Technology leadership, school climate, and technology integration: a correlational study in grades K-12

ABSTRACT This study tested the relationship of technology leadership and school climate to the teachers' integration of technology. In the 2008-2009 school year, data were collected using three instruments: the National Educational Technology Standards for Administrators (NETS-A) survey (administered to principals and assistant principals), the Taking a Good Look at Instructional Technology (TAGLIT) survey, and the Organizational Climate Index (OCI) survey (administered to teachers). It was hypothesized that administrators' leadership as measured by NETS-A would predict teachers' use of technology as measured by TAGLIT. In addition, it was hypothesized that administrators' leadership and a positive school climate as measured by the OCI both contribute to more integration of technology. Respondents were 968 teachers and 44 administrators in 32 public schools with the school being the unit of analysis. Technological leadership from administrators was not associated with teachers' use of technology. Technological leadership was predictive of institutional vulnerability but not the other measures of school climate. Finally, achievement press, one of the measures of school climate, was negatively correlated, indicating schools with higher levels of achievement press tended to have lower levels of teachers' use of technology. Recommendations for practice suggested that administrators improve skills by becoming more familiar with the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE) standards for technology implementation and that technological innovations be more closely allied to in-class instruction and use focused program development to that end. (Published By University of Alabama Libraries