The world has been ushered into the information age whereby access and relay of information have become a critical concern across all sectors, including educational development. Technology has provided a reliable platform through which communication and information can be made available. As such, the integration of technology is significant in ensuring smooth running of school’s processes, heightening productivity, and making it possible for the students to enjoy learning (Hassel & Hassel, 2012). However, without effective educational leaders, integration is impossible. In that case, there is a need for transformational leaders to ensure easy and smooth adoption. It is also important to understand that there are barriers to integration such as lack of competent leaders and resistance to change. In that case, leaders should develop a holistic culture that ensures full training of the teachers and supports them. Therefore, this paper will examine technological leadership and integration in a high school.
Problem Statement
Although researchers have explored the importance of integrating technology in education and significance of educational leadership for a long-term, there is limited information on how these factors affect High Schools. Various studies have given a limelight to the impacts that come with technology, enhancing leadership in the classroom, and integration of technology in schools. However, it is unfortunate that there is still not much information on the role of school leaders in the integration process and the challenges that arise during the integration process. Usually, there may be problems associated with the general attitude towards new technology whereby some members of staff may have a biased towards the benefits of the education technology under implementation.
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It is also important to ensure that the school leaders such as the principal offer full support to educators with regard to the use of computers. Examining the integration of technology and leadership helped in giving a limelight to the reasons why concerned stakeholders should focus on incorporating technology in the classroom and why educational leadership is integral in ensuring a smooth process. Furthermore, gave insights into some of the challenges that the stakeholders might face in the process to be more aware and develop rational solutions. As a guide, some questions have been developed to explore this subject.
The Research Strategy
This study used both quantitative and qualitative in nature. A quantitative design helps in explaining a given phenomenon (Creswell, 2014) and can be integral when the researcher’s main goal is to measure a given sample’s need of integrating technology in their classrooms. Therefore, since the main purpose of this study was to explain the importance of educational leadership and incorporation of technology, the quantitative design is appropriate.
The research methodology entailed mixed methods, qualitative, and quantitative methods. The mixed methods include; interviews, observation, and administered questionnaires. One of the key advantages of the mixed methods is that they can reflect a qualitative as well as a quantitative research perspective (Creswell, 2014). Hence, they can be used to ascertain the validity of the results from other methods with high precision. A quantitative design helps in explaining a given phenomenon (Creswell, 2014) and can be integral when the researcher's main goal is to measure a given samples of high schools in need of integrating technology in their classrooms. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to explain the importance of educational leadership and incorporation of technology, the quantitative design is appropriate.
Research Question
How is leadership important in the Integration of Technology in high schools?
Rationale for Research Strategy Selection
Ideally, qualitative and quantitative research deals with exploratory research questions. According to Denzin and Lincoln (2011 qualitative research often questions How or what so that it guides the study in getting an in-depth understanding of what is happening concerning the research topic. For the study, the paper sought to find out how leadership is important in the integration of technology. It further highlighted some case studies in schools that have successfully integrated technology into their operations.
Exploratory studies of this nature are required when studying a situation in their natural scope and in the quest to get an understanding of a process. The current study focuses on ways through which school leadership can help in technological integration. In this study, qualitative and quantitative methodologies were necessary to the fact that the researcher was an active participant in the study, in that information gathered and subsequent interpretations will on the researcher’s prefab (Yin, 2013).
Research Instrument
Questionnaires
Upon agreement to take part in the study, questionnaires were sent to all the participant who was considered for the study. The question that was to be answered based on the set questionnaire were both open-ended and closed-ended. The open-ended questionnaires were designed to get the views of the participant in relation to the research topic
Ethical considerations for your Project
Integrity centers any research practice. This aims at the protection of the research paper, and the participants in the research study. It acts as one of the principal requirement of a research study. The idea of ethical research change depending on the needs of the paper. It has been established ethics in research centers around decision making as to what may right or wrong. Today, ethical practice is a requirement in all human activities. Some of the ethical consideration that bound the paper included:
Informed consent: All the participants in the study took part with their own volition. They were a person of sound mind and knowledge which enabled decision making to take part in the study. The informed consent as a matter of principle binds the researcher to delve information on the research method used.
Confidentiality rights are some of the gains that participants get in a research study. As such the fidelity of the data provided ensures that their participation is regarded with utmost dignity. Research demands that personal information given should not be to manipulate the subject. Therefore, anonymity in the study was used as an away to maintain the confidentiality of the participants.
Data analysis summary
The study used a combination of qualitative and quantitative study design. This particular format was preferred because of ability to capture multiple data on the significance of administrator based technological leadership, integration and implementation of the same as well as specific strategies through a more exhaustive interview process. Quantitative data in this respect allowed the study to generalize from the set of data while qualitative data used in the study allowed the paper to have a bearing on specific areas that administrators were interviewed. The study applied a survey to provide the paper with a picture of the relevant technological use in the schools as well as administrators grasp of such importance. As such, semi-structured interviews used gave an understanding of the leadership style and a determination of factors that affect adoption of technology in classroom
Through the initial consent from the school management, the study was meant to interview 8 program team members that consisted of directors and senior management, 14 instructors and 5 support staff members. Of the 27-people earmarked to participate in the study, on 16 took part representing 59.26%. The scale of measurement is between 1 and 5 whereby 1 means lack of accessibility, 2 minimal accessibility, 3 is moderate accessibility, 4 substantial accessibility and 5 is maximum accessibility. The result finds were represented in the form of a bar graph.
Measurement strategy
The strategy measurement strategy will be achieved through the establishment of the relations between C (Conceptual level) and X (Observed level). Some of the common types of errors can either be random or systematic.
The Research Results
The study was an eye-opener to the many issues that affect system integration in any workplace. From the study findings and those in the literature reviews, I did realize that the challenges faced by teachers and administrators are same. Institutions based imposed directives are likely to fail compared to those made through a participatory process. Finally, the study did affirm that despite the challenges and uncertainties, adoption of technology in service provision is one way of enhancing efficiency and productivity.
There seemed to be an underlying similarity with reference to the research questions. For instance, when the study sought views on the importance of technology in education, the responses were almost similar to those of sough to know how the use of technology enhance productivity.
Any organization must be cognizant of the emotions and opinion of their employees or subject. These findings are very useful in charting a strategic direction for the managerial decision making, for instance, the organization must take into consideration views on involving employees in view of the adoption of new technologies to the school or work environment. As such, companies can learn the value of participatory management from the study found.
References
Creswell, J. (2014). Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approach . London, UK: SAGE.
Hassel, B. B. C., & Hassel, E. A. (2012). Teachers in the age of digital instruction. Education reform for the digital era , 11-33.
Yin, R. K. (2013). Case study research: Design and methods . Sage publications
Appendix
Open-ended Questionnaire for the study
What is the role of senior educational leadership personnel in the implementation as well as integration process of technology in education at your school?
How does technology help in the management and operations of the school?
How does technology enhance productivity?
Describe how the use of technology has changed over the past three years.
What do administrators believe is the current integration and use of computers for student instruction?
