Comments on: Leadership Day 2008 – We have neglected our leaders http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html Technology, leadership, and the future of schools Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:00:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Beth Ritter-Guth http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html/comment-page-1#comment-12470 Beth Ritter-Guth Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html#comment-12470 Your post really hits me in the heart because the same criticism is true of college professors. The stoic ones complain that technology is ruining education; the complacent ones just don't care that students are not prepared for the workforce. Thanks for the post :-) Your post really hits me in the heart because the same criticism is true of college professors. The stoic ones complain that technology is ruining education; the complacent ones just don’t care that students are not prepared for the workforce. Thanks for the post :-)

]]> By: Roberta Taylor http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html/comment-page-1#comment-12471 Roberta Taylor Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html#comment-12471 So has anyone assembled a reading list, either for those who work with leaders or for those leaders themselves? Our district was hugely impacted by an apple conference just for school superintendents, dealing with the issues you mention above, but it's not enough. Thanks for the prod- this bears thinking about. So has anyone assembled a reading list, either for those who work with leaders or for those leaders themselves?

Our district was hugely impacted by an apple conference just for school superintendents, dealing with the issues you mention above, but it’s not enough. Thanks for the prod- this bears thinking about.

]]> By: Jeanette http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html/comment-page-1#comment-12472 Jeanette Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html#comment-12472 Hi Scott - I am living proof of the truth of your post. Up until about a year and a half ago, I was essentially ignorant of digital technologies - and I'm a principal at a "technical school". I'm in a doctoral program that is deservedly well-respected, but except for the work of a handful of professors - including David Quinn, your first guest blogger (http://www.dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2006/09/the_pressure_of.html) - the non-emphasis on digital technologies is a true missed opportunity. When our distance-ed blended model meets face to face, I hear admissions of administrative technological illiteracy go unchallenged. If not for one persistent but polite member of my staff, and your Principal Blogging Project, I would still be largely unaware. I encourage those readers of yours who have good relationships with their principals (or other district leaders) to continue the polite but persistent encouragement you have often written about - and I agree that it is vital that a more systematic process be put in place to make awareness - and change - happen among educational leaders. Your calls for digital technology courses for emerging leaders, and professional development seminars for current leaders that put these technologies in terms we understand, and which help us to incorporate these into our own professional lives, are right on target. Hi Scott – I am living proof of the truth of your post. Up until about a year and a half ago, I was essentially ignorant of digital technologies – and I’m a principal at a “technical school”.

I’m in a doctoral program that is deservedly well-respected, but except for the work of a handful of professors – including David Quinn, your first guest blogger (http://www.dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2006/09/the_pressure_of.html) – the non-emphasis on digital technologies is a true missed opportunity. When our distance-ed blended model meets face to face, I hear admissions of administrative technological illiteracy go unchallenged.

If not for one persistent but polite member of my staff, and your Principal Blogging Project, I would still be largely unaware. I encourage those readers of yours who have good relationships with their principals (or other district leaders) to continue the polite but persistent encouragement you have often written about – and I agree that it is vital that a more systematic process be put in place to make awareness – and change – happen among educational leaders. Your calls for digital technology courses for emerging leaders, and professional development seminars for current leaders that put these technologies in terms we understand, and which help us to incorporate these into our own professional lives, are right on target.

]]> By: Tracy Rosen http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html/comment-page-1#comment-12473 Tracy Rosen Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html#comment-12473 Agreed. So what is the next step. How do we make it happen? Agreed.
So what is the next step. How do we make it happen?

]]> By: Joel Adkins http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html/comment-page-1#comment-12474 Joel Adkins Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html#comment-12474 Truly. Last year, a group from my school offered suggestions for not only new technologies but new 21st century vision to share with principals at a state principal conference. The conference had no technology strands. We could not match to any strand offered for our session so we picked "Strategy" I believe. After our session, we had many principals tell us that they wish they had more sessions like ours just showing them what's out there and how it is used. We of course shared this with the organizers for the conference. Funny, I haven't gotten an invite to return. ;) Truly. Last year, a group from my school offered suggestions for not only new technologies but new 21st century vision to share with principals at a state principal conference. The conference had no technology strands. We could not match to any strand offered for our session so we picked “Strategy” I believe.

After our session, we had many principals tell us that they wish they had more sessions like ours just showing them what’s out there and how it is used.

