No Required Posts-Work on Projects-Enjoy Your Summer

There are no more required posts for the course.  Your conversations really took off over the last 2 weeks!  Remember that your data projects are due Monday.  I will post grades in the Banner system on the 23rd. 

Have a great summer!!!
Lane

Required post for 6/14: What should we have in our toolboxes?

Now that we have talked about all kinds of technology issues and you are working on your data projects-let's talk about what you think are the basic technology skills that all administrator's should have in their toolboxes. After my wife and I bought our first house, my co-workers gave me an empty toolbox to start filling up with the basic tools I would need to manage the "to-do" list for a house. I was already broke from buying the house so I had to be careful about which tools I bought since funds were tight. Not that it mattered as I was not handy and broke more things than I fixed.


Starting the principalship or any leadership position is similar. What should principals be able to do with technology as they enter the role and do you have a "must-have" application/hardware that should be in their toolboxes? I would offer that all principals should be able to use Excel for charts, analysis and reporting (must have tool) and that the biggest skill would be the ability to integrate all kinds of technology in their daily practice with ease in order to model what we should see in classes (e.g., calendar, email, smartphone, NCWise, blogs, podcasts, video streaming, notification systems, presentation software, online tools/cloud computing, etc.).

Required Post for 6/14: Data Driven

Everyone uses some form of the concept of being "data-driven" as important for schools and leadership. What does data-driven mean to you? How/Will it be different as a principal or district leader? What should we be focusing our data skills on in your opinion? What do we need in terms of skills/tools to make this happen in our schools?

Required Post for Week of 6/7: Cell Phones and Schools: Can you hear me now?

I read FastCompany magazine and saw this article about cell phones (Cellphonometry) in an issue. (BTW, if you like tech, design and staying ahead of the curve-get this magazine-it's cheap too.) While there are loads of stuff out there about cell phones in schools, this one has a NC link. What do you think about the use of cells in classes? What are some barriers? Where do we start? Is there an age/grade limit? Other thoughts? I can assure you that its coming whether we are prepared or not.

Required Post for Week of 6/7: Games/Tech/Teaching-Quick Video

I reviewed the book "A Whole New Mind" by Daniel Pink for HotChalk awhile back and you owe it to yourself as a future leader to read it and think about its application for leading schools and instruction. On Dan Pink's website, check out the video link for the post "Games, Not Grades" (some former students did not like the gentleman-said he was creepy) and view the video and talk about whether you agree or not, what we need to do to address some of the issues that are presented (most of the barriers are our own fault) and how you could use this quick clip or similar ones in your school with your peers or as a leader.

Week of 5/31 Required Post: Equipping every learner report is lean on Leadership

I ran across this report from Cisco and thought it might be a good resource for us (for some reason the link goes to the bottom of the PDF so be sure to scroll up). It provides a nice overview of issues and be sure to check out the graphics on pages 5 and 6-great stuff to use with parents, students and staff. What concerned me was the lip-service given to leadership at the end. If leadership is one of their 4 pillars (p.4), we got short-changed.


Based on the article and what you know, what would be some suggestions you would offer to developing and supporting leadership that can meet these goals-think about what you would say to your supt, BOE, Higher Ed and our UNC President-what do they need to know about the gap we have now in this area and how can they help us bridge it?

For me, I would like to see tech saviness be given the same emphasis as other core areas when it comes to choosing new leaders for admin roles.

Week of 5/31 Required Post: Riddle me this Tech Director...

Issues surrounding technology leadership affect the entire district and especially your schools as a principal. Check out this topic, 15 questions , on Scott McLeod's blog. See what answers you can find in your district-no need to do them all for your posts (still good to know all of them for your own use in house) but choose some that you think have the biggest impact on your future role as principal or strike you as important.