A school administrator is an educational leader who understands and comprehensively applies technology to advance student achievement.
The Benefits and Challenges of Technology
While educators can rely solely on technology, one would be hard pressed to argue that the use of technology in education is not of vital importance. There is little doubt that technology is not only a powerful motivator, but it can also provide a wealth of information at the press of a button. In one of his TED talks, blogger and speaker Will Richardson explains, “Kids can learn pretty much whatever they want, whenever they want.” With the constant connection to social media and Internet search engines like Google, students today certainly have access to more information than they did in the past.
The real challenge in education is how to leverage that access to enhance instruction, while also valuing the skills and dispositions necessary to help students reach their full potential. Another area of critical concern is ensuring that students know how to differentiate between credible and unreliable information. For example, if a student doesn’t know The Onion is a satirical online publication, they may actually believe and report that 14% of Americans are intolerant to the word “gluten.” Additional areas of consideration are that of equal access for all students and online citizenship. Identifying and working to address these unique technological considerations will continue to be a major issue facing educational leaders today; however, the successful navigation of online resources can provide students access to a larger, supportive network.
One of my favorite anecdotes illustrating this idea is Richardson’s explanation of Canadian cinematographer Mark Klassen, a 17 year old who essentially taught himself the art of video without a teacher in the traditional sense of the word. When Richardson asked him what he liked best about his particular method of learning, Klassen replied, “…Those [online] connections make it possible for me to gain a bigger audience, which means more feedback and more learning…” As educators, we should encourage innovators like Klassen, fostering the critical thinking skills necessary to navigate the wealth of information available online. We must also, however, work to provide equal access and guidelines for the ethical use of such technologies.
The real challenge in education is how to leverage that access to enhance instruction, while also valuing the skills and dispositions necessary to help students reach their full potential. Another area of critical concern is ensuring that students know how to differentiate between credible and unreliable information. For example, if a student doesn’t know The Onion is a satirical online publication, they may actually believe and report that 14% of Americans are intolerant to the word “gluten.” Additional areas of consideration are that of equal access for all students and online citizenship. Identifying and working to address these unique technological considerations will continue to be a major issue facing educational leaders today; however, the successful navigation of online resources can provide students access to a larger, supportive network.
One of my favorite anecdotes illustrating this idea is Richardson’s explanation of Canadian cinematographer Mark Klassen, a 17 year old who essentially taught himself the art of video without a teacher in the traditional sense of the word. When Richardson asked him what he liked best about his particular method of learning, Klassen replied, “…Those [online] connections make it possible for me to gain a bigger audience, which means more feedback and more learning…” As educators, we should encourage innovators like Klassen, fostering the critical thinking skills necessary to navigate the wealth of information available online. We must also, however, work to provide equal access and guidelines for the ethical use of such technologies.