Academic literature on the topic 'Educational leadership|Teacher education|Educational technology'

The successful application of technology in education has become one of the critical educational leadership challenges for school administrators in the United States. North Carolina leaders have increased technology requirements for teacher education graduates, certified staff members, and students in public schools. This article outlines the recommended sequence of necessary skills and applications to produce an individualized, basic document page and understand the methodology for capturing, organizing, and archiving new materials in an electronic portfolio to document successful completion of the doctoral internship in Educational Leadership. Through the use of an electronic portfolio, educational leaders enrolled in a doctoral program can extend their understanding of technology and learn applications worthwhile for personal and professional improvement.

For many decades, most of the decision-making authority in public schools has been vested in individual principals and other administrators. However, new models of collaborative teacher leadership are beginning to emerge, thanks to four trends: 1) evidence on the positive effects of teacher leadership continues to mount, 2) districts and state policies are codifying teacher leadership roles, 3) teacher leaders are becoming more proficient at using educational technology and sharing their expertise through digital media, and 4) researchers are deepening their knowledge about how teachers learn to lead effectively.

PurposeThe authors tested the efficacy of a team-based instructional leadership intervention designed to increase middle school mathematics and science teachers' use of educational technologies for multiple representations of content to foster students' conceptual understandings. Each school's leadership team comprised an administrator, a technology instructional specialist role, and a mathematics and a science teacher leader.Design/methodology/approachThe authors tested the intervention in a quasi-experimental design with five treatment and five matched comparison schools. Participants included 48 leadership team members and 100 grade 6–8 teachers and their students. The authors analyzed data using two-level, nested multiple regressions to determine the effect of treatment on leaders' practices; leaders' practices on teachers' learning and integration; and teachers' learning and integration on students' learning. Leaders and teachers completed monthly self-reports of practices; students completed pre- and post-tests of knowledge in science and math.FindingsSignificant treatment effects at the leader, teacher and student levels establish the efficacy of this team-based approach to school leadership of an educational technology integration innovation. Leaders at treatment schools participated in a significantly higher total frequency and a wider variety of leadership activities, with large effect sizes. Teachers participated in a significantly wider variety of learning modes focused on technology integration and integrated technology significantly more frequently, with a wider variety of technologies, all with moderate effect sizes. Students in treatment schools significantly outperformed students in comparison schools in terms of science achievement but not in mathematics.Research limitations/implicationsThe overall sample size is small and the approach to participant recruitment did not allow for randomized assignment to the treatment condition. The authors tested the influence of treatment on leader practices, on teacher practices, and on student achievement. Future work is needed to identify the core components of treatment that influence practice and investigate the causal relationships between specific leaders' practices, teacher practices and student achievement.Originality/valueThis study establishes the efficacy of a replicable approach to developing team-based instructional leaders addressing educational technology. It contributes to the knowledge base about how district leaders and leadership educators might foster school leaders' instructional leadership, and more specifically technology leadership capacity.

In the article the authors consider opportunities for scientific and methodological support of contemporary education digitization. The purpose of the article is to identify scientific and methodological support resources for developing specific recommendations to teachers on tackling education-related problems in the digital educational environment. When designing scientific and methodological support tools meant to facilitate introduction of modern educational technologies into the advanced teacher training process, the authors were basing on the principles of globalization and regionalization, technology continuity and discreteness, flexibility and availability. Consideration of the above mentioned principles permits to: introduce technologies applied in the global educational space, taking into account regional potential and student needs; select and combine individual factors of pedagogical technologies being based on assessment of their didactic efficiency under the conditions of a concrete educational process; adapt the technologies to teaching conditions, student cohort, budget, time and other circumstances in a timely and mobile manner. The article is meant for the academic teaching staff of institutes of supplementary teacher education, postgraduate and external PhD students, teachers and all those who take interest in problems of contemporary education.

