Take an active role

Hare rant 1/19/09

One of the advantages of writing a blog read only by the author is no one waits in high anticipation of the next post. Another one is the author only has herself to hold accountable for fulfilling promises. All of this to explain that circumstances of job and life have precluded any attempt to put much time into research or thought of technology curriculum.

I have come to firmly believe, however, that the successful use of technology in school is fully dependent on the attitude of the leadership. A school where the leader or leadership team that does not understand the importance of using technology cannot move its students forward. And worse, a school where the leader whose ideas of technology are stuck in the 1990's is in danger keeping its students in the dark ages of thinking computers are like typewriters but with email and fun games on the Internet. School administrators must take an active role in supporting technology in their school, not just by paying lip service and issuing directives, but by going to workshops, learning how technology is being used in schools, using email effectively, establishing a web presence and encourages teachers to do the same. On the other hand, a principal who does none of these things but instead tries to micromanage the jobs of the media specialist and the support technician with little understanding of what those jobs entail does little to support technology instruction and runs the risk of wasting every one's time and energy.