The Yellow Brick Road to Technology Integration - school administration

School Administrator, April, 2000 by Pi Irwin, Rhonda Robinson

A school district's quest for magical answers to its technology woes leads to a homegrown potion

When Dorothy begins her adventures in Oz, she quickly realizes she's not in Kansas anymore. When it comes to technology, many superintendents are feeling a little like Dorothy did. Clearly, we're not in Kansas anymore. This realization comes as we recognize the growing importance of using technology for instruction rather than for purposes of drill and practice or student enrichment.

Computer technology is an increasingly essential component of daily life. Many students have access to state-of-the-art technology in their homes. And parent and community expectations are changing. With technology, the demand is for more and faster. We're in the midst of a technological tornado in which technology's impact on communicating and thinking is not unlike what the printing press brought to humankind in the Middle Ages.

We realize that simply providing computer labs in schools doesn't meet the demand of expectations nor match the possibilities. However, determining how to integrate technology into the curriculum and instructional program remains elusive. Somehow there is the sense that someone, somewhere has the wizardry to transform classroom instruction with technology. Certainly many companies promise "the answer" if we just follow their lead and purchase their product at the end of the road.

Stormy Conditions

Like Dorothy and her friends following the Yellow Brick Road in search of the Wizard of Oz, the Glen Ellyn, Ill., schools found themselves searching for a little magic four years ago. Our district historically has enjoyed a reputation for quality instruction and educationally sound innovations. Then, as in Dorothy's story, the tornado swept through our village. We weren't in Kansas anymore!

Our tornado came in the form of an insistent demand from parents, staff and community for up-to-date technology and for its use in everyday instruction. In a communitywide survey that examined school district programs, our instruction was rated as technologically inadequate. Indeed, each school had a 20-year-old Apple IIE computer lab, but not much else was happening in the way of teaching with technology.

We knew what we wanted--quality instructional programs that integrated technology into our curriculum. We had limited financial resources, and our economic demographics disqualified us for many sources of outside funding. We weren't sure where to begin so we simply began.

* Our advice: Begin your journey whatever your resources.

Solicit Your Munchkins

And so we began. We found friends. Dorothy found the Munchkins, who were initially wary of her and then helped her get on her way on the Yellow Brick Road. Our board and administration also found friends willing to journey with us. Our critics, parents, staff and community became our first Munchkins. In our case we began, not with computers and financial resources but with people, possibilities and a pinch of faith.

The board of education established a committee composed of community members, parents and staff who studied where we were and where we ought to be. The committee's study showed a stark contrast between the technological inadequacy of our district with that of surrounding districts.

The committee recommendations called for networking computers in classrooms and across the community to integrate technology into the curriculum. The committee recommended purchase of computer labs or resource clusters and automated services for the school libraries. Finally, the committee recognized the need for intensive professional development. These recommendations set the vision.

The board of education adopted the committee recommendations and made an annual financial commitment of $250,000 for technology purchases and intensive professional development. The board's action was courageous as the district was just recovering from a deficit budget that involved severe cuts in programs. While the review committee conducted its study, some small purchases of technology for student use were begun with site and PTA budgets.

* Our advice: Find your own munchkins within the community, parent groups, staff and the schools and act courageously.

Wicked Spells

Along the Yellow Brick Road, we met initial obstacles. As Dorothy's adventures began she killed one bad witch and soon had another vowing to get her. Out to get us were the Wicked Witches of Disbelief and Poor State Funding. Like Dorothy, our board and administration faced these obstacles and overcame them with steadfast determination to move forward.

Staff and community morale were low. Few believed in the possibility of technology for any purpose--administrative or instructional. Two years before, just as a committee of teachers and administrators presented a technology plan for adoption to the board of education, a state tax cap became law--this at a time when the board was not accessing its full tax rate. (The district's baseline funding was set at a level lower than full tax rate.) Suddenly, the board found itself without money for technology.