Management of Information Technology in Uniworld High School - Research Paper Example

Management of Information Technology in Uniworld High School I. School Analysis The fast pace that the world is progressing at this time and age hasbrought about technological advancements never even dreamed of by our grandparents. Technology brings on undeniable advantages to the human race. It makes life a lot more convenient. Information on absolutely anything and everything under the sun is just within reach. Uniworld High School is the school I have taught for a year teaching business studies and business services to high school students, computer education or Information Communication and Technology (ICT) is picking up its pace. It is a private school in Sydney which have mostly international students from overseas and whose first language is not English. This school prides itself of giving exceptional opportunities to progress to tertiary studies at a University or College by offering fast-track courses to complete the HSC depending on the students’ intake dates and academic progress. Some courses have been simplified to accommodate students’ low proficiency in the English language and thus, ICT becomes a tool to mediate learning through constructivist strategies. Policy development Uniworld High School adheres to international policies regarding ICT online use. The Communications Decency Act (CDA) of 1996 ensures that students maintain wholesome communication weeding out indecent messages via the Internet especially displays of highly offensive sexually explicit messages. Also, the Child Online Protection Act (COPA) of 1998 also backs up the school’s efforts to prevent online crimes such as dangerous and malicious material made available to persons under the age of 17. Leniently allowing children to access to the internet poses danger to them. Reports of child molesters preying on innocent victims online have increased over the years. A more common concern is the unregulated information children may have access to. Free access to dangerous information such as racist stuff, bigoted, hate-group stuff, filled with paranoia; bomb recipes; how to engage in various kinds of crimes, electronic and otherwise; scams and swindles may be truly damaging to growing minds. More mature students may be sophisticated enough to separate the good from the bad things gleaned from the internet but the even the savvy thinkers may be misled. Finally, the school follows the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) of 2000 by purchasing and installing technology protection measures blocking or filtering internet access to certain sites damaging to the youth and creating Internet safety policies. Quinn (2003) expressed it best when he said: “As with any advancement, there is always the prospect of misuse and abuse of new technologies. Legal issues pertinent to this modernization include the First Amendment, harassment, privacy, special education, plagiarism, and copyright concerns, among others. School leaders must be well informed in such matters to minimize the distractions and liabilities and to maximize the learning potential afforded by educational technology” (p. 205). Uniworld students are educated on internet safety. They are not supposed to give private information to anyone and are restricted to research use and electronic communication related to school functions. Each teacher, staff and student is given his or her own email account and should use this for school purposes only. Instant messaging is prohibited within school hours, as this may distract them from the tasks at hand. Use of school-owned computers need to be logged in and out to trace accountability. Students are encouraged to care for the computers as if these were their own, and are responsible for whatever damage incurred while in their care. Physical resources The school has a computer lab equipped with about 30 computer stations. Every one of the computer has up-to-date and necessary software and internet connectivity. Students are free to use them upon booking a unit for a specified schedule. Computer classes are held here where the students are taught basic computer skills. Apart from the computers in the lab, each classroom has its own computer and printer which is accessible to the students of the class. This is used for instant research, word processing and presentations. Each classroom also has its own LCD projector for presentation use. There are no interactive white boards available in the school. All teachers are issued laptops for their own usage. These laptops are returned to the equipment room at the end of the semester. The whole school has wireless internet connectivity and students bringing their own laptop computers need to be registered with the campus network to gain the secure password. Financial resources It is no secret that installing computers in schools entail much expense. In the US, total school spending on computer technology, in the ’90s alone, was estimated at $70 billion. And the ongoing Federal “e-rate” program continues to pump $2.25 billion each year into Internet networks for poor schools. (Rogers, 2003). Uniworld High School has appropriated enough budget for ICT. Apart from the hardware and software invested on, it has hired enough technology experts to install computer systems including internet safety functions. Some of these technology experts double as computer coordinators who teach computer subjects to students and train faculty in computer usage. A large chunk of the students’ tuition fees are appropriated for ICT. The school also gains funds from benefactors who donate