Technology plays a vital role in our schools' ability to serve instructional, operational and administrative needs. Every day we hear about another way in which technology and its applications are changing our field.

While many of us are just getting comfortable with the Internet and e-mail, Web 2.0 technologies are already changing the playing field for education. Though definitions of Web 2.0 vary, the one constant is that Internet users are now content providers rather than content receivers. The top-down approach of the Web we grew up with now has been replaced with users who build information from the bottom up. With Web 2.0, the focus is not on software or hardware, but on practices such as sharing thoughts and information through self-publishing and harnessing the collective intelligence of all users to generate information and solve problems. These technologies are creating huge changes in how educators and students receive and respond to information.

Your leadership success increases exponentially by the number of leaders you create within your organization. Teachers, as well as administrators, must accept their roles as leaders to properly integrate technology. Then and only then can long-term success be realized. In times of education bashing and dwindling resources, we must acknowledge that our most valuable assets are our human resources and allow our students to build our future in a positive direction in a technological, global society.

The future is now at Boston's Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School. In last week's most-clicked ASCD SmartBrief story, we learned about this school with no textbooks, one laptop per student, parent-teacher IM conferences, and online drop boxes for homework assignments. Leveled software is used to differentiate learning experiences, and built-in automatic assessments help teachers pinpoint students' instructional needs. Advances in technology have also expanded the role of online courses in shaping schools-digital curriculum is going global and, some say, decreasing the number of teachers needed in a classroom. Replacing outdated textbooks with laptops, increasing student engagement, and more focused one-on-one instructional time-is there a downside to increasingly automated learning?

The July issue of Education Update addresses ways educators are striving to develop students for work and life in the ever-changing 21st century. ASCD President Valerie Truesdale applauds the Association as it joins the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, which closely aligns with ASCD's Whole Child Initiative and allows ASCD to sit at the table with corporations like Dell, Apple, and Verizon.

Millions of students regularly experience