Technology... Not just the use of a tool but a "Culture Change."

"Technology"... 
The word itself leaves an immediate impact on the person thinking about it. As education begins to completely immerse itself in the world of technology it is important as a future administrator to understand the groups of people you will come in contact with and understand your role as a leader. This topic of technology is not going away and as it continues to shape the educational landscape principals will be in charge of this transformation. 


Groups within the Technology Debate
People fall into a few different categories over the "technology" debate. These groups may be found as students, parents, or fellow educators. In any case they can be used as an asset and an important piece to this cultural change. 


The Resistance- 
The first group (the resistance) are those opposed to allowing technology to enter their lives. Whether the reason be a fear of change, a moral opposition, or not having a desire to learn the steps needed to master it. As the principal it is important to keep in mind that these folks may need a little, maybe even a lot, of help opening up to technology. It CAN be done! Get to the root of these people's issues with technology, in many cases no one ever had the patience to teach them. If you can convince this person that technology is necessary, that they can do it, and it will make their life easier, chances are they will turn around. Start small, expectations can not be all or nothing and these people must take success quickly in order not to be discouraged. This is an important group of people, if they are students they will become better prepared for the future and may feel more comfortable around peers, if they are parents they may be able to understand what drives their child, and better connect with them, and if they are teachers they will be able to better serve their students, connect with parents and administrators, and create a more current environment better suited for future learning.      

The Emerging- 
The next group (the emerging) are those who fall on varying levels of technology use. These people use technology from time to time or they have devices that they rely on but technology may not be huge part of their life. This group is more likely to be open to technology and as they use it more may become more and more aware of new movements in technology. This group has a base to learn the use of new technology quickly, they are more likely to see practical uses and embrace the new movement and when implementing a technological culture can be a stable force in promoting and helping others. As a principal, this group is important because they make up a majority of people in the realm of education. They will be helpful in determining the effectiveness of goals and if successful they will provide a strong base for future movement as a culture.  

The Enthusiasts- 
The final group (the enthusiasts) are those who use technology so much it is a natural everyday part of their lives. If it is the latest and greatest this group wants it, especially if it makes life easier. This group will emerge not only as help to educate people at all levels, but they will be the catalysts of progression. As a principal, this group is important to future success because they can pave the way in for new endeavors and provide almost a scaffold for those in the emerging group.  

The "Cultural Principal's" Role

As the Principal you are the leader of the school and must lead through example. It takes self-awareness of your own experience and comfortability with technology in order to be the catalyst of a change. "Like the business leader, the principal of the future - the Cultural Change Principal - must be attuned to the big picture, a sophisticated conceptual thinker who transforms the organization through people and teams" (Fullan, 2001).As the leader you must be clear with your expectations, set achievable expectations, and practice what you want put in action.


Expectations can make or break this process. It is important to remember that forcing a person to do something will solve nothing and will only serve to create barriers. You must help people embrace the change, provide them with resources to understand, explore, and make it their own, and also make goals that are able to be attained. This way people feel a sense of accomplishment. Goals must be revisited and altered to suit each person as an individual. Another key tool we must have is patience, this is an ongoing process that takes the commitment, perseverance, and shared values to promote lasting, and deep rooted success."The Cultural Change Principal knows the difference between being an expert in a given content innovation and being an expert in managing the process of change."


Finally, practice what you preach! Be committed to you own expectations. If you expect your teachers to use email, keep and updated webpage, and constantly strive to implement technological devices in the classroom then you must also do the same. This way everyone share in the same struggles, can help each other, and can create a coherent unified culture (teamwork), working toward common goals and progressing as a unit. Never limit a teachers creativity and exploration in the world of technology (or your own for that matter) because success can breed success and once you create a stable culture there is no limit to what your team can achieve.   
   
 The Change Leader - This is a great article about understanding change, leading a cultural change, and ensuring a lasting impact of this change.