Introduction

This is a book about change.  It is a book about leadership.  It is about technology not being the solution, but rather an accelerator of a strong vision.  It is a reminder that when things crash and burn, it isn’t time to give up.  This book is a conversation with tremendous leaders, all pursuing excellence in teaching through leadership and technology.

Igniting Your Leadership with Technology serves as a compilation of interviews with educators, administrators, and instructional leaders working in the field across all grade levels and organizations.  Each person shares his or her insights when it comes to effectively implementing technology in the classroom, getting teachers on board, and sustaining high-quality teaching and learning in our schools.

Maximizing the positive effects of successful technology integration and implementation in the classroom is the beginning of creating competent 21st Century learners.  As educators and transformational leaders, it is important to learn from the experiences of others, make adjustments to fit the unique needs of our learners, and try new things in order to benefit the students we so proudly serve.

Purpose

This book aims to help readers deepen their knowledge and understanding of how leadership and the utilization of technology are deeply interwoven.  Educational leaders use their actions to positively influence their organizations and guide stakeholders in designing learning environments in which technology and effective instruction are profoundly interconnected and freely available to all students.

This book is a collection of interviews from experts who have in-depth knowledge in the implementation of technology in educational settings. Readers are free to choose, based on their specific needs or interests, to read it straight through or to read and reflect on single or multiple chapters.

Readers who are craving a broader view on how leadership can influence the development of technology in classrooms can read through all the interviews and reflect on how the topics covered by each interviewee are related to their own day-to-day practices or can assist in fulfilling the particular visions and goals of their organization.  Likewise, users can also choose a specific area or topic that resonates with their interests or fields of expertise and focus on how the knowledge shared by these experts can help enhance their leadership skills and ease the inclusion of technology in classrooms.

Each expert who participated in this project has shared his or her valuable experiences on how technology can be effectively applied in educational settings.  Most importantly, they have shared how they utilize their skills and unique experiences to increase the learning of students, teachers, and administrators.  Their lessons offer valuable tools and knowledge that other leaders can easily use to sharpen their leadership skills as we all work to serve our school communities better.

Enjoy!