Leading 21st Century Schools: Harnessing Technology for Engagement and Achievement, Aug/2009

"A wonderful resource for novice or experienced administrators who are ready to jump into the 21st century with their students and schools. The text handles all key aspects of understanding the role and relevance of technology in today's schools as well as planning for future integration. What better way to usher in a 21st-century schools initiative than with sharing this valuable resource."
—Jill M. Gildea, Superintendent
Harrison School District #36, Wonder Lake, IL

Create a tech-savvy school that delivers academic success!

Today's schools have a tremendous opportunity and responsibility to help students achieve academically and prepare for their futures in the 21st century. Written for school leaders, district officials, and technology directors, this user-friendly guide describes how to develop and lead effective schools that meet the needs of 21st-century learners, integrate new technology into teaching and learning, and realize measurable performance improvement.

Aligned to the newly updated National Educational Technology Standards for Administrators ( NETS.A), this resource helps educators develop an actionable plan for introducing new technology, managing change, and building support across the school community and beyond. The authors emphasize 21st-century skills such as collaboration, communication, and creation/creativity and provide:

1. Descriptions of Web 2.0 tools—including wikis, blogs, social networks, and many others—and their applications for creative, innovative instruction
2. Strategies for effective use of technology within and across K–12 content areas
3. Personal stories from leaders of technologically advanced and nationally recognized schools
4. An overview of relevant legal, ethical, and safety considerations
5. Recommended activities and resources within every chapter
6. Lead your team in developing a true 21st-century school that opens up new avenues for teacher-student collaboration and achievement!

About The Authors:
Lynne Schrum is a professor and director of teacher education in the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University. Her research and teaching focus on appropriate uses of information technology, online and distance learning, and preparing teachers for the 21st century. She has written four books and numerous articles on these subjects; the most recent is New Tools, New Schools: Getting Started with Web 2.0. Schrum is currently on AERA’s Council, editor of the Journal of Research on Technology in Education (JRTE) (2002-2011), and is a past-president of the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).

Barbara B. Levin is a professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). Her research interests include studying teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and the development of teacher thinking across the career span, integrating technology into the K–16 curriculum, and using case-based pedagogies and problem-based learning in teacher education. Levin is an associate editor of Teacher Education Quarterly and has authored or coauthored numerous journal articles and three books, including Who Learns What From Cases and How? The Research Base on Teaching With Cases (1999), Energizing Teacher Education and Professional Development With Problem-Based Learning (2001), and Case Studies of Teacher Development: An In-Depth Look at How Thinking About Pedagogy Develops Over Time (2003). Levin completed a PhD in educational psychology at the University of California at Berkeley in 1993. Prior to that, she taught elementary school students and was a computer specialist for 17 years.