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain a better understanding of how induction programs might effectively support STEM K?8 teacher preparation. American schools are not producing competent STEM graduates prepared to meet employment demands. Over the next decade, STEM employment opportunities are expected to increase twice as fast as all other occupations combined. To meet the economic needs, the STEM pipeline must be expanded to educate and produce additional STEM graduates. The meeting of this objective begins with having the teachers working in American classrooms fully prepared and trained in STEM content, curriculum, and pedagogy. Research shows that the interest in STEM subjects starts in elementary school and, therefore, the preparation of elementary teachers to be proficient in teaching STEM to their students is vital. However, most induction programs do not focus on preparing their teachers in STEM. This study researched the Alternative Induction Pathway (AIP) program, which had STEM preparation as one of its core outcomes in the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD). It investigated the program?s effectiveness in preparing K?8 teachers with STEM content knowledge, curriculum, pedagogical instruction preparation, and the program elements that contributed the most to their experience in the program and overall STEM preparation as a result. This study was carried out over the course of approximately 6 months. Data included focused interviews with participants as well as analysis of existing documents in order to triangulate perspectives from multiple sources. The AIP program had varied levels of effectiveness in STEM content, curriculum, and pedagogy preparation. Relationships between the induction mentor, the administration, and the participating teacher, when strong and positive, were powerful contributions to the success of the acquisition and integration of the STEM content, curriculum, and pedagogy. The most effective components of the AIP program were the monthly support groups, the curricular resources, and the professional development nights facilitating the teaching and learning process for the participating teacher in STEM integration. The results of this training included examples of well-planned and executed STEM lessons with creative risk-taking, and enhanced confidence for teachers and administrators alike. At the same time, the AIP program had struggles in achieving the desired outcomes of STEM integration, due to lack of preliminary training for program administrators in STEM integration, varied needs between the MS and SS credential teachers, and state standard requirements that spoke to science and mathematics, but not engineering or technology. The main recommendation for policy from the results of this study is that STEM should be woven into preservice and continue through induction and professional development to become one of the main tenets of curriculum development and standards of effective teaching. This policy would affect colleges of education and district induction programs, requiring that STEM courses be added or embedded into the credential pathways. However, this approach would ensure that STEM integration is supported academically as an important and valued aspect of the teacher?s entrance to their career, and that pre-service teachers are ready to take advantage of induction offerings on STEM integration in the induction phase and throughout their careers in continuing professional development. The study also provides practice and research recommendations in regard to possible roles and supports for mentor teachers, including their relationships with resident teachers, as well as suggestions for and to maximize the benefits for effective teaching and learning during the induction process.

Practitioner Inquiry provided the framework for teachers (participants) and the teacher as researcher to work collaboratively engaging in a continuous process of planning lessons, reflecting on practice, systematically collecting data, and problem solving as they integrated technology within literacy curriculum. Three teachers (Trio Group) met weekly to discover how teachers learn about literacy technology integration, how they apply this in their classroom instruction, and how they share their ideas about literacy/technology integration with other teachers. These teachers shared their learning with a larger group of teachers (Technology Team) who then hosted a professional development session for the entire faculty to teach them how to integrate technology within instructional practice. Data was gathered from faculty surveys, lesson plans, the Trio Group’s blog posts, videotaped collaboration, audio recordings of all meetings, researcher’s field journal, and the final reflections of faculty. Data was analyzed using “in vivo coding” (Saldana, 2009), looking at each data source independently, and then creating larger categories that led to a descriptive view of the data in themes. Key findings that positively impacted teachers’ ability to learn how to integrate technology were: acknowledging teachers’ perceptions, providing time for collaboration with colleagues, application of practice, scaffolding the learning, and job embedded reflection. Implications include considering a broader view of literacy, technology, and instructional knowledge to include digital literacy and the TPACK framework (Kohler & Mishra, 2009). Implications also include re-envisioning the roles of educators as well as traditional professional development. Collaborative Inquiry Circles were suggested as an alternative to the traditional methods of professional development that could lead to meaningful and sustainable learning opportunities for teachers.