We of course shared this with the organizers for the conference. Funny, I haven’t gotten an invite to return. ;)

]]> By: Scott McLeod http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html/comment-page-1#comment-12475 Scott McLeod Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html#comment-12475 Well, Tracy, here are a few places to start: http://snipurl.com/2uvkh http://snipurl.com/2uvkq http://snipurl.com/2uvji http://snipurl.com/2uvky http://snipurl.com/2uvni http://snipurl.com/2uvo6 How about starting to make it happen by providing some dedicated, role-specific learning opportunities for school leaders in your local area? Tie the training to some of the NETS-A performance indicators that you think are important. Let us all know how it goes so that we can critically reflect on how best to do this. Also, start leaning hard on the various entities I list in the post to get moving. Enlist others to help you with your advocacy! Well, Tracy, here are a few places to start:

http://snipurl.com/2uvkh
http://snipurl.com/2uvkq
http://snipurl.com/2uvji
http://snipurl.com/2uvky
http://snipurl.com/2uvni
http://snipurl.com/2uvo6

How about starting to make it happen by providing some dedicated, role-specific learning opportunities for school leaders in your local area? Tie the training to some of the NETS-A performance indicators that you think are important. Let us all know how it goes so that we can critically reflect on how best to do this.

Also, start leaning hard on the various entities I list in the post to get moving. Enlist others to help you with your advocacy!

]]> By: Joel Adkins http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html/comment-page-1#comment-12476 Joel Adkins Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html#comment-12476 Scott, this timely comment ties directly to a post I made last night on my blog - what is the conversation starter? Thank you for posting these. I started my first full day yesterday with working on the new website and talking about Google Documents. I thought it was such a small feat but it really did get the conversation going with only one person (and that is the spark I needed). Timely post here. I wonder if you could post the same comment on my blog for those readers? Link is provided on my name. Thank you! Scott, this timely comment ties directly to a post I made last night on my blog – what is the conversation starter?

Thank you for posting these. I started my first full day yesterday with working on the new website and talking about Google Documents. I thought it was such a small feat but it really did get the conversation going with only one person (and that is the spark I needed).

Timely post here. I wonder if you could post the same comment on my blog for those readers? Link is provided on my name.

Thank you!

]]> By: Scott McLeod http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html/comment-page-1#comment-12477 Scott McLeod Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html#comment-12477 Joel, sorry, you lost me... What did you want me to post on your blog? My previous comment with the various URLs? Joel, sorry, you lost me… What did you want me to post on your blog? My previous comment with the various URLs?

]]> By: Mary http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html/comment-page-1#comment-12478 Mary Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html#comment-12478 Scott: I've been thinking of starting to build awareness for administrators within the newsletter I use for our network. One of the things I'd like to include would be some reading material on technology leadership. Can you suggest some good titles? Thank you! Scott:
I’ve been thinking of starting to build awareness for administrators within the newsletter I use for our network. One of the things I’d like to include would be some reading material on technology leadership. Can you suggest some good titles?

Thank you!

]]> By: Justin B. http://dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html/comment-page-1#comment-12479 Justin B. Tue, 30 Nov 1999 05:00:00 +0000 http://annahein.com/2008/07/leadership-da-1.html#comment-12479 Great post as always Scott. It struck me as I was reading it, and as I was contemplating my own post a few days ago, that there are not enough individuals to do training for 21st Century leaders. You say that "We must set aside dedicated training time, programs, and monies for our leaders," but are there enough individuals that can actually lead/teach that training for school leaders? Is there a critical mass of experts on 21st Century School Leadership that could even move that agenda forward, even if there was money? Jeanette's comments on your blog and mine I think are right on. There may only be 2-3 individuals in the whole state of Florida that could even teach a 21st Century School Leadership class with Web 2.0 integrated into the curriculum. In Indiana there may be school administrators that we could hire as adjuncts, but in terms of faculty, after having done a study on the whole state's leadership preparation programs, I can tell you there are 0 people in leadership programs that could teach such a class. Anyway, just wanted to see your thoughts on who we could use to teach these classes/pd that you recommend? Clearly there are capable individuals around the country such as yourself and David Quinn as Jeanette mentions in Florida and we both know a few others. But are there enough? And if not, how do we get more professors/leaders in Ed. Leadership to become experts on this? Great post as always Scott. It struck me as I was reading it, and as I was contemplating my own post a few days ago, that there are not enough individuals to do training for 21st Century leaders. You say that “We must set aside dedicated training time, programs, and monies for our leaders,” but are there enough individuals that can actually lead/teach that training for school leaders? Is there a critical mass of experts on 21st Century School Leadership that could even move that agenda forward, even if there was money? Jeanette’s comments on your blog and mine I think are right on. There may only be 2-3 individuals in the whole state of Florida that could even teach a 21st Century School Leadership class with Web 2.0 integrated into the curriculum. In Indiana there may be school administrators that we could hire as adjuncts, but in terms of faculty, after having done a study on the whole state’s leadership preparation programs, I can tell you there are 0 people in leadership programs that could teach such a class.

Anyway, just wanted to see your thoughts on who we could use to teach these classes/pd that you recommend? Clearly there are capable individuals around the country such as yourself and David Quinn as Jeanette mentions in Florida and we both know a few others. But are there enough? And if not, how do we get more professors/leaders in Ed. Leadership to become experts on this?

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