financial support to some ICT projects of the school. However, it is a grievance of some of the teachers that they lack enough training for more advanced computer skills to further enhance their teaching. Some teachers are likewise hampered from assigning multimedia ICT projects to their students as it entails much expenses on the part of the students. These class projects are not funded by the school and mostly the students and even the teachers shell out their own money to get on with it. Curriculum leadership Clements (1999) maintains that “Technology can change the way children think, what they learn, and how they interact with peers and adults” (1). He also recommends technology as a tool for improving childrens learning through exploration, creative problem solving, and self-guided instruction (Clements & Samara, 2003). A three-year project at the Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood Education at Western Illinois University (Hutinger & Johanson, 2000) provides additional support for using computer technology with young children with disabilities. Their study emphasizes access to computers as an avenue to social interaction among children, working cooperatively, gaining confidence in themselves, controlling their environments, and making gains in language and communication. Hutinger and Johanson, supported by research by Clements (1999), point out that the enabling component of computers assists children in transforming concrete ideas into symbolic form. Three main reasons that computers should be a significant part of a student’s education: (Norman, n.d. ). One is that computers can make learning all subjects easier, and they are especially valuable in developing students language and problem-solving skills. Another is that students can use computers to reach hundreds of telecommunications networks, these sources provide a huge amount of information that students cannot get from textbook and more traditional learning tools. Lastly, computer literacy, understanding computers technology, is necessary for most good-paying and interesting careers At Uniworld High School, technology integration is a collaboration between teachers and students. Hruskocy, Cennamo, Ertmer, & Johnson (2000) came up with a similar study wherein a student-based technology training program was a key element in creating a community of learners comprised of both students and teachers. Teachers may assign projects and students have the option to use ICT knowledge and skills to do it. When students work on the projects, they get to share with their teachers the process they undergo so even teachers learn a lot from the project. “Teachers’ expertise and dedication are necessary for technology integration to occur. Students’ enthusiasm and talent prompt the process to unfold” (Hruskocy, Cennamo, Ertmer, & Johnson , 2000). A multitude of software is available for a wide range of developmental levels. Like most institutions in Australia, the school has internet connectivity and anyone with a laptop computer with wireless internet function has online access within the premises. The internet is making the world a smaller place as it is a tool to reach out to more information. Teachers may assign special topics to research on using the computer. The students may use specialized software like an encyclopedia program or go directly to the internet to browse for materials. They may also email experts in the field and establish ongoing communication and research via email. Our students are becoming adept at setting up and designing their own free blogsites or websites. They can use this skill to exhibit their learning and even share it with others online. They may post articles they have written or pictures they have taken or activities they have done on these sites and even invite other people to do the same. This way, information-sharing is promoted. A teacher shared her students’ very successful project involving the use of ICT. Her unit was on the preservation of endangered species. Her students undertook active research on various environmental issues. Initial sessions were facilitated by the teacher that showed how some environments are endangered due to human factors in settings around the world. Videos related to these were likewise shown as well as environmental resource speakers were invited to talk to the students about how they can help in the protection of affected environments. The students used the internet for research purposes, mainly the site of the World Wildlife Fund, which has been actively advocating for the protection of wildlife. Their output from their thorough research was to create a powerpoint presentation that centers on one particular endangered setting. Students needed to convince their viewers of the severity of the problem and engage their support in possible projects to save endangered wild life. Thus, their communication skills were also engaged. Going beyond the dissemination of information is engaging action from their viewers. The students encouraged their classmates to network with other concerned organizations and collaborate on writing to companies or individuals directly or indirectly responsible for the endangerment of the animals. An example is writing to owners of companies to dissuade them from buying illegally-grown coffee from plantations that impinge on the territory of protected parks where some endangered animals reside. Staff development The openness and attitudes of teachers, being the frontliners in this particular educational reform is essential. Most teachers at Uniworld High School may not be adequately prepared yet to make use