bathon, Flora, & Lewis, 2012;Seong & Ho, 2012;Stuart, Mills, & Remus, 2009;Yuen, Law, & Wong, 2003;Weng & Tang, 2014).…”

Professional learning to support elementary teachers’ use of the iPod Touch in the classroom

“…Attitude in this study relates to several factors, including teachers' interest, comfort, confidence, apprehension and whether they feel the use of technology improves practice. In addition to teachers' attitudes, this study also considered the attitudes and actions of the school principal, because teachers are unlikely to embrace change without clear expectations and support from their principal (Hew andBrush 2007, McLeod andRichardson 2011).…”

Assessing School Technology Leadership Practices: Perceptions from 1-to-1 Schools in the Context of Continuous Improvement

“…Within the body of educational literature, there is also a call for additional research on school technology leadership (Davies, 2010;Dexter, 2011;McLeod & Richardson, 2011;Richardson, Bathon, Flora & Lewis, 2012;Tan, 2010), as leadership has been empirically linked to impacts on technology integration in schools (Anderson & Dexter, 2005). While much has been written in popular press about technology integration, school technology leaders faced with leading technology integration efforts lack ready access to research-based tools to support their integration efforts.…”