School Technology Policies

One thing to know about me is that I am often surprised that people like my work. Call it insecurity if you must, but such feelings drive me to continually do my best, especially in writing tasks.

Recently, I noticed a few book reviews about Smarter Clicking: School Technology Policies that Work! that had been posted on various fora, and thought that you might like to hear some responses “directly from customers” as it were:

From the 21st Century Principal
By John Robinson

“Any policy and procedures can’t ignore the law, and Wells does a fantastic job in his book outlining all the considerations surrounding each of these. He also goes into great detail about creating policy that addresses the safety of students and staff. One aspect of safety involves preventing our students from divulging too much personal information on the Internet, and the other is protecting them from inappropriate web content. Smarter Clicking provides a comprehensive list of safety considerations for policy makers. In addition to providing valuable information about Internet safety, Wells also provides a complete overview of what areas administrators need to consider when developing policy to protect the school system’s investment in technological resources. He provides ideas for controlling access to network resources and for the protection of school system data. Both of these are important components of protecting the district’s investment.” Click here to read the full review.

From BOOK TALK: The Educational Leader’s Guide To School Technology Policies
By David Freitas, Janet Buckenmeyer, and Emily Hixon

“Wells also recognizes how technology policy and procedures can shape school culture. “The reality in many districts and schools is that policies are either over enforced to the point of making technology use difficult or neglected so that nobody knows what the real purpose or content of the policies are any more.” Are your current policies stimulating or inhibiting purposeful and meaningful technology use?
 
Wells’ final chapter, In My Crystal Ball I See … , is especially intriguing for those planning for the future. His “policy challenges of ubiquitous technology” soberly highlights what’s coming and how to prepare now.
 
Do we really need an entire book about school technology policies? Yes, we do and here it is!” Click here to read the full review.

I am attaching a link to my most recent paper on Social Change, especially in the context of how social change and technology interact. Abstracts are provided if you want to know more, but here is the link to the document itself: Christopher Wells’ KAM 1 on Social Change.

Abstract: Breadth
In the Breadth section, three themes are discussed that reflect the original theorists of sociology, including Durkheim, Compte, Weber, Marx, and Saint-Simon. Originally, sociology emerged as a way to study “different” cultures around the world, to compare and contrast values and ethics, and perhaps to establish some sense of superiority over different cultures. Social change is both a systemic and systematic process, and includes ideas on complete systems as well as the relationships among systems. Globalism is another emerging idea that involves social change, mainly because the technology advancements allow technology-mediated communication among individuals at low costs. The interactions among individuals create a “culture sharing” environment, which often leads to a more global worldview and social change.

Abstract: Depth
The Depth component includes summaries of 16 recent articles organized thematically into three categories: theory applications, approaches to social change, and technology impacts on social change. Theory applications are a review of the evidence where theories were the source for social change activities. Different approaches to social change were discussed in the second theme, which was a natural progression from theories to implementation for the specific field of social change. Third, the influence of technology on social change is thematically explored in the articles, because technology impacts sociology, globalism, and social change in many of the readings. Several articles were compared and contrasted, due to the ways technology is being used that result in social changes.


Abstract: Application
The Application section provides a working instructional model to discuss and lead a short course on sociology and social change. Six different lessons are included that address each of the themes listed in the previous sections. The course is designed to provide a “beginner’s” view of sociology and social change, and includes topics on social theories, social change, globalism, and technology’s impact on social change. Each module includes a pre-reading from the KAM content, activity and discussion prompts, and instructor notes to facilitate deeper discussions in the areas of sociology, social change, and globalism. Each workshop module can be delivered stand-alone or in a series, and requires an instructor who has a solid knowledge and understanding of social change topics.

I just presented twice at the Georgia Educational Technology Conference, and received great feedback. Feel free to look through the presentations, but realize that I am not a presenter who loads my slides with words. If you want to know more about the topics or are interested in the presentations, please let me know!

Presentation 1: Does Social Media Mean Virtual Fear?

Does Social Media Mean Virtual Fear? View more presentations from cwells67

Presentation 2: Beyond a Word Doc - Developing a Collaborative Technology Plan

Beyond a Word Doc - Developing a Collaborative Technology Plan View more presentations from cwells67

So, it’s been two weeks since my residency, and the things that I learned had more to do with the people that I met than the content that I learned. My specific program is based on mentor guidance through six papers, and I am thankful to have a great mentor and enjoy the writing process. Most other programs are class-based, which means that there is little opportunity to get to know professors and the different fields where they have done research. That said, I found the pressure to have an “advisement meeting” was more important to others than to me. Most of my colleagues in the groups have had classes on how to write, how to develop a prospectus, and how to start the dissertation, all of which is guided through my mentor.

