TF+Standard8

media type="custom" key="6458555" "Don't tell me the sky's the limit, there's footprints on the moon." (Brandt, 1999) A leader's vision tells their staff how far they can go and how much they can achieve. I never want my vision to limit the achievement of staff or students.


 * Technology Facilitator and Leadership Standard 8: Leadership and Vision**

The technology facilitator and leader must have and maintain a vision for the effective use of technology in the district. They then must communicate that goal effectively to the teachers and staff of the district. My instructional technology team has been an active participant in the planning for technology use in the district for some time. One thing from the reading that struck me was the planning process for technology in figure 8.1 on page 184. (Williamson and Redish, 2009) A technology leader needs to have a process for developing a vision for the district's use of technology. This is a constantly evolving vision for a districts progress. A technology leader needs more than a vision, they need a process, a philosophy that guides them as new technologies create more and more change. This vision is not limited to the classroom or even the district. The technology leaders vision includes the community. I didn't include it in the description of my internship hours, but the item that I included for presenting and attending the Region 6 technology director's conference has a discussion about accessing social media in schools. Our instructional technology team has been working on social media guidelines and policies for a while. This is something that is growing and districts have to address. It is Internet safety training for kids and teachers, but also discussions with community and parents. The technology leaders need a process for evaluating needs and for constant reassessment of resources. In my internship hours I listed working with a team of teachers that are using iPod Touches with their students. This is an emerging area that provides greater opportunity to put computers in the hands of more students. We have to plan for implementation and support of new technologies, like the iPod pilot program in our district. Supporting that initiative involves purchasing the equipment and selecting the best team to make it successful. It also involves a facilitator working with the teaching team to help overcome technical issues and manage their professional development. I worked with the teachers to establish a professional learning community. We are planning to expand that pilot program to the next grade level so the students who have gotten used to this level of technology access will not lose it. That is just one way that I have applied what this standard discusses.

Brandt, P. (Artist). (1999). //There's a world out there//. [Web]. Retrieved from http://listen.grooveshark.com/#/s/There+s+A+World+Out+There/2Ds9Sj Williamson, J, & Redish, T. (2009). //ISTE's technology facilitation and leadership standards//. Eugene, OR: International Society of Technology in Education.