of exciting new educational technologies because neither their teacher education programs nor their schools have provided sufficient time or incentives for them to learn (Norman, n.d.). However, most teachers are adept in basic computing skills such as word processing and powerpoint presentations in their lectures. They also computerize their grading systems using simple software such as MS Excel. Of course, emailing proficiency has become commonplace as this mode of communication has become a necessity nowadays. Teachers themselves need to be transformed from the traditional ways of organizing teaching and learning in school to using more technical skills in more open, user-friendly, peer-controlled, interactive, virtual communities. Teachers need to model flexibility, networking and creativity which are key outcomes for students to survive the next millennium (Hargreaves, 1999). Training of teachers in ICT and staff development is one huge challenge faced by educational leaders. Psychologically, technology can pose problems for staff feeling threatened and insecure of being dispensable, and easily replaced by the new innovation (Jones & O’Shea, 2004). This is mostly appeased by effective training. Human resources strategy and practice is central to the successful staff development. Enhancing traditional teaching and learning and incorporating modern approaches befitting ICT for experienced teachers and recruiting staff with expertise in delivering a high quality teaching and learning environment (Jones & O’Shea, 2004). Uniworld teachers admit that they still need more training in ICT integration in their classes. School administration The school administration is supportive to ICT integration. Most of its systems involving administrative function is computerized, from the school website, online enrollment procedures, record-keeping of teachers and staff and an intranet for the exclusive use of teachers, students, staff and parents. The website is updated weekly to announce events and bulletins. Parents may view the goings-on in their children’s classes by viewing class blogsites maintained by the teachers. They are emailed for important circulars and memos. Another communicative innovation of administration is the text blast wherein messages from the school administration is texted to all parents and students. The administrative office is online from 7 AM to 6 PM and welcomes any inquiries, discussions or even complaints from parents and other inquirers. Uniworld High School has an online library that subscribes to hundreds of online sources, journals, etc. for exclusive use of the students and teachers. A password is required to be able to access online resources. An online librarian is on call for any inquiries on the availability of some library books. All books are archived electronically and students may check out their online card catalogue for books they need in their studies. The computer systems at Uniworld High School are kept virus-free by expert computer technicians. There have been incidents of hacking in the system but these were minimal and were easily resolved by the technicians. Leadership in change Educational leaders are aware of how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can have a great impact on education and on the students they cater to. However, there are many challenges that beset them. They need to equip students with increasingly higher levels of knowledge and skill not only through the provision of a conventional curriculum incorporating ICT, but also help them develop personal qualities such as being autonomous, self-organizing, networking, enterprising, innovative (Hargreaves, 1999), with the capability constantly to redefine the necessary skills for a given task, and to access the sources for learning these skills (Castells, 1998). The principal and the school board of Uniworld High School are all for adopting changes via integration of ICT in the school curriculum. However, there are quite a number of challenges they face in its implementation. One is selling the idea to all the members of the school community especially for those who find comfort in traditional technology-free methods. Some parents with school thinking fear that the integration of technology may bypass basic skills in human relations or learning naturally. The school handbook explicitly explains that ICT integration is used to support more basic education and enhances how students learn about the world around them. Its aim is to equip students with skills necessary for them to have to survive in a highly competitive, globalized setting in the future. Another inevitable challenge is funding for ICT since it is evidently expensive to maintain it. Since more and more students enroll in the school every year, the demand for computer units grow along side the population of enrollees. Of course, being up-to date in terms of computer specifications, software applications and the expanding functions of computers needs to be addressed consistently. Gaining the support of the faculty in ICT integration involves a lot of motivation and training. According to Haycock (1999), effective educational leaders facilitate collaborative program planning and team teaching by classroom teachers and teacher-librarians. They set direction, foster change and communicate with stakeholders on a regular and ongoing basis. They are likewise responsible for allocating the necessary resources to support their projects. The educational leaders at Uniworld High School are yet in the stage of concretizing a more solid professional development for teachers and staff to fully incorporate