Running Head: A Race with No Finish Line

A Race with No Finish Line: 21st Century Communication in K-12 Schools Kristie L. Garrett and Elizabeth A. Venegas Texas A&M University

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Abstract This case begins with an exploration of the need to supplement traditional forms of communication with digital alternatives. The concept of 21st century collaborative learning is discussed and an overview of a few popular media tools is presented. An interview with a national leader of digital principals is disclosed.

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A Race with No Finish Line: 21st Century Communication in K-12 Schools The printing press had the greatest impact on communication for five hundred years, but as new technologies emerge, the dominant form of communication changes (Engebritson, 2011). The last century saw rapid changes with the invention of new communication tools, such as the radio, television, and computer. These were predominately push-in services, regulated by the relatively few members of the media and publishing houses. The proliferation of the internet, however, has provided an avenue for the common man to be author, publisher, and film developer, while simultaneously controlling the information he receives. These changes have catapulted K-12 schools into an unknown territory, with teachers and administrators desperately trying to understand this new world of their students. In addition, constituents across the nation are increasingly requiring their organizational leaders to be more transparent. Parents also have changing expectations for access to timely and adequate information (Holland & Moore-Steward, 2000). To meet these demands, educators across the globe have embraced various communication technologies, as each offers different benefits and presents separate drawbacks. This case study will look at a few of these as they specifically relate to school administrators. Its hard to view school leaders as bureaucratic, out of touch, and aloof when they show their humanity week after week online by sharing their fears, dreams, hopes, frustrations, and plans (Carr, 2006).

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Literature Review Principal as Technology Leader. Much has been written about the role of the principal as a technology leader, and indeed this topic is beyond the scope of this study. Because this paper focuses on 21st century collaboration, however, it is necessary to illustrate the importance of this administrative role. Research showed that teachers were more likely to implement Information and Technology Communications (ITCs) if they, not only had the support of their principal, but that their principal was so well trained on the new technology that they could offer support and guidance to their teachers and staff. The reverse was also found to be true; the more trained the principal, the more the staff was willing to try ITCs in their classrooms. Additionally, a 2000 study found that only 20% of teachers reported sufficient competence in ITC use, and of that 20%, most were discouraged from fully implementing them into their classrooms due to an abundance of daily work. A significant amount of research supports the need for the principal as a technology leader (Anderson & S., 2005, Kozloski, McLeod, 2008). Therefore, leaders of a school need to be highly knowledgeable in technological efforts in order to give teachers the confidence they need to keep up in their efforts in implementing ITCs in their classrooms. Effective use of instructional technology becomes systematic change, that is, a change in the schools culture. Technology causes learners to do things differently. Technology causes teachers to change their methods and strategies. Technology causes the school community to adapt its shared goals and its values and beliefs about technology and learning to accommodate its new culture (Davidson & Maurer, 1997). General electronic communication. Most principals spend 75% of their day communicating (Valentine, 1981). Effective school leaders are effective communicators, and

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principals have an obligation to communicate accurately, timely, and adequately. The primary form of electronic communication for administrators is email, but email is not as effective at reaching a larger audience as other available tools. Little research exists on the most effective form of electronic communication, and indeed many are coming to view communication effectiveness as the ability to pick the right medium. Although electronic communication has solved many problems of administrators, issues still need to be addressed. Issues to be addressed when increasing the organizational use of electronic communication include: More time at the computer, and subsequently less visibility on the campus. Increased stress and anxiety caused by the pressure to respond quickly. Time spent learning new tools. 93% of peoples intent in a message is communicated by facial expression and tone of voice (Lieb, 1995). This can easily be lost in electronic communication. A realistic way to manage the overabundance of information. Importance of maintaining face-to-face communication. Can have a retardant effect on the sense of community. The relationships that develop can be shallow. Far too much extraneous information. Need for training for aspiring principals and staff.

