Effective Technology Tools For School Leadership

This book prepares educational leaders with the knowledge needed to critically evaluate, select, and use technological tools to be effective school leaders. Authors Jones and Kennedy explore the technology tools needed to support the full range of responsibilities of a school leader, including management and administration, personnel and evaluation, security and safety, instructional leadership, organizational culture and climate, external relationships, and action research. Each chapter unpacks advantages and pitfalls of various technological tools and includes case scenarios that contextualize these ideas for readers. Chapter content is also aligned with The Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL), the National Educational Leadership Preparation Standards (NELP), and the International Society of Technology Standard in Education (ISTE) standards. This timely and important book adds to the toolbox for educators preparing to become effective and cutting-edge school leaders.

Providing models of exemplary use and the latest research, Educational Leadership and Technology reveals the transformational power of emerging technologies to improve student learning, and explores how leaders can bring about this technology integration. This book provides an overview of roles and strategies expected of effective school leaders, as well as some of the complex issues they face. Authors Garland and Tadeja offer a critical analysis of today's emerging technology, while also addressing the need for collaborative efforts of parents, community, and students to implement technologies effectively. Special Features Include: Full integration of National Technology Standards for Administrators (NETS.A) and the National Education Technology Plan (NETP). Leader reflections from practicing school administrators that provide context of real-world scenarios. "Tips for School Leaders" and end-of-chapter questions that encourage student engagement with the text. "School Administrator's Technology Leadership Self-Assessment," a unique and impartial survey in each chapter with self-scoring guide that helps readers determine their technology use and readiness for implementation. A robust companion website with PowerPoint Slides, strategies, and links to website and video resources which will reflect changes in technology, policy, and practice. Discussion of the newest and emerging technologies, including Cloudware, social media, virtual manipulatives, and e-games. Educational Leadership and Technology is an important resource for new and aspiring elementary, middle, and high school principals as well as superintendents and technology coordinators.

How can school leaders use technology to be more effective? In this book, award-winning blogger and educational technology expert Steven W. Anderson explains how and why leaders should use technology and outlines what should be in every leader's digital toolkit. This resource will help leaders maximize social media to stay connected with teachers, students, and the community use online tools to manage documents and increase collaboration identify online tools to stay organized develop online professional learning networks. Digital tools can play an important role not only in streamlining how school leaders do their jobs, but also in helping them get better results—no matter what the initiative.

A practical and visionary look at creative educational leadership in today's digital environment Technology Leadership for School Improvement provides prospective and current K–12 educational leaders with practical coverage of the skills and knowledge necessary to manage and administrate technology in school settings. Designed to help educational leaders develop an understanding of multimedia teaching tools that optimize learning, as well as the leadership skills needed to support others, this one-of-a-kind book explores data-driven decision making and technology standards. Each chapter is written by a specialist in the field and follows a common format. Features Critical questions at the beginning of each chapter help readers focus on key objectives. Case studies with discussion questions and activities provide opportunities for readers to analyze applied situations. End-of-chapter learning aids include Key Principles for Leaders to Know sections that summarize each chapter's content and Web Resources that provide links to additional information.

Efficacious educational technology supports, enables, and facilitates students as they are become full participants in the computer and network-rich communication landscape of society. Differences between how IT is provided and managed in other organizations compared to educational organizations can pose challenges for school leaders and the IT professional they hire from other industries. It is through the collaborative efforts of educators, information technology professionals, and school leaders that educational technology becomes efficacious. This book was written to support school professionals (educators, technicians, and leaders) as they become efficacious IT managers. It concerns both the decisions they make and the actions they take to ensure the information technology infrastructure installed in schools is useful to teachers as they work with learners as they become citizens in the emerging digital world. This book is intended to help IT professionals understand the world of education and for educators to understand the world of IT.

Principal Connections is a CD-ROM and companion Web site designed to help school leaders recognize, promote, and evaluate effective technology use in their schools. The CD-ROM is divided into seven program areas: "You're the Leader" helps administrators examine their roles as technology leaders and identify barriers to integrating technology into their schools. This section includes an interactive technology skills assessment. "Technology as a Tool" looks at ways technology can be integrated into learning. An implementation assessment is coupled with context-sensitive strategies for increasing access and integration. "Foster the Environment" details strategies administrators can employ to help teachers become more accepting in their use of technology as a teaching tool. "Classroom Close-Up," an interactive observation tool coupled with video footage from an actual classroom, enables administrators to practice classroom observations. "Log On" looks closely at effective Internet use. It addresses bolstering the skills of novice users and key issues related to Internet use in schools, and provides practical advice on developing an electronic communications acceptable-use policy. "Tools of the Trade" helps administrators make informed decisions about allocating technology resources, including hardware and software. This segment contains a software evaluation tool that can be printed. "Planning for Tomorrow" looks at the technology planning cycle and helps school leaders understand the total cost of technology ownership. The Principal Connections Web site features additional resources and updates to the CD-ROM. For more information visit the http: //www.principalconnections.org/

Facebook, Twitter, Google...today's tech-savvy students are always plugged in. However, all too often their teachers and administrators aren't experienced in the use of these familiar digital tools. If schools are to prepare students for the future, administrators and educators must harness the power of digital technologies and social media. With contributions from authorities on the topic of educational technology, What School Leaders Need to Know About Digital Technologies and Social Media is a compendium of the most useful tools for any education setting. Throughout the book, experts including Will Richardson, Vicki Davis, Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, Richard Byrne, Joyce Valenza, and many others explain how administrators and teachers can best integrate technology into schools, helping to make sense of the often-confusing world of social media and digital tools. They offer the most current information for the educational use of blogs, wikis and podcasts, online learning, open-source courseware, educational gaming, social networking, online mind mapping, mobile phones, and more, and include examples of these methods currently at work in schools. As the book clearly illustrates, when these tools are combined with thoughtful and deliberate pedagogical practice, it can create a transformative experience for students, educators, and administrators alike. What School Leaders Need to Know About Digital Technologies and Social Media reveals the power of information technology and social networks in the classroom and throughout the education community.

Stay a step ahead of technological change so that every student can flourish! Students and classrooms are growing more technologically savvy every semester, and falling behind is not an option. This new edition of an essential text shows educational leaders how to equip their students for the future, with updates such as: Digital developments of the past decade that school leaders must address New content covering the Common Core, distributed leadership, adult learning theory, digital citizenship, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and more A new chapter on creating a “culture of technology” that goes beyond mere user manuals to create responsible, tech-savvy students