ICT in their curricula. Future visioning Like any other high quality educational institution, Uniworld High School envisions to achieve the highest standards in academic excellence. Rawnsley (2000) states that creativity and imagination are necessary elements in considering a promising future. In terms of ICT, a networked learning community where members collaborate to achieve common goals (Carroll, 2000) is a desired outcome. In such a setup, delineation between teachers and students are blurred as everyone becomes a learner in his or her own right. This is one goal of constructivist principles. Surpassing the challenges related to ICT in schools will definitely help educational leaders prepare students for a brighter, more sophisticated and more competitive future. In doing so, such leaders would find fulfillment in having had a hand in the future success of their young protégés. References Carroll, T. G. (2000). If we didnt have the schools we have today, would we create the schools we have today? Contemporary Issues in Technology and TeacherEducation [Online serial], 1 (1). Available: http://www.citejournal.org/vol1/iss1/currentissues/general/article1.htmQuinn, Castells, M. (1988) End of Millennium. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, Ltd. Clements, D. H. (1999). The effective use of computers with young children. In Juanita V. Copley (Ed.), Mathematics in the early years (pp. 119-128). Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Clements, D. H., & Sarama, J.. (2003). Young children and technology: What does the research say? Young Children, 58(6), 34-40. Hargreaves, D.H. (1999) “The Knowledge-Creating School”, British Journal of Educational Studies, Vol 47, No. 2. Haycock, K. (1999) Fostering Collaboration, Leadership and information Literacy: Common Behaviors of Uncommon Principals and Faculties, NASSP Bulletin March 1999 Hruskocy, C., Cennamo, K.S., Ertmer, P.A., Johnson, T. (2000) Creating a Community of Technology Users: Students Become Technology Experts for Teachers and Peers. Jl. of Technology and Teacher Education (2000) 8(1), 69-84 Hutinger, P. L., & Johanson, J. (2000). Implementing and maintaining an effective early childhood comprehensive technology system. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 20(3), 159-173. Jones, N. & O’Shea, J. (2004) “Challenging Hierarchies: The Impact of E- Learning.”, Higher Education, Vol 48. pp. 379-395. Norman, J. (n.d.), ‘Negative Effects of computers in classrooms’, retrieved on July 24, 2009 from http://courses.wcupa.edu/fletcher/english121/projects/10b/jessy.htm Quinn, D.M. (2003) Legal Issues in Educational Technology: Implications for School Leaders. Educational Administration Quarterly, Vol. 39, No. 2 (April 2003) 187-207 Rawnsley, D. (2000) A Futures Perspective in the School Curriculum. Journal of Educational Enquiry, Vol. 1, No. 2, 2000 Rogers, M. (2003) ‘Are computers wrecking schools?’, Newsweek Web Exclusive, Oct 28, 2003 retrieved July. 25, 2009 from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032542/site/newsweek/ II. Strategic or Practical Plan for School The case study on Uniworld High School revealed a lot of useful information regarding its ICT program. It may be said that it is doing well in many areas and management themes, however, since it envisions itself to achieve the highest standards in education, there is much room for improvement. The following are recommendations to Uniworld High School based on the analysis of its implementation of ICT integration as well as from the author’s readings from useful literature. Policy development Adhering to international policies on internet safety for children and the youth is expected of all families with children and schools providing internet connection to their students. However, more clear policies should be drawn up specifically to Uniworld students. These policies may be documented and signed by the students before embarking on using the school internet facilities to ensure their compliance to the rules. The agreement should indicate internet safety rules such as not giving out private information online, not welcoming strangers to chat with, not bypassing the school privacy settings against malicious sites that are banned to be exposed within the school setting. The Department of Education and Training (2008) suggests that when establishing a policy there should be a consultation with the school community to clear up specific issues. Compromises may have to be made on parental stands on internet security as not all have the same ideas on the regulating of internet usage of their children. Younger children in the primary school may need to have a filter as well as an Acceptable Use Policy which students and their parents sign. With older students in secondary school, filters may be removed and a signed Acceptable Use Policy may suffice. Since creating blogs seem to be students’ avenue to express themselves. However, Johnson (2007) suggests that a policy agreement that their parents have given their consent for their children to create weblogs should be on the students’ file. Privacy settings must be fixed so it is not viewable by the public, but only to the class members. Teachers or an assigned student moderator need to approve of comments given by students before they are posted and that all should be reminded to practice prudence and respect for others’ opinions when posting comments. Physical resources The need for more computers in the coming years is getting to be real and the school administration would need to act to meet the demand. However, financial constraints may impede such a move. The