Blogs. Millions post and/or read blogs on a daily basis (Technorati, 2008). A December 2013 Google search for principal blogs generates 189 million results, up from 49 million in 2010. The online users of the Millenial generation spend an average of 16 hours a week on the

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Internet, excluding email. Of these, 80% regularly read blogs (Tresser, 2007). The popularity of this platform creates an effective and efficient method for targeting this newer generation of teachers and administrators. Some of the benefits of maintaining a blog include: It is a simple replacement for a website. No coding is required. It is a powerful tool for establishing and maintaining online communities. Blogs provide for more interactive communication with multiple stakeholders. It is more timely cost-effective than a newsletter. It saves time by communicating with many people all at once.

Some of the reasons principals have for reading and maintaining blogs include: Connecting with other administrators facing similar situations. Keeping a school community informed. Allowing for ongoing, relevant professional development that is efficient, supportive, free, accessible and available 24/7. Breaking the isolation and loneliness felt by many administrators. Helping permeate the schools mission and vision by regularly reinforcing ideas. Increasing transparency. Maintaining constant communication with all stakeholders. Promoting the school, in an era of school choice.

Twitter. Only 8% of online Americans use Twitter, of which many are under the age of 30. Furthermore, more teachers than administrators are using Twitter, although it is unclear if this is

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simply because there are more teachers, or if it is because teachers are younger and tend to be more tech-savvy. Regardless of the limitation of audience breadth, Twitter can be a powerful administrative tool for communicating with like-minded educators. An article in District Administration explores the usefulness of Twitter through interviews with school leaders. These leaders emphasized the ability to maintain an ongoing dialogue with educators, regardless of title (Herbert, 2002). Many prominent educational leaders, such as Dr. Robert Marzano and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, actively use Twitter, creating a previously impossible connection to tens of thousands of people. Through Twitter, administrators can construct a Personal Learning Network, filled with colleagues in similar positions and circumstances. It also creates a platform that is conducive to a limited audience, so that educators can openly discuss issues without the involvement of all stakeholders. Email. Email represents the most common form of technology communication, and most administrators are comfortable with emailing at least minimally. Email increases accessibility to the principal, but with this, complications may arise. Employees are more likely to bypass the chain of command, and people are more likely to say things they wouldnt normally say. Also, because email can be returned at any time, an expectation of an immediate response exists. Other. Other forms of digital communication used by educators but not deeply explored here include: Facebook, podcasts, videos, newsletters, Edmodo, live streaming, Google Hangouts, Skype, Instagram, Pinterest, Vine, infographics, and FourSquare. Background and Context School: Timberlake Middle School sits in a new and developing community of a DallasFort Worth suburb. 65% of its approximately 1,000 students are White, 18% are Hispanic, and

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the remaining 17% come from various backgrounds. 16% of the students are classified as economically disadvantaged. The median household income of this community is $90,000 a year. Timberlake Middle School is considered to be the technology school of the district, with a 3:1 student-to-device ratio. Students at Timberlake have easy access to netbooks, MacBooks, iPads, iPods, Flip cameras, and a mini video production studio. The building is physically designed to promote collaboration with its movable walls, student collaboration areas, and team office spaces for the teachers. The school also hosts regional technology-based professional development, as well as digital summits for the district. Description of the Principal: Denise Smith is recognized as a state and national leader for digital principals and 21st century learning and has been the principal since Timberlakes opening in 2010. Ms. Smith believes it is important to shelter her staff, students, and parents as they adopt technology at their own pace. Along with actively promoting technology use in the classroom, Ms. Smith uses a variety of social media platforms to connect with students, parents, and the community. The distinction between technology and 21st century learning was dramatically important to this principal, as she often clarified this difference. Timberlakes purpose is to be a 21st century school, with a focus on communication, collaboration, and creativity. Houston (2001) makes a similar statement that school leadership is changing from the management of buildings, buses, books, budgets, and bonds, to connecting, communicating, collaborating, child advocacy, curricular choices, community building, and being courageous champions of children. Ms. Smith stressed that technology is merely a tool that students can use to transform their educational experience; the students are not stuck on a computer all day. Timberlakes vision is to provide the right tool for the right task. The aspect of technology as it relates to communication was the focus for this interview.

