In his book, Eric Sheninger discusses the need for teachers,
administrators, and schools as a system to change and adapt to meet the needs of
learners in the 21st century and use the resources available in the
21st century. Sheninger very directly addresses the notion that we
cannot simply ignore technology. I believe that there is still quite a bit of
fear in relation to technology and its implementation. As a leader in schools, it is our job to
combat this fear by using our resources or time, relationships, and ability to
model the use of and embrace the development of technology in our schools and
more specifically in the learning opportunities we provide our students.
Sheninger also addresses his seven pillars of digital
leadership; communication, public relations, branding, student engagement and
learning, professional growth, learning spaces and environments, and
opportunity. All of these pillars have a major impact on the digital culture,
or lack thereof, that a principal creates within a building. More specifically
I feel that there are particular pillars that can be done by the principal and
their leadership team and certain pillars (student engagement and learning,
professional growth, and learning spaces) that need to be a school wide focus.
As a future principal, I think that the investment in time and resources, along
with my personal digital practice, will either support innovation and
technology in our building or discourage technology. I believe that as I strive
to be a digital leader it is important to remember that, as Sheninger states, “as
important as technology is to digital leadership, human interaction remains the
key component of changing education now and in the future.” I believe that this
is the caution that we, as leaders, have the responsibility to exercise when
making decisions to make sure that we are choosing technology with a purpose.
The other big idea that stood out to me from this reading
was the notion of teaching our students, and sometimes our staff, about digital
citizenship. I believe that, in the world we live in now and the world we will
live in 10 years from now, we have a responsibility to educate our students on
their digital footprint and the impact that can have on their relationships,
their opportunities, and their life. I believe that teaching students to accept
one another digitally is as important today as teaching students to listen and
share ideas in class was 10 years ago. Teaching students to consider who they
connect with online is as important as teaching students not to get into a
stranger’s car. Teaching students that what they put online can be accessed by
future employers, significant others, and their families is as important as
teaching students to think before they speak. Digital citizenship and
censorship (at least the ability to filter some
things) is a major responsibility that is shared by administrators and their
staff’s everywhere across our nation.
I believe that overall, the idea that Digital Leadership tries to instill in us is the notion that we
have many responsibilities and that we set the tone for technology in our
building. We must be digital leaders- growing our own capacity, supporting
innovation, and developing the digital capacity of our staff and students- in
order to ensure that the education we are providing students is meeting the needs
and demands of our world today.
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