Principal leadership for technology integration: a study of principal technology leadership

Today’s school systems require building principals to be not only managers of information and instructional practice but also leaders. This leadership is a key component in guiding the teaching and learning processes necessary for preparing today’s students with the knowledge and skills necessary in today’s society to become a productive citizen of the 21st century. It is surprising that although technology leadership is beginning to receive attention in the literature, at the principal level it has not been more widely studied and connected to the success of technology integration. It is the purpose of this study to explore and describe the connection between (a) the current state of a school’s technology use, (b) a principal’s methods and strategies for leadership in technology integration and (c) technology use as a tool or instructional strategy, connecting school and pedagogical change with technology as a school reform effort.The survey data establishes while schools are currently doing well at using technology and applying it as an instructional strategy, their weakest link is having the necessary infrastructure, which includes the people, funds and resources, to do so. Three themes about methods and strategies to facilitate technology integration emerged. They are for the building principal to (1) model the use of technology, (2) promote the use of technology through baby steps, hand holding, praise and encouragement and (3) create formal or informal building technology leaders. Three themes about what changes as a result of technology integration also emerged. They stem from an increase in the use of technology as an instructional tool. This increase requires (1) changes in the education environment, (2) more support at all levels and (3) a commitment to the future. The principals who felt the strongest about these themes were those who use technology regularly in their daily professional and personal lives.Educational leaders must seek to understand, promote and implement the notion that technology integration is not about the technology, it is about focusing on future generations and leading teachers to a change in pedagogy to support these generations with 21st Century teaching and learning strategies that increase student achievement.Ed.D., Educational Leadership Development and Learning Technologies -- Drexel University, 200