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Case Narrative Technology Use: Denise Smith uses a variety of media to enhance communication. Beyond the district website, collaboration site, and email, Timberlake staff members collaborate through various Edmodo groups and Twitter chats. To communicate with parents and students, Ms. Smith uses Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Vine, Pinterest, Foursquare, and Google Plus. She also maintains a blog where she portrays her stance on various educational topics. Traditional forms such as emails, newsletters, and phone calls are still used. On the Proliferation of Technology: When asked if the abundance of platforms felt overwhelming to staff and parents, Ms. Smith stated that she uses a large variety to fit the needs and desires of the large population Timberlake serves. Just as teachers are required to differentiate for their students, so should administrators differentiate their communication. Ms. Smith feels it is critical to reach all members of the community and is willing to use many means to do this. On Personal/Professional Boundaries: The issue of educators accepting students and parents into their personal social media networks is controversial, and many districts explicitly prohibit this. Ms. Smith accepts parents onto her personal Facebook account, because Facebook provides an opportunity for the community to know her on a deeper, more meaningful level. Ms. Smith feels that the job of principal extends outside of the brick and mortar, and that as a role model she should live all matters of her life ethically and responsibly. She does not, however, accept students. Support: The district provided an enormous amount of resources, as mentioned above, but equally as important, the leadership is supportive and promotes cutting-edge, progressive

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education. By far, though, the students were the greatest supporters. They were excited and eager to learn in this new way. Ms. Smith describes the students as begging for this change. Resistance: Community is enormously important, and Ms. Smith acknowledges that gaining community support was difficult at first. Many parents felt there was too much change too fast. They did not want their children used as guinea pigs, and they pushed for the relied-upon methods of the past. Seeking community involvement and trust was critical to this endeavor, prompting the Timberlake staff to reach out in unprecedented ways. In addition to the community, Timberlake also experiences resistance from other schools in the district, who view them as the snob school. Ms. Smith suggested that others view them as unwilling to collaborate, seemingly all-knowing, and purposely trying to be different. This is difficult for Ms. Smith, because she feels many are unwilling to listen. Impact of Technology: Technology has had a significant impact on the communication at Timberlake in three ways: reaching a broader scope of people, developing a community, and fostering transparency. The Technology Use portion above delineates the many media outlets Timberlake uses for communication and collaboration. Push services (email, newsletters) are necessary communication tools, but the two-way programs (Twitter, Google Hangouts, Facebook) facilitate dialogue and are responsible for building connections and establishing a sense of community. While Timberlake actively promotes face-to-face interaction as the most desirable, it recognizes the genuine and significant relationships that can form and develop through online sources. Ms. Smith leaves all transcripts of these interactions public, even if the response is negative. She feels that this promotes transparency, while simultaneously building trust, as others can view how the staff has addressed complaints.

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Requiring Leaders to Use Social Media: While Ms. Smith vigorously embraces social media she does not feel its use should be required of other school administrators. Her reasons for this include the level of angst that is created from new requirements. Ms. Smith feels the most effective method for embracing technology is to provide training, showing what the tools can do for them. Advice for Others: Ms. Smith offers the following advice for other leaders looking to incorporate 21st century skills: Dont be afraid. Dont take it personally. Realize its not about you; its about change. Develop a thick skin. Embrace the bigger purpose. Be brave. Surround yourself with people who are as brave as you, who have a vision, who want to improve education, and who make it all about the kids. Where Now? Timberlakes next step is to equip teachers to truly differentiate for learners of various ability levels, preferences, cultural backgrounds, learning styles, and needs. While it is important to be innovative in designing a lesson, if educators are still designing the same experience for all students, then the schools are not where they need to be. Learning must be differentiated and personalized so that every student can grow and experience success in learning. In five years, Ms. Smith envisions a school that provides a genuinely personalized learning environment for students. Every student, without regard to background, resources, or

