Leading the Charge: Shaping the Integration of Technology

If the advancement of technology and knowledge were to somehow freeze today, current students would have a very fair chance at leading successful careers and being positive contributors to societies of the future.  For obvious reasons, that is not going to happen. Watching television for a handful of minutes or browsing the internet for a short while will more than likely alert the user to the reality of technology: it is ever-changing, endlessly advancing, and rapidly evolving beyond imagination.  In light of this, teachers and leaders face one of the most important, yet one of the most challenging, tasks: how can educators effectively prepare learners for this continuous advancement in technology? Developing future-ready learners requires teachers and leadership teams to embrace changes in technology and hone their practices to reflect that.  Ideally, educators must incorporate the teaching of skills and competencies related to the creation and use of technology, so that future generations have the tools to be successful contributors to their societies.  Likewise, leaders must take full advantage of their influence in order move teacher practice forward. Maintaining a balance between being a catalyst of change and empathetic to the needs of others will likely result in positive changes towards making the use of technology a staple of every classroom. The shift in teaching and learning discussed in this paper is not simply the addition of gadgets to the classroom setting, nor is it a call for some written work to be typed, coding challenges to be completed sporadically, and the building of Lego Mindstorms as STEM projects.  While these activities definitely involve the use of technology, the idea is for educators to build learner confidence and skills to be able to use any technology that becomes available, and to problem-solve and collaborate to create and invent within all the different realms of technology.