Importance of Vision for School Technology Leaders Information technologies have changed the ways we learn, work, and live, transforming the way teachers teach and students learn. Ever more new and evolving digital tools support teaching, learning, and school management. Schools must help both students and staff develop and hone information literacy skills. Many schools are tackling skill development beyond the school in the community at large. As a school leader, you must understand how educational technology impacts your students, staff, and external stakeholders. You should be able to create and communicate a vision that synthesizes the needs of diverse groups while fostering continued excellence in teaching, learning, and school management. The effective integration of new and emerging technologies requires simultaneous innovations in pedagogy, curriculum, assessment, and school organization, not just adding "more wires and boxes." Defining and articulating a clear vision is the first step in effectively integrating technology to support teaching and learning in your school community. Lesson Overview In this lesson you will become better versed in the new information skills required for teaching and learning and how these skills are changing the roles of students, teachers, and administrators. You'll explore ways technology can support the development of these new literacy skills and share some of your own experiences. You will also begin to develop a clear vision for educational technology use in your own school or district and understand how this vision can help define goals and objectives that drive decisions and actions of students, teachers, and yourself. Lesson Objectives At the conclusion of this lesson, you will be able to Describe the impact digital tools have on teaching and learning Define information literacy skills Write a vision statement that reflects possible technology-supported teaching and learning scenarios Relate your vision to the National Educational Technology Goals Use a vision statement to define goals Describe how roles are changing for students teachers administrators Explain why the building principal is in the best position to help teachers and students use technology effectively