ideal notion of one computer for every student was ambitiously attempted at Penrhos College, Western Australia (Kessell, 2002) in their Personal Laptop Program. Each student in Year 5 and 8 had personal ownership of a laptop computer instead of loaning computer use from school property. This gave the students more convenience in storing the necessary data and freely having it at their disposal when the need arises instead of undergoing the grueling process of booking, collecting, setting up, packing away and returning laptop computers to school. The program was meant to support student-centred, constructivist learning by giving students freedom to follow their own ideas anytime with a useful tool on hand. Year 5 students were very enthusiastic in having their own computers and being able to use them to best advantage. However, not everyone was pleased with this program. Year 8 students had mixed reactions, mostly negative, as they felt having a laptop hindered their freedom as they were pressured to use them at all times. Even some parents were against the idea, as they wanted their children to acquire learning skills the natural, experiential way. Upon analysis of the cause of mixed reactions, it was concluded that the introduction of the program was rushed and not studied thoroughly before implementation. Likewise, teachers were not ready for the program as professional development was not prioritized. Also, logistical problems such as storage of the computers in school were not considered, so the students had to transport them to school and back home everyday, causing ergonomic issues such as posture problems from lugging the heavy machine everyday and safety issues in transport. A more practical suggestion for Uniworld High School is the “computers on wheels” initiative reported by Grant, Ross, Want and Potter (2005). Instead of each student being issued a laptop, the school purchased mobile laptop carts or computers on wheels with 5 to 25 mobile computers. These are wheeled from classroom to classroom as needed. These mobile carts also save space so an entire room is not necessary to house them as laboratory equipment, leaving more room for instructional space. Financial resources Although Uniworld High School may have enough funding for ICT integration, there is usually a lack when it comes to pursuing projects involving ICT and professional development of faculty in ICT. Apart from allotting enough budget for ICT and relying on generous benefactors, fund raisers can be staged to gather more funds for students’ ICT projects and the professional development of teachers. Students may come up with class projects involving skeletal computer use (i.e. powerpoint presentations, creation of audio-visual presentations to highlight a cause) and charge viewers for the showing, making it clear that proceeds are going to a worthy cause such as the upliftment of ICT programs. The school may also partner with an established IT institution to help mentor their students and provide training for teachers. Second hand but good quality computers may also be solicited from generous corporate benefactors known to update their equipment with newer units. These are just a few ideas to augment lacking financial resources to continue the progress of ICT integration. Curriculum leadership The educational reform of shifting to more constructivist, learning-centered approaches has been reaping positive responses from educational leaders. Warschauer (2000) enumerates shifts in education with the integration of ICT as "whole class to small group instruction," "from lecture and recitation to coaching", "from a competitive to a cooperative social structure", and "from all students learning the same things to different students learning different things" (Starr, 1996, n.p.) Indeed, ICT has opened so many opportunities for learning beyond what was traditionally known and done. Coutts, Drinkwater & Simpson (2001) suggest that ICT may extend curriculum with convenient access to information, curriculum packages and expert opinions on any topic. Curriculum then becomes ‘issues to be addressed’ rather than ‘content to be covered’. ICT encourages various forms of interactions between learners and materials, learners and tutors and between groups of learners. There is more room for flexibility and application of creative ideas. Special active projects involving computers may be done in classrooms today. It does not limit learning and interaction within the four walls, but extends learning outside. A recent study by Harris and Kington (2002) report on a case study of “10-year-olds in email contact with employees at a mobile phone factory some 30 miles away from the school. ‘Epals’ learnt about children’s interests and in turn offered insights into the world of work. This widens the children’s horizons of learning to global proportions and they even get opportunities to network with resource people from all over the world. A similar study was done by Burnett, Dickinson, Myers and Merchant in 2006 where they set up a project involving students from two very different primary schools emailing each other as a preparation for producing a joint PowerPoint presentation on student’s views and interests to a group of trainee teachers. This project truly encourages constructivist learning approaches since the students get to follow their own ideas and work together on certain tasks. As a bonus, the students got to make friends with other adolescents using a modern and exciting medium. Such projects do reflect constructivist learning experiences facilitated by teachers and enthusiastically expanded by the students. For