In an ever-changing labyrinth of standards, accountability, and standardized testing, educators seek ways to improve instruction. Teachers need learning experiences that help them navigate an environment in which a growing list of student performance standards and standardized tests determine their success in teacher evaluations (Crawford, 2015; Terehoff, 2002). In this same pursuit, many administrators are challenged in their efforts to provide meaningful professional development to support teachers (Terehoff, 2002). The goal of this study is to gain insight into which TPD delivery types and which levels of student presence create the most meaningful and applicable learning for educators and to provide insight and guidance to administrators and TPD planners who are seeking ways to provide quality TPD.

The study data was gathered through qualitative methods, including participant observation, surveys, interviews, and focus groups. The data was exlored through the SPLT model. The major findings of the study suggest that higher model levels—which included student physical presence—led to an increased application of teacher-learning in the classroom and an increased confidence in attempting to apply newly learned techniques and tools. Teachers also suggested that these in-classroom session were more valuable when a pre- or post-discussion accompanied the session. The results demonstrated that learning at all model levels had value for different intended learning purposes. They also suggested that the TPD learning could be more effective when lower model level sessions are followed up with higher-level SPLT model sessions that occur in the classroom during instructional time with students physically present.

The purpose of this quantitative retrospective causal-comparative study was to determine to what extent the form of professional development (face-to-face or online) or the level of instruction (elementary or high school) has on classroom teaching practices as measured by student learning outcomes. The first research question sought to determine to what extent the form of professional development affects classroom teaching practices as measured by student learning outcomes. The second research questions sought to determine to what extent the level of instruction affects classroom teaching practices as measured by student learning outcomes. The sample was 432 Ohio teachers who participated in the Ohio Performance Assessment Pilot Project. There were 105 teachers who engaged in face-to-face professional development and 327 teachers who engaged in online professional development. There were 216 elementary teachers and 216 high school teachers. An independent samples t-test with a probability level of p = 0.05 was used to determine the differences in student learning outcomes by form of professional development and level of instruction. This study found there is no statistically significant difference between teachers who engaged in face-to-face professional development (M = 0.519) or online (M = .467) or teachers who taught elementary (M = 0.524) or high school ( M = 0.493). These findings suggest when the content of professional development is comparable, the form of professional development and the level of instruction have minimal effect on student learning outcomes.

This study focused on the motivation of K-12 teachers to participate in district online professional development and to sustain the knowledge or skills learned. This study identified how teachers in a suburban school district, located in the Hudson Valley region of New York state, evaluated the online professional development they received and the extent to which their learning continued beyond the initial training. Through a phenomenological study, data indicated several factors motivated teachers to participate in online professional development; the primary motivator was the relevance of the topic. The online survey and interviews indicated teachers were interested and willing to participate in online professional development when they could choose the topic and the setting in which the learning takes place. An additional motivator was the benefit of collaboration and support provided by the facilitator, both during and after the training. Teachers shared their ability to make connections and to reflect on their own experiences increased when they had the opportunity to work collaboratively with the facilitator to develop and implement a lesson using the new knowledge or skill. Teachers who identified taking relevant district online professional development with collaborative facilitators also reported specific examples of how they implemented skills in their classrooms. Teachers described how the district online professional development helped to improve their students’ learning.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate two important aspects of educational technology: leadership and implementation. The research conducted in this study aimed to assess three aspects of leadership as it relates to educational technology: leadership that supports the technology implementation process, leadership that supports the change associated implementing technology, and leadership that supports a culture that embraces technology. An additional purpose of this study was to evaluate the process, procedures, and actions of implementing educational technology at three Catholic elementary schools in ways that foster a culture that promotes a supportive disposition towards educational technology. The data from the interviews, document reviews, and site observations revealed that leadership styles and practices that support the adaptation to change and a culture that can embrace technology are vital to the educational technology implementation process. This study confirmed literature that contends that partnership, collaboration, and ownership from all stakeholders are essential conditions in being able to cultivate change and sustain a culture that embraces technology. In addition, this study identified and discusses the significance of effective educational technology leaders, professional development, the establishment of a vision, mission, and plan, proper technology maintenance, and the idea that technology is a resource that is meant to enhance rather than replace teaching and instruction.

