Technology Leadership

I read a great book this summer, The Principal as Technology Leader by Theodore Creighton. In it he states, "The teacher's responsibilities involve creating classroom environments where students think, explore, and construct meaning, while including opportunities for students to have social interaction." So wonderfully simple, right? If only that were the case; it is really challenging to be a constructivist educator because you have to always be thinking. Step away from the textbook; it can only take you so far. Technology can support the creation of this classroom environment AND provide a higher level of engagement. But again, using technology is not easy for some teachers. A colleague hypothesized that some teachers feel they don't have adequate skills to use technology or perhaps they are embarrassed to admit feeling inadequate. This is also a reason teachers shy away from inquiry-based teaching. Why do educators feel like we have to know it all to teach it well? There is enough evidence out there to support the removal of teacher as "sage on the stage." Educators need to see themselves as learners alongside their students, especially in the area of technology. There is no way to keep up with the latest and greatest, know how to use every piece of hardware, software, application etc. What we have to do as educators is what we ask of our students:  continually think. Then we need to make that thinking visible by modeling it, verbalizing our processes, and helping to categorize it for our students. Which brings me to my next summer read:  Making Thinking Visible by

Technology and Creativity

Let's revisit that Daniel Pink video for a moment. He highlights the science that shows we are not motivated by incentives when tasks call for higher order thinking skills, the same types of skills we want our students to be using in our 21st-century classrooms. So what can we do to motivate students? We can allow them to innovate and create - an ideal constructivist classroom opportunity. The science shows that when we are given a purpose and an opportunity, we are motivated to achieve.

Embedding technology skills into learning opportunities can increase engagement and motivation even more. Technology supports creativity and innovation via tools like Prezi. The next time you ask your students to solve a real-life problem or apply their new knowledge and thinking to a class presentation, why not try it out.

Why a Blog is a Wonderful Vehicle for Reflection

A key component of being a learner and a constructivist educator is reflection. A blog is perfect for this because it allows one to organize his/her thoughts in a shared written expression. The writing process of composing a blog gives the writer the opportunity to consider a wider audience and purpose. This form of written expression, unlike others, is dynamic. It allows an audience member to come to it in his/her own time/space and share further reflections thereby creating a dialogue. Click here to read about how blogging supports constructivism and creativity.