As a result, the classes, while mostly engaging, did not really meet my program needs. I got the sense that the university is pushing forward with more course-based programs, and the KAM-reliant programs like mine are not as common. I am comfortable with that, but the gearing of the classroom time did not speak to where I was in my program or how I should progress.

Another interesting feature was the level of the students. The comparison of the huge number of first residency students versus the relatively few in their third or fourth residency was a bit of a shock or surprise, and I have continued to think about the tendency to leave the program unfinished when it came to writing the dissertation. Wow. I am even more determined to complete my program than ever, and I believe I am on the right track.

On the positive side, I met some really great colleagues who live locally and very far away, and I plan on keeping in touch. This has been a consistent theme. Between the people that I met in the first and second residencies and the ones that I met at the most recent event have solidified the importance of the human connections that are made in this common “struggle” to reach our educational goals. At the end of the day, this is MY program, and I am focused on finishing my PhD as soon as I can without cutting any corners. I want the full experience, and I am paying for the opportunity to learn as much as I can. I am excited about the future possibilities I see as an outcome of my PhD!

I was invited to speak at a Sigma Alpha professional development session at the University of Georgia. I am posting these two links to support those who did not have the opportunity to attend.

Presentation: Click Here

Handout: Click Here

Please contact cwells@schooltechpolicies.com if you have questions regarding this material.

Well, I am taking a break from writing my current KAM on Social Change to attend the third residency in my residency series. There will only be one more after this one. The event is taking place at the Atlanta Hilton, and I am excited about talking to others in my program that are at the same place as I am. I don’t know the total enrollment, but I always enjoy meeting new, bright people who are interested in succeeding. Some of my best friends are through these residencies, and, while they are not here, I know the potential of meeting others, even if it is uncomfortable at first.

I have to be honest - the meet-and-greet part of these events is difficult for me, and I really wish it weren’t so. However, I am doing my best to overcome that difficulty. So far, the concepts that I am learning are useful and immediately applicable to my program. More later when I have more of this residency under my belt.

Click here to read my latest research paper on Leadership Development, with a focus on virtual team leadership development.

The Breadth component provides foundations of leadership development as seen through the works of leading leadership development theorists. By exploring foundations of leadership development theories, leading writers in the field of organizational leadership, and emerging leadership topics in the more recent literature, different ideas and researchers’ works are compared, contrasted, and reviewed to summarize major contributions to the field. Several of the models are explored in light of a leadership studies framework that includes organizational context, leader competencies and abilities, and follower characteristics. Transformational leadership, methods for leadership development, more recent leadership models focused on change processes, and holistic leadership development, are all examined in the Breadth section.

The Depth component provides examples of leadership development theories in action, especially through three themes that will be discussed following the annotated bibliography entries. Sixteen final articles were chosen from peer-reviewed articles based on applicability to this KAM, the relationship to the subject area (leadership development and virtual teams), and the development of leadership training programs. Articles range in publication date between 2005 and 2010, identifying themes in leadership development, virtual teaming, and virtual team development. Three themes emerged: leadership models, trust behaviors, and virtual group characteristics. This section provides a starting point to examine leadership development for virtual teams, including cross-cultural teams, in situ teams, and teams that rely on technology to communicate.

The Application component of this KAM provides several tools for creating leadership
awareness and social change through the consideration of business globalization, leadership development in companies incorporating virtual teams, and trust development among workers. There are two components of the Application section: a slide show introducing leadership and virtual teaming concepts, and a job-aid that provides a tool for larger discussions among leaders about leadership qualities needed to become a more global organization. Like the Breadth and Depth sections of this KAM, the Application component takes a more global approach and is not focused exclusively on North American leadership models, but reflect a wide variety of concepts, including leadership development, trust development, globalization readiness, and virtual team development.

I was honored to present at the GSLT Summit 2011: Lead Within.

Here is a link to the slide show:http://goo.gl/euYWk

Here is a link to the handout: http://goo.gl/oOse3

Please let me know if you would like more information!