sure students of Uniworld High School will be eager to embrace such curriculum and learn in a less constricted, formal manner. Staff development Although all teachers at Uniworld High School are computer-literate, most of them are not content with their current computer skills and want to learn more in order to be at par with their students in ICT. They are aware that young people learn new skills faster especially if it really interests them, like ICT. It was mentioned earlier that the school has not allotted a large sum for professional development in the area of ICT, and until the school can afford to send its teachers to more comprehensive courses in computer education, the following suggestions will have to suffice. Peer and self-evaluations of ICT proficiency must be done regularly. Jie-Qi Chen & Charles Chang of the Erikson Institute have conducted a study on the effectiveness of the Whole Teacher Approach to Professional Development to enhance teachers’ proficiency in technology. Within their professional teacher training, teachers were made aware of how adept they were with computers so they can use these skills in their own teaching practice. Targeting multiple dimensions, program goals for teachers were (1) to develop positive attitudes toward computer use, (2) to acquire knowledge and skills needed to integrate technology with teaching and the curriculum, and (3) to apply computer skills and knowledge through classroom practices that enhance teaching and learning (Chen & Chang, 2006). Table 1 in the appendix encapsulates all the skills a teacher should possess in order to justify her effective and efficient use of computers in her classes. Absence of one or more skills could greatly affect the quality its educational use and her students’ learning. It is clear that much of the benefits of computer use stems from a good teacher’s handling of students’ avid curiosity and interest in the computer and adeptly direct their learning towards positive and productive endeavors. Lai & Pratt (2004) found out from their research that a technology coordinator may serve as a trainor for his or her co-teachers as he prepares a short term course in computer education and how it can be incorporated in their respective curricula. Software applications may be explained thoroughly. Basic troubleshooting may likewise be taught, as minor technical glitches usually hamper lesson flow that uses computers. The school administration may allot a weekend or some weekdays for this. The technology coordinator shall also be tasked with the responsibility of keeping up-to-date with new innovations in the field and designing training modules for professional growth of teachers and staff. Sending representative teachers to seminar-workshops in ICT is another important step in being updated. These participants are expected to deliver an echo presentation to cascade their new learning to their colleagues. Efficient, organized, creative and sensitive teachers trained thoroughly in ICT are essential in high quality schools. They are educational leaders’ best assets in achieving their goals in the implementation of programs that incorporate ICT. School administration Since the concept of ICT integration was conceived from the top, it has commenced with the school administrative system. So far, Uniworld High School administration has been efficient enough. All files are computerized leaving offices paperless. These documents have a good back up system to ensure that they never get lost. Retrieval of files dating from 2005 can be done with the click of a key. Minor technical glitches have been easily resolved and reverted to normal status. One recommendation though is the upgrade of the website. It does not offer much information on the services offered. It offers several opportunities for growth and development that a wide market may be interested in. Case in point is their ICT integration, no matter if it is still in the foundation stage. Another is their English as a Second Language emphasis since it caters to foreign students. To highlight the things that set them apart from the rest means it will bring more students to their school. For internet surfers who need more information faster, they can provide an online chat system to cater to more interested inquirers. Leadership in change The educational leaders at Uniworld High School enthusiastically welcome ICT integration as an innovation in the school. They are computer literate themselves, although not necessarily experts in the field. Hately & Schiller (2003) advocate that educational leaders can generate more influence if they are technology users themselves and truly believe in the cause of ICT. It is recommended that even before the professional development of the faculty, they themselves should undergo intensive training in the incorporation of ICT in education. Michael Fullan (2004) identified five components of leadership necessary to be successful in instituting reformation in institutions. He advocates that a good leader should have moral purpose, an understanding of change, knows how to build relationships with others, creates and shares knowledge, and knows how to survive and find clarity in chaos. These are the things the Uniworld High School principal should consider and be ready for in implementing ICT integration. Mulford (2003) writes about school leadership for student learning. This research on how leadership, school practices and student outcomes provides enlightening insights on how such factors affect the schools attainment of its goals, specifically, student-learning. It identified factors essential for successful