Vision. Technology for Leaders of Learning envisions students interacting with technologies in collaborative, inquiry-based learning environments to transform data, information, and skills into creative products, solutions, and new knowledge.

Challenge. The goal is to support leaders of learning to acquire and apply new and better ways of teaching and learning with technology to help teachers and students achieve the vision. This challenge expects leaders of learning to embrace and use technology, plan for its successful implementation, and make on-going adjustments and improvements as technology evolves in the 21st century.

Real World Impact. When COVID-19 caused extended school closings, there was no playbook for educators to open for supporting quality district-wide student learning at home while parents or guardians carried out their jobs alongside their children. Now, leaders of learning are faced with three jobs to create new playbooks:

1. Continue and improve successful remote learning practiced during COVID-19,
   
   
2. Design a new blend of physical classroom and virtual learning that closes the COVID-19 learning gap and embraces new technology such as AI models, and
   
   
3. Create a dynamic learning model for the future that applies what was learned during COVID-19, emerging best practices, and brave new ideas for making quality, equity, and personalization a reality for all students.

Many educators and stakeholders are asking:

• "Does my school reflect post COVID-19 expectations for school and remote learning? For example, how do I persuade my teachers to use technology routinely and creatively while planning, teaching, assessing, and improving?"
  
  
• "Why are innovators changing their vision of technology from integrating technology into curriculum, teaching, and assessment to integrating curriculum, teaching, and assessment into technology?"
  
  
• "How do I motivate teachers to think, analyze, evaluate, create, consume, remix, and share information about best practices with each other?"
  
  
• "How does a school use rapidly emerging AI Models to enhance teaching, learning, professional development, and school improvement?"
  
  
• "Who will provide the leadership and resources to develop and deliver customized virtual instructional activities that support each student's learning preferences and pace?
  
  
• "How do I know my students are acquiring the skills, knowledge, and processes they need to be successful with applying content and technology in the 21st century?"

Solution. Throughout the United States and other countries, new models and practices for using technology to support learning are evolving.

• On the downside, these models are pioneering efforts and not widespread practice.
  
  
• On the upside, the results of effective educational leadership will help to pave the way to improve student learning through dynamic and scalable models.

The LearningFront Dynamic Learning Community (LDLC) supports professional learning entirely over the Internet. It blends what people do best -- nurture, facilitate, and support -- with what technology does best -- process information at the speed of light. LDLC members become colleagues, join teams, learn, collaborate in cohorts, and share products and performances.

Technology for Leaders of Learning is offered through the LDLC Program Coach, Team, and Self-Paced Strategies. These strategies help you to complete practice, development, collaboration, and assessment activities and to demonstrate real world actions expected in program learning layouts. The program includes seven learning layouts, which are subdivided into components and activities. Text, graphics, animations, video, AI-ChatGPT, and social learning tools such as Syzygy, colleague and team messages, and instant messaging support each learning layout. The program also helps you to use the TaskBuilder and WikiTasks tools to develop and share program products.

• Program Coach Strategy - Nick Hobar is the program subject matter expert and author of Technology for Leaders of Learning and will serve as your Program Coach. Please use a Colleague Message to contact him directly throughout the program. Learn More about Nick Hobar.
  
  
• Team Strategy - In the Team Strategy, members complete learning layouts working as a cohort, in teams, and independently as part of a scheduled webinar. Members submit practice activities and products to their coach, colleagues, and teams for formative feedback and to their coach to confirm completion and earn badges. The Team Strategy can include brief coaching sessions for individual members during the scheduled webinar.
  
  
• Self-Paced Strategy - In the Self-Paced Strategy, members complete learning layouts independently, at their own pace, in their preferred location, and submit practice activities and products to their coach, colleagues, and teams for formative feedback and to their coach to confirm completion and earn badges. The Self-Paced Strategy can include brief coaching sessions for individual members in a scheduled web conference.

Technology for Leaders of Learning supports the LDLC Program Coach, Team, and Self-Paced Strategies by leveraging the skill sets of cohort members to offer peer instruction and feedback thereby converting, for example, a 1:12 coach-member ratio to a 12:1 coach-member ratio facilitated by the program coach.

• Using the Team Strategy your program coach will initiate Technology for Leaders of Learning by conducting a webinar to meet members virtually, clarify program expectations, establish colleagues and a cohort team, and demonstrate the LearningFRONT integrated social and professional learning tools. These tools are used to collaborate, complete practice activities, and construct program products. This webinar will include time for members to complete a self-assessment and practice the first and second learning layouts to gain experience with the LDLC integrated tools and virtual collaboration and learning.
  
  
• Using the Self-Paced Strategy, you will continue to work on the second learning layout for leadership and innovation after the webinar and practice the LDLC tools.
  

• Using the Self-Paced Strategy, you will acquire and apply content and skills to complete learning layout practice activities and develop products for leadership and innovation, blended professional development, and personalized learning.
  
  
• Using the Team Strategy, your program coach will conduct the second webinar for the cohort members to share progress and challenges, initiate the fifth learning layout for digital learning systems, and prepare for the final four weeks of the program.
  

• Using the Self-Paced Strategy, you will acquire and apply content and skills to complete learning layout practice activities and products for digital learning systems and social, legal, and ethical issues.
  
  

• Using the Team Strategy, your program coach will conduct a culminating webinar to reflect on your own portfolio development, share best works, provide program feedback, and build on the collective expertise of your program cohort. The program cohort member relationships and products will serve as powerful professional learning resources for use in your career development opportunities and to share in learning communities beyond the completion of Technology for Leaders of Learning.
  
  

Program Schedule

Technology for Leaders of Learning is is delivered through the LDLC according to the schedule of dates and times posted when registering for the program and can be modified for a customized approach with interested individuals and organizations.

• Review the infographic of the program products and timeline projected for developing and submitting program expectations.