As technology becomes more intertwined with education, some teachers are seeking ways to use tech tools to improve their instructional leadership skills. A recentstudy examines how beginning teachers in Singapore use technology to develop their leadership potential in the classroom. The study followed three teachers (down from 10 in the qualitative portion of the study) who stood out from their peers when integrating information and communication technology (ICT) in the classroom. These teachers successfully used their ICT know-how to enhance their leadership skills for the benefit of their students and fellow educators alike.
Ping Gao, who, along with fellow researchers Angela F.L. Wong, Doris Choy, and Jing Wu, conducted the study, discovered that these tech-savvy educators had confidence in their learning abilities and were able to take more risks and get students excited about learning.
"I found that regardless of the teachers' years of experience, these instructional leaders demonstrated the following leadership qualities such as self-initiating, taking risks, engaging in inquiry to put students at the center of learning, preparing students for the future success, collaborating, and influencing and supporting their peers," said Gao.
The young educators who participated in the Singapore study (one was in his thirties and the others were in their twenties) started off with an ICT course and then progressed to student teaching before becoming first-year teachers. During each step, they showed improvement and demonstrated strong leadership qualities that translated into classroom success.
Although the researchers feel that using ICT tools proves helpful in the learning environment, how they're used is most important. "ICT is only a tool. As a tool, ICT itself can hardly make a difference in teaching and learning," warns Gao. "If teachers choose to use ICT as 'a presentation tool' to replace the teachers and textbook, students are still passive information receivers. But if teachers choose to use ICT as a 'cognitive tool' to engage students in higher-order thinking, students become active participants in the learning process."
Strong instructional leaders also need to develop their worldviews and be open-minded, says Gao. Teachers should commit to preparing students for success and not just examinations, support others by building a learning community, and negotiate meaning between the power of agency and social structures. These qualities will help embolden teachers' instructional leadership skills, the researchers say.
