The school technology leadership initiative (STLI)
Technology that transforms, leadership that inspires
The University of Minnesota's College of Education and Human Development launched
a new program in summer 2003 designed to ease the nationwide shortage of technology-savvy
K-12 school administrators. The School Technology Leadership Initiative (STLI) is
a graduate certificate program available through the departments of Educational
Policy and Administration and Curriculum and Instruction; co-directors are Dr. Scott
McLeod and Dr. Joan Hughes.
The STLI is the only program of its kind in the nation and is
based on the National Educational Standards for Administrators (NETS-A), which are
intended to serve as a national curricular model for effective preparation of school
administrators in the area of information technology. The NETS-A represent a national
consensus of what school administrators need to know and be able to do in order
to fulfill their responsibilities as leaders in the effective use of technology
in our schools.
The program's creation comes at a time when researchers say technology
can help improve student achievement and when the No Child Left Behind Act mandates
that all school districts have long-range strategic technology plans. Few principals,
superintendents and other administrators know technology well enough to have their
schools effectively use it. For administrators, technology can be the key to finding
efficiencies in the schools. Technology can also be a tool that analyzes student
data to determine if a curriculum is working or it can help plot out efficient bus
routes. With technology, administrators can make data-driven decisions that improve
educational delivery and, in turn, improve student performance.
The 15-credit certificate program is based on an executive MBA
model, where a cohort of students are on campus for a week in the summer, take online
classes in the fall and spring semesters and finish their program with a week on
campus the following summer. Courses in the initiative include Leadership and Vision
in School Technology, Data-Driven Decision-Making, School Technology Planning and
School Technology Funding, Emerging Issues in School Technology.
The initiative involves the incorporation into all courses of
- ongoing, integrated uses of appropriate technologies and opportunities for
students to advance their own technological skill development;
- guided, structured, problem-based learning experiences, including hands-on,
practitioner-relevant projects and assignments; and
- practical, concrete examples of current and potential school uses of technology.
2003 cohort members came from several school districts throughout
the state of Minnesota, Iowa, Maryland, Ohio, and New Jersey, as well as from state
professional organizations and sections of the department of education. The 2004
cohort application process begins in January and applicants will be notified of
their acceptance in early spring.
Participants who successfully complete the graduate certificate
program will greatly enhance their ability to effectively lead the technology implementation
efforts of schools and districts. Participants will be exposed to a variety of skills,
knowledge, individuals, and learning resources that will significantly impact their
individual success and the success of educational organizations, both during and
after their cohort experience. In addition to the personal and professional rewards,
cohort participants will be given access to the some of the very best software tools
for school leadership available today. These tools are provided by STLI corporate
partners for use by cohort participants, with training and technical support provided
by STLI staff.
The initiative involves the University of Minnesota, school districts,
major technology corporations such as Microsoft and IBM, and other groups such as
the International Society for Technology in Education and the Consortium for School
Networking. The initiative is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of
Education's Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education and also has support
from Zoomerang, Media-X, TetraData, and the university's College of Education and
Human Development.
Other organizations collaborating on the program include the
George Lucas Educational Foundation, the North Central Regional Education Laboratory,
the University Council for Educational Administration, the National School Boards
Association, the American Association of School Administrators, the National Association
of Elementary School Principals, and the National Association of Secondary School
Principals.
More information about the graduate certificate program can be
found at www.schooltechleadership.org.
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