June 2005 — Features
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A Bridge to Success
Finally, the School Technology Leadership Multimedia Project is an independent study course in which participants pursue a school technology leadership issue related to a particular need in the organization. For example, a participant might work with staff to completely overhaul his organization’s use of technology for internal and external communication, considering and utilizing a range of communication technologies.
Collaborative partnerships and embedded technology use. The STLI program models effective uses of technology in all courses, and fortunately, the generous STLI corporate partners (www.schooltechleadership.org/page.cfm?id=40) endow the cohort participants with access to some of the very best software tools for school leadership available. For example, students use technological tools for collaboration and videoconferencing, surveys, assessment and appraisals, mind-mapping, presentations, and data warehouse systems. Our students appreciate the exposure to and use of these technologies because students are better able to envision possible uses in their school systems—and thus bridge the no man’s land. We have also assisted our partners by writing case studies, helping develop a datadriven decision-making diagnostic, developing online technology leadership courses, creating digital lesson plans, and creating a NETS-A performance assessment.
The STLI and cohort participants. Again, because the STLI curriculum is designed to be the bridge between technology acquisition in schools and the leadership needed to establish successful technology diffusion, it is vital to best ensure success among the participants. To best achieve that success, the application process accepts applicants who satisfy two main criteria: (1) support from their institution, and (2) potential to make an impact on their institution through leadership. Our first cohort began in July 2003 and completed in July 2004, while the second cohort began certificate coursework in July 2004.
Results. Our interactions with other school leaders and our external partners confirm that we are addressing critical needs in K-12 school organizations. For instance, our external partners are looking to us for guidance in regard to technology leadership such as providing keynote speeches at national conferences. In addition, we are participating in several joint school-university professional development projects such as creating resources for Microsoft’s Innovative Teachers Web site.
As we stand at the national forefront of effective technology preparation of K-12 school leaders, we invite you to join us in our attempts to bridge the no man’s land between technology’s transformational potential and its current reality in K-12 schools. For more about the STLI, visit www.schooltechleadership.org.
Amy Garrett Dikkers is a doctoral candidate at the University of Minnesota and a research coordinator for STLI. Joan E. Hughes and Scott McLeod are assistant professors at the University of Minnesota and co-directors of STLI.
