Hensley’s Ed Tech Talk

Over the course of this semester, I have learned a great deal about how to be an educational technology leader. The biggest takeaway I gained from the course is the importance of creating a strategic plan, while having a missional mindset guide the planning process. In order for strategic plans t be successful, leaders have to be willing to take the time to know their colleagues and team members and work to gain their buy-in. It is necessary to establish a common mission to ground teachers and students in the school to work towards a common overarching goal. Teachers will more likely see the relevance and importance of technology when learning and facilitation are demonstrated in a way that visibly helps the team reach the objectives and goals outlined in their mission. Before all this though,, it necessary for the leader to take the time to get to know the strengths and weaknesses of all team members to be sure the necessary supports are put in place to aid their educational technolog...

This week we learned about the importance of school culture when it comes to integrating educational technology. Some are more comfortable with the use of technology, while others are more reserved. Regardless, as technology leaders our job is subtly mold the or enhance the school culture to be comfortable with the use of technology. As I have mentioned in my discussion post, I truly feel that this goes back to the tech leader's strategic plan. A technology leader must set reasonable goals and objectives that they envision the teachers and students in their district achieving. Once setting these goals, emphasis should be built on building camaraderie and support from all involved in the school to reach the goals and objectives. Technology integration should be viewed as an instrument that is necessary to reach the grander goals and objectives. In this way, the process of learning technology may not be viewed as simply "learning new technology for the sake of learning new techn...