Leadership and Technology

This Padlet represents my emerging vision for education. I have attempted to highlight the biggest values – that could then be further developed into more specific actions. I have been enjoying the "What if" strategy for imagining the possible in education, so I thought I might brainstorm a few more "What ifs" to further develop my vision for education. What if "schooling" wasn't defined by a place or time, but was instead seamlessly embedded at the intersection of school, community, and home life? What if the most valuable "products" of education were self-efficacy and solidarity? What if people of different abilities, interests, expertise, ages, genders, races, cultures and religions could interact, collaborate and learn from each other in a vibrant and diverse community of learning? What if curriculum was like pursuits in "real life" – simultaneously integrative of multiple skills and disciplines, and driven by purpose ...

In The Innovator's Mindset, George Couros concludes chapter 7 with a list of "What ifs" he has used to help him dream big and develop a vision for schools. After reading the ISTE Essential Conditions to effectively leverage technology for learning, I thought I'd try using the "What if?" strategy to identify examples of how some of the ISTE conditions might look. These "What ifs" are inspired equally by bright spots and opportunities I see in my school. Shared Vision What if we engaged all stakeholders (admin, teachers, students, families, community) in developing a shared vision for educational technology? Empowered Leaders What if we had a culture of innovation and risk-taking where teachers were empowered to influence substantive systemic change? Equitable Access What if every students had access to a device with internet connectivity they could use at school and at home? Skilled Personnel What if the adults in our school embraced a...