This qualitative case study illustrated perceptions of seven fine arts teachers who were veteran participants in an ePortfolio evaluation method (with three or more years participation). The research questions centered on professional growth, reflection, and the impact ePortfolio had on the craft of teaching. A blended conceptual framework of Schön’s (1983, 1987) theory of reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action, and Mezirow’s (1991) transformative learning theory was applied to analyze the data. The researcher explored types of reflection fine arts teachers perceive through ePortfolio evaluation, and how the process of ePortfolio evaluation doubled as a professional development for some teachers. Through three phases of the study which included a written eInterview, a video interview, and a face-to-face portfolio review, teacher perceptions of benefits and challenges emerged. Benefits included evidence of reflective practice, retention of highly effective teachers, a focus on student growth and state standards, and among five participants, a reported shift in practice from product-focused to process-focused teaching in their fine arts’ classrooms. Emerging as challenges in ePortfolio practice included time, training, technology, and lack of adequate feedback in the perceptions of the seven participants in this study.

Teacher preparation colleges and universities have been studied to determine best practices and respond to educational reform. Education as a whole has been criticized for the rate at which reform occurs. Technology in education has its roots in the early 1990s, but best practices to provide professional development to current teaching staff and in the teacher preparation programs continue to evolve.

This study shows the outcomes of a unique school-university partnership preparing pre-service teachers to purposefully integrate technology in their future classrooms. Six Duquesne University interns were followed through their university technology integration course and during their semester internship at a Pittsburgh area school district with technology rich classrooms. This investigation is distinctive as the interns were embedded field experiences focusing on technology prior to their student teaching experiences. In documenting the interns’ stories, their narratives further inform the effect of such opportunities and advance school-university partnerships for the purpose of better preparing teachers for today’s technology-rich classrooms and reduce or eliminate the Second Level Digital Divide.

This literature review, published in partnership with Stanford University’s Center to Support Excellence in Teaching, summarizes findings from existing research on teacher coaching and explores the following questions: What is the role of technology in the 21st century classroom? How do we best provide teachers with the time, support, and space to learn how to use new technological tools and resources effectively and to support deeper learning?

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in mass school closures across the world. It is expected that the closures in low- and -middle-income countries (LMICs) will have long-term negative consequences on education and also on broader development outcomes. Countries face a number of obstacles to effectively delivering alternative forms of education. Obstacles include limited experience in facing such challenges, limited teacher digital and pedagogical capacity, and infrastructure constraints related to power and connectivity. Furthermore, inequalities in learning outcomes are expected to widen within LMICs due to the challenges of implementing alternative modes of education in remote, rural or marginalised communities. It is expected that the most marginalised children will feel the most substantial negative impacts on their learning outcomes. Educational technology (EdTech) has been identified as a possible solution to address the acute impact of school closures through its potential to provide distance education. In this light, the DFID Pakistan team requested the EdTech Hub develop a topic brief exploring the use of EdTech to support distance learning in Pakistan. Specifically, the team requested the brief explore ways to provide distance education to children in remote rural areas and urban slums. The DFID team also requested that the EdTech Hub explore the different needs of those who have previously been to school in comparison to those who have never enrolled, with reference to EdTech solutions. In order to address these questions, this brief begins with an overview of the Pakistan education landscape. The second section of the brief explores how four modes of alternative education — TV, interactive radio instruction, mobile phones and online learning — can be used to provide alternative education to marginalised groups in Pakistan. Multimodal distance-learning approaches offer the best means of providing education to heterogeneous, hard-to-reach groups. Identifying various tools that can be deployed to meet the needs of specific population segments is an important part of developing a robust distance-learning approach. With this in mind, this section highlights examples of tools that could be used in Pakistan to support a multimodal approach that reaches the most hard-to-reach learners. The third and final section synthesises the article’s findings, presenting recommendations to inform Pakistan’s COVID-19 education response.<br> <br> This topic brief is available on Google Docs.

EdTech Hub country scans explore factors that enable and hinder the use of technology in education. This includes policies, government leadership, private-sector partnerships, and digital infrastructure for education. The scans are intended to be comprehensive but are by no means exhaustive; nonetheless, we hope they will serve as a useful starting point for more in-depth discussions about opportunities and barriers in EdTech in specific countries and in this case, Pakistan. This report was originally written in June 2020. It is based primarily on desk research, with quality assurance provided by a country expert.

