What continuity do you see between some of your readings, other presentations, and this presentation?
I saw some of the parallels from some of our readings right away as I listened to BL discuss his thoughts and experiences regarding leadership and technology. I also saw parallels and similarities from the findings in Excellence in IT leadership. His vision, collaborative work, relationship building and shared leadership approach were proof that the findings in those studies were authentic.
Salience (Why is IT in education important to this person?)
The main reason it was important to him was his love for using technology. BL spoke of his early experiences with technology at the beginning of his presentation and how he was fascinated by it and how he grew to enjoy working with it. He also stated that technology is here to stay. It is important for students to become fluent in technology to be able to navigate their way in the 21st century.
Outcomes (what are the specific IT in education outcomes sought through your organization)
BL spoke about equitable access to technology. He felt it was very important for students to have equitable access to technological devices. He spoke of the importance of a vision for replacing aging machines and how best to allocate funds. He also felt technology had to be dependable and safe for students to use.
Processes (what processes are used to achieve these outcomes)
BL spoke of the town hall meeting as a way to get the community on board with the district’s vision and ideas. He also spoke of meeting principals individually and allowing for flexibility in their discussions. He uses collaboration and shared leadership to meet these outcomes. He mentioned several times how certain schools were allowed to spend their technology budgets.
Characteristics (What are some of the characteristics if IT leaders that make them effective in achieving their goals)
BL possesses a good deal of vision, he is an able user of technology, and he works collaboratively and shares leadership with other people. This is consistent with much of the reading I have done so far on the characteristics of IT leaders.
Denis! What are you doing work for? Come down to the BBQ!
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely right about the "shared leadership" exibited here. I don't recall him using those exact words, but that's what he's done. Now it's even more apparent when you look at the presentation from the district's Director of IT. At times, these two men could have been two sides to the same person - and that's a testiment to the relationships they've built and the style of leadership demonstrated by the superintendent.
ReplyDelete-Monti