How Leadership for Technology Is DistributedAmong Leaders,

Followers, and The Situation

-Sara DexterUniversity of Virginia

Download PPT and handout

>http://sdexter.net/dexter-present.ppt

>http://sdexter.net/dexter-handout.doc

>Courses I teach at http://etl.edschool.virginia.edu

Distributed Leadership

A focus on leadership PRACTICE:>“the interactions between

leaders, followers, and their situation”•“leaders act in situations that are defined

by other’s actions”•in a situation “its routines, tools, and

structures define leadership practice”» Professor James Spillane, Northwestern

University

Practice

Leadership Practice

Interactions Among

Leaders,Followers, Situation

Classroom Practice

Interactions Among

Teacher,Students, Curriculum

Interactions Between

Situation

Leaders,Followers

The Situation Shapes Leadership Practice

>Tools, Routines, & Structures– Means to an end– Concrete illustrations of leaders’

intentions– Developed responses that routinize

leadership practice for intended goals– Constrain and enable– Shape organization, and relationships

>= Artifacts

Artifacts of Practice

>Tools– “a mediating device that shapes interactions between

two people” • Improvement plan, observation protocol, student assessment

data

>Routines– Interactional, “repetitive, recognizable, pattern of

interdependent actions” • Meetings, annual SOL cycle of readying and testing

>Structures – Conditions or characteristics:

• Time / schedule, school size, departments or teams, accountability, governance

Interactions Between

Distributed Leadership

A focus on leadership PRACTICE:>“the interactions between

leaders, followers, and their situation”•“leaders act in situations that are defined

by other’s actions”•in a situation “its routines, tools, and

structures define leadership practice”» Professor James Spillane, Northwestern

University

Analytical Perspective

>Who is a leader?– Role-based vs. Expertise-based

• Sources of influence• Relative responsibilities, accountability

>What is leadership?– System of Practice vs. Trait or Behavior

• Systemic view• How interactions are fostered, their depth

and quality

Discuss

>What does taking a distributed leadership perspective highlight for you about your role and work as a school leader?

School Technology Leadership What we

know>Team of people

– Principal, Technology Integrators, Teacher Leaders

>Leadership best predictor of integration– Rather than infrastructure or $$ spent

>Vision is Key– Serves as an organizing concept

Outcomes of School Technology

Leadership Classroom Level > Integration aids

teaching and learning

> Integration is strategic and effective

School Level> Supportive Context

> Enablers maximized

> The organization “learns”

Outcomes of School Technology

Leadership Classroom-level

Integration> 1. Learning outcomes

drive the selection of technology.

> 2. Technology use provides added value to teaching and learning.

> 3. Technology assists in the assessment of the learning outcomes.

School-levelImplementation

> 4. Ready access to supported, managed technology is provided.

> 5. Professional development is targeted at successful technology integration.

> 6. Professional community enhances integration and implementation.

Outcomes of School Technology

Leadership Integration> 1. Learning outcomes

drive the selection of technology.

> 2. Technology use provides added value to teaching and learning.

> 3. Technology assists in the assessment of the learning outcomes.

Implementation> 4. Ready access to

supported, managed technology is provided.

> 5. Professional development is targeted at successful technology integration.

> 6. Professional community enhances integration and implementation.

Leadership by teams to accomplish outcomes

Discuss

>At your school, to what degree have you accomplished the technology

– Integration outcomes?

– Implementation outcomes?

A Distributed Approach to Technology Leadership

>Increases Success via Team Method– More needs represented– More expertise included

>Recognizes recursive effect – leaders act in situations that are defined

by other’s actions– in a situation its routines, tools, and

structures define leadership practice

Leadership

>Definition: To exert influence in a particular direction

>Core functions1. To set direction2. To develop people’s capacity for that

direction3. To restructure the organization to

support that direction

Outcomes of School Technology

Leadership Integration> 1. Learning outcomes

drive the selection of technology.

> 2. Technology use provides added value to teaching and learning.

> 3. Technology assists in the assessment of the learning outcomes.

Implementation> 4. Ready access to

supported, managed technology is provided.

> 5. Professional development is targeted at successful technology integration.

> 6. Professional community enhances integration and implementation.

Teams •Set direction•Develop people•Make the org. work

to accomplish outcomes

Leadership & Classroom Practice

25% of impact on student achievement

75% of impact on student achievement

Leadership Practice

Interactions Among

Leaders,Followers, Situation

Classroom Practice

Interactions Among

Teachers,Students, Curriculum

Technology Leadership

Leadership Practice

Interactions Among

Leaders,Followers, Situation

Classroom Practice

Interactions Among

Teachers,Students, Curriculum

Situation’s Artifacts

--tools

--routines

--structures

•Set direction

•Develop people

•Make org work for

Integration & Implementation

Outcomes

Artifacts That Set Direction

>To Set Direction– Identify and

articulate a vision– Foster the

acceptance of group goals

– Create high performance expectations

Tools, Routines, Structures– Technology vision-

statement• Relates to student learning

– Regular mtg. discussion about priority of tech

– Observation protocol for FB on quality of integration

• Indicators of current status and progress

Artifacts That Develop People

>To Develop People– Offer intellectual

stimulation– Provide

individualized support

– Provide an appropriate model

Tools, Routines, Structures– Choice from among topics

and ways to learn– Professional development

• Content area specific• focused on in-depth

understanding• Long-term learning goals set

– Availability of 1:1 help– PLCs discuss, observe, give

feedback on efforts

Artifacts That Make Org. Work

>To Make the Organization Work– Strengthen School

Cultures– Modify

organizational structures

– Build collaborative practices

Tools, Routines, Structures– Policies encouraging teacher

empowerment and professional community

– Tools for knowledge building, networked storage, time to meet

– Physical proximity /interdependence with other integrators

– Goal and vision consensus with external community

Discuss

At your school, what leadership practices(artifacts: tools, routines, structures)

1.influence integration outcomes?(classroom technology integration practices)

2.create favorable implementation conditions?

Analysis Focus

> Enabling Practices: – For technology outcomes being met,

what tools, routines, and structures facilitate?

> Constraining Practices:– For technology outcomes NOT being met,

what tools, routines, and structures are missing? What interventions are needed?

> Is Team Coordinated and Open to Input? – For setting direction, developing people, and

making the organization work?