EDUC 638-Leadership in Technology, Reflective Blog 2 (Interview)

Jack and the Infostalk

             When young Jack took magic beans as payment for a cow, planted them, then climbed the stalk to see where it would lead, it was an exercise in faith.  Sometimes it takes a leap of faith – or climbing a ladder on a beanstalk – to achieve loftier goals.  Still, “69% of American high schools have banned cell phones, according to figures compiled by CommonSense Media, a nonprofit group that studies children’s use of technology” (Kessler, 2010).

               Doug Hazen, lead administrator of a K-12 special education program for River Bend Education District in Southern Minnesota, disagrees with this philosophy.  “Students should be taught to use social media effectively,” and staff communication should be “live” (D. Hazen, personal communication, June 4, 2013).  River Bend Education District doesn’t even have a common planning calendar, but with Google Docs and Gmail being brought in by the fall, he expects communication to improve.  Right now, hand-held devices are a “problem” in classrooms because students aren’t using them for educational purposes. (D. Hazen, personal communication, June 4, 2013)  Hazen believes it is time to move forward regardless of risks. 

               As for social media, the benefits of its use in classrooms are “profound,” according to Huffington Post (2011). “A year after seventh grade teacher Elizabeth Delmatoff started a pilot social media program in her Portland, Oregon classroom, 20 percent of students school-wide were completing extra assignments for no credit, grades had gone up more than 50 percent, and chronic absenteeism was reduced by more than a third” (Kessler, 2010).  It is like planting magic beans and growing a beanstalk to Heaven. Administrator Hazen thinks it is.  He says students are “more engaged in what is happening now.” (D. Hazen, personal communication, June 4, 2013) Karen Cator from the U.S. Dept. of Education believes the choice shouldn’t be about whether or not to use technology; it should be about creating more compelling activities that require students to engage in “critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration,” and “global participation” (Huffington Post, 2011).  In other words, if Jack leaves his bedroom and climbs the beanstalk, he will be exposed to other people, problems, and cultures, where he will discover a whole new learning.

               This is all very exciting, but it is also risky.  Educators are accountable for students, and leaders must accept responsibility for outcomes and align expectations with the vision for the institution. (Hall, 2008, p. 138) Where was Jack’s mother when he snuck out his bedroom window, and what about the Ogre?!  "Mostly kids at risk already have a bunch of social and emotional problems in their lives. These kids are the ones who might engage in risky behaviors, seek out sex talk online and knowingly meet people who are older” (Huffington Post, 2011).  Hazen (2013) agrees that at-risk youth will engage in risky behaviors when given the opportunity, but he advocates for teaching students how to manage information rather than protecting them from the hot oven and loud snores of predators by admonishing technological interaction altogether.  He adds, “If we could keep them as engaged educationally as they are socially…but yes, the behaviors are more risky.”

               “Don’t fight a losing battle,” says Delmatoff. “We’re going to get there anyway, so it’s better to be on the cutting edge, and be moving with the kids, rather than moving against them” (Kessler, 2010).  Doug Hazen (2013) agrees:

It reduces the number of staff needed for administration and makes special education (SPED) forms and referrals, which take a great deal of preparation, have a quicker turnaround.  Instruction is better because we are able to target multiple learning
styles and can offer chemistry, for example, through an online program.  Students at different cognitive and ability levels can be in the same environment achieving the same core goals.

Technology is a necessary part of educational administration that is here to stay. It allows River Bend to track discipline problems along with trends or gaps in achievement. This infostalk of databases and spreadsheets is critical to data-driven decision-making, the most effective way to land the golden harp.  After all, failure to access data can jeopardize budget and credibility. (Picciano, 2011, p. 53) 

               Whether integrating technology into the classroom or using it to facilitate administrative processes, school leaders should focus on the results, not the effort, and continue to “stick to the vision” (Hall, 2008, pp. 145-155).  Jack may be a candidate for a professional growth plan…if he ever grows up.  In the meantime, we could all learn a lesson about faith from him.  It probably has something to do with a mustard seed. (Luke 17:6 and Matthew 17:20)

References:

Hall, D. (2008). The technology director’s guide to leadership. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education

Huffington Post (2011, March 21). Social networking in schools: Educators debate the merits of technology in the classroom. Huff Post Education. Retrieved June 6, 2013, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/27/social-networking-schools_n_840911.html

Kessler, Sarah (2010, September 29). The case for social media in schools. Mashable. Retrieved June 6, 2013, from http://mashable.com/2010/09/29/social-media-in-school/

Picciano, A. G. (2011). Educational leadership and planning for technology (5th ed.). Columbus, OH: Pearson Education