The Role of Administrators in Developing Technologically- Infused Progressive Schools Workshop presented at ACT III May 20 th, 2000 Institute for Learning Technologies Cristiana Assumpcao, Ed.M.

Have you heard this before? … the organizational features of the school are often controlling factors in what gets taught. As long as the grouping of students, the selection of teachers, and the system of rewards remain the same, the reform is doomed. Dewey (1901)

About curriculum change… Curriculum change, therefore, required not simply a new conception of the course of study but a complex process of interaction involving both the organizational structure of the school and those people who were to be instrumental in bringing it to the classroom. Dewey (1901)

Deweys prediction… …without considered attention to the processes of change itself, we shall be forever oscillating between extremes.… The Struggle for the American Curriculum by Herbert M. Kliebard

Who is involved in school change then? Administrators Teachers Students

What can administrators do? They can become advocates for the technology integration: Provide release time. Provide for credit. Provide stipends. Proactively pull in organizations for Professional Development for teachers and technical coordinators. Support technical staff both with resources and training.

What can administrators do? They can also become models by using the computer for: Organizing materials. Communicating with faculty. Doing research. Developing creative memos. Using for notices, feedback, commentary. Using Excel for budgeting and tracking student attendance.

What can teachers do? Use computers themselves to feel comfortable with the technology. They can use it for: Grade books. Tracking student attendance. Preparing class materials: handouts, posters, banners, presentations, etc. Develop classroom activities using software or stand alone applications such as PowerPoint or Excel. Examples: Monster Project, M & Ms Project. Use the internet for research, communication and information.

What can teachers do? They can also become advocates for their own professional development by: Asking for release time and participating in conferences and workshops offered. Building a support group inside the school to discuss new ways of integrating technology in their curriculum. Using resources such as listserves and to keep in touch with each other and experts for support.

Where to look for PD? There are many organizations offering many different PD models. Lets look at a few to see which one would best fit the specific needs of your school. This is a historical look at what ILT has developed through the years and what we have learned with each experience. cristiana/conference/pdmodel/index.htm cristiana/conference/pdmodel/index.htm