EdTech Hub country scans explore factors that enable and hinder the use of technology in education. This includes policies, government leadership, private-sector partnerships, and digital infrastructure for education. The scans are intended to be comprehensive but are by no means exhaustive; nonetheless, we hope they will serve as a useful starting point for more in-depth discussions about opportunities and barriers in EdTech in specific countries, in this case, in Jordan. This report was originally written in June 2020. It is based primarily on desk research, with quality assurance provided by a country expert.

EdTech Hub country scans explore factors that enable and hinder the use of technology in education. This includes policies, government leadership, private sector partnerships, and digital infrastructure for education. The scans are intended to be comprehensive but are by no means exhaustive; nonetheless, we hope they will serve as a useful starting point for more in-depth discussions about opportunities and barriers in EdTech in specific countries and in this case, in Sierra Leone. This report is based primarily on desk research, with quality assurance provided by a country expert.

EdTech Hub country scans explore factors that enable and hinder the use of technology in education. This includes policies, government leadership, private-sector partnerships and digital infrastructure for education. The scans are intended to be comprehensive but are by no means exhaustive; nonetheless, we hope they will serve as a useful starting point for more in-depth discussions about opportunities and barriers in EdTech in specific countries and in this case, in Rwanda. This report was originally written in June 2020. It is based primarily on desk research, with quality assurance provided by a country expert

In the spring of 2008, WIFO, KMU Forschung Austria, Prognos AG in Germany and convelop were jointly commissioned by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Economy, Family and Youth to perform a systems evaluation of the country's research promotion and funding activities. Based on their findings, six recommendations were developed for a change in Austrian RTDI policy as outlined below: 1. to move from a narrow to a broader approach in RTDI policy (links to education policy, consideration of the framework for innovation such as competition, international perspectives and mobility); 2. to move from an imitation to a frontrunner strategy (striving for excellence and market leadership in niche and high-quality segments, increasing market shares in advanced sectors and technology fields, and operating in segments of relevance for society); 3. to move from a fragmented approach to public intervention to a more coordinated and consistent approach(explicit economic goals, internal and external challenges and reasoning for public intervention); 4. to move from a multiplicity of narrowly defined funding programmes to a flexible, dynamic policy that uses a broader definition of its tasks and priorities (key technology and research segments as priority-action fields, adequate financing of clusters and centres of excellence); 5. to move from an unclear to a precisely defined allocation of responsibilities between ministries and other players in the field (high-ranking steering group at government level, monitoring by a Science, Research and Innovation Council); 6. to move from red-tape-bound to a modern management of public intervention (institutional separation between ministries formulating policies and agencies executing them, e.g., by "progressive autonomy").

The purpose of this study was to provide evidence-based advice on the status and future role of the Humanities in South Africa to government and other stakeholders (such as science councils, the department of education, universities) as a contribution towards improving the human condition. Everywhere, the Humanities is judged by many to be in “crisis.” The reasons for this, in South Africa, include the governmental emphasis on science and technology; the political emphasis on the economically-grounded idea of “developmentalism;” the shift of values among youth (and their parents) towards practical employment and financial gain; and the argument that the challenges faced by our society are so urgent and immediate that the reflective and critical modes of thinking favoured in the Humanities seem to be unaffordable luxuries. The Report provides invaluable detail about the challenges and opportunities associated with tapping the many pools of excellence that exist in the country. It should be used as a guideline for policymakers to do something concrete to improve the circumstances faced by the Humanities, not only in South Africa but also around the world. Amongst other recommendations, the Report calls for the establishment of a Council for the Humanities to advise government on how to improve the status and standing of the Humanities in South Africa. It also calls for initiation, through the leadership of the Department of Basic Education, considered measures to boost knowledge of and positive choices for the Humanities throughout the twelve years of schooling, including progressive ways of privileging the Arts, History and Languages in the school curriculum through Grade 12.