school reform, namely: distributed leadership, development and learning, context, and a broader understanding of student outcomes. As the name implies, distributed leadership does not centralize decision-making powers on the head of the school but engages the inputs of teachers and the studentry. This promotes motivation for all to participate in the process, because it acknowledges that everyone is a stakeholder in the institution. Once a collaboration of decision-making is successful, then the whole school can see one vision for the school and agree on implementing its mission towards that vision. Then, everyone becomes open to more learning, thus, development takes place. Decisions made should not forget to consider the context from where the teachers and students are coming from. It should be customized to the institutional members backgrounds and culture. Lastly, effective educational reform should include not only academic excellence in the students but also development of their self-confidence. A successful person is not necessarily intelligent, but his key quality is having a great and confident personality and an ability to deal with different kinds of people. In other words, education should not only focus on mental development, but the holistic development of students, and that includes socio-emotional and physical development as well. Future visioning Uniworld High School sets high hopes for its students. It does not intend to be superior to them but has goals of achieving a learning community where everyone values learning with and from each other. Carroll’s (2000) concept of a networked learning community is achievable in the future if teachers are humble lifelong learners. They are expert learners recognized for their ability to learn and help others learn. They never cease constructing new knowledge and developing their own expertise. The gap between teachers and students will narrow down as everyone will be considered just learners in this continuously evolving, complicating world. If the school continues with its efforts in ICT integration in education, in about ten years, they can be considered a leader in the field. If teachers are given the professional development they need and want, then the possibilities are endless. What is essential is not having the latest computer technology or providing each student with his or her own technological learning gadget, but the attitude of wanting to learn using various innovative strategies. This is not limited to computer technology, but that only serves as a springboard for more creative and ingenious ideas. It must always be remembered that ICT is not the be-all and end-all of learning, but is just tool to use in constructing more knowledge to benefit mankind. References Carroll, T. G. (2000). If we didnt have the schools we have today, would we create the schools we have today? Contemporary Issues in Technology and TeacherEducation [Online serial], 1 (1). Available: http://www.citejournal.org/vol1/iss1/currentissues/general/article1.htm Coutts, N., Drinkwater, R. & Simpson, M. (2001)Using Information and Communications Technology in Learning and Teaching: a framework for reflection, planning and evaluation in school development., Teacher Development, Volume 5, Number 2, 2001 DET (2008) Developing School Policy. Retrieved on July 26, 2009 from http://www.det.wa.edu.au/education/cmis/eval/curriculum/safety/safe1.htm Fullan, M.(2004) Leading in a Culture of Change. CA: Jossey-Bass. Grant, M. M., Ross, S.M., Wang, W. and Potter, A. (2005) Computers on wheels: an alternative to ‘each one has one’, British Journal of Educational Technology Vol 36 No 6 Hately, N. & Schiller, J. (2003) What personal ICT skills do school leaders need?, The Practising Administrator Vol 4 Johnson, G. (2007) Blogging: Classroom Policies That Minimize risks. In C. Crawford et al (Eds.), Proceedings of Society for Information Technology and Teacher Educational Conference 2007 (pp. 1530 – 1535). Chesapeake, VA: AACE. Lai, K. & Pratt, K. (2004), Information and communication technology (ICT) in secondary schools: the role of the computer coordinator, British Journal of Educational Technology Vol 35 No 4 2004 Mulford, B. (2003). School Leaders: Challenging roles and impact on teacher and school effectiveness. Paris: Commisioned Paper by the Education and Training Policy Division, OECD. Starr, P. (1996). Computing our way to educational reform. The American Prospect(27), Retrieved on July 25, 2009 from http://epn.org/prospect/27/27star.html Warschauer, M. (2000), Technology and School Refrom: A View from Both Sides of the Tracks, Educational Policy Analysis Archives, Vol. 8 No. 4 Appendix Table 1 Goal Areas and Objectives for Teacher Proficiency in Technology Goal Areas Objectives Attitudes Confident using a computer in the classroom Comfortable using Internet and email communication Comfortable teaching children how to use computers Knowledge and Skills Understands basic computer functions and commands Skilled in selecting developmentally appropriate software Capable of learning new software programs using program manual, help files, and trial-and-error approach Knows how to install new programs independently Classroom Practices Teaching Methods Encourages children to explore software Pairs a more-competent with a less-competent child Works with children one on one Uses computers as a learning center Incorporates use of software when planning activities Classroom Practices Computer-Generated Instructional Materials Newsletters Lesson plans School report cards Child assessments Calendars Educational games (Chen & Chang, 2006) Read More