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preference, will have a positive school experience. Ms. Smith sees a tremendous amount of student voice and student leadership for positive connections among students and between adults and students. She sees energetic, committed, and enthusiastic staff who keep a student-first mindset. This school will have a variety of tools and resources (material and human) wisely integrated to support student learning so that students are equipped to lead in a world that is quickly evolving with technological and digital advances. Teaching Notes Discussion Question 1: Suppose you, as an administrator, have decided to allow for the personalized professional development of staff, including the use of traditional sources, such as books and in-person workshops, and contemporary sources, such as blogs, webinars, etc. Create a plan to ensure that the staff is using this new strategy appropriately and effectively. Discussion Question 2: After a 2-year action plan, the majority of your staff regularly and effectively uses several modes of electronic communication. They are pleased with the outcome and see the effectiveness. They are overwhelmed, however, by maintaining so many modalities and frustrated by the constant 24/7 communication. How would you solve this issue with your staff? Discussion Question 3: Discuss this quote from Mike Arsenal, middle school technology integrator: We are not interested in students just using technology. We want them fully engaged. Theres a difference. As an administrator, how would you look for evidence that teachers are using technology in this way? Activity 1: Ms. Smith emphasized the difference between technology and 21st century learning. In a group, use one of the electronic communication platforms to demonstrate the difference

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between individual use of technology (word processors, etc.) and a digital collaborative learning environment. Activity 2: Interview your school leader to discuss ways that your school exemplifies 21st century learning. Identify any areas of weakness, such as resources, teacher resistance, etc. How can you lead your school in this transition and adoption of 21st century skills? How can you implement the use of ICTs on your campus over the next few months? Activity 3: Take a grade-level or departmental perception survey on their school leaders ability to assist them it ITC implementation efforts. What facilitates the staffs use of ITCs? Discuss obstacles that prevent the use of ITCs.

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References

Anderson, R., & S., D. (2005). School technology leadership: An empirical investigation of prevalence and effect. Educational Administration Quarterly, 41(1), 49-82. Doi: 10.1177/0013161X04269517 Carr, N. (2006). To blog or not to blog. American School Board Journal, 193(11), 46-47. Isabelle, C., & Lapointe, C. (2003). Start at the top: Successfully integrating information and communication technologies in schools by training principals. The Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 49 (2), 123-137 Davidson, G., & Maurer, M. (1997). Leadership in Instructional Technology. Prentice Hall. Engebritson, R. M. (2011). Principals and blogs: In what ways does blogging support the practices of school prinicpals? Available from ProQuest, LLC. Fletcher, G. (2009). A matter of prinicpals. T.H.E. Journal, 36(5), 22-27. Herbert, M. (2002, April). Why all the chatter about #edchat? District Administration, pp. 51-54. Hines, C., Edmonson, S., & Moore, G. (2009). The impact of technology on high school principals. NASSP Bulletin, 92(276). doi: 10.1177/0192636508328593 Holland, L., & Moore-Steward, T. (2000). A different divide: Preparing tech-savvy leaders. Leadership, 810, 37-38. Houston, P. (2001). Superintendents for the 21st century: It's not just a job, it's a calling. Phi Delta Kappan, 82(6), 428-433 Kozloski, K. (n.d.). Principal leadership for technology integration: A study of prinicpal technology leadership. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Lieb, J. (1995). The impact of intra-district communications using electronic mail on the Fullerton School District. Dissertation Abstracts International, 57(04A), 1580. McLeod, S. (2008). Why blog as an administrator? Retrieved from www.schooltechleadership.org: http://www.schooltechleadership.org/storage/CASTLE_WhyBlogAsAnAdministrato Technorati. (2008). Retrieved from www.technorati.org: http://technorati.com/blogging/state-of-theblogosphere/ Tresser, T. (2007, August 2). What the world might look like when millenials run it. Retrieved from www.alternet.org: http://www.alternet.org/story/55508/

A Race with No Finish Line Valentine, J. (1981). Do your teachers really understand you? NASSP Bulletin, 65(445), 34-38.

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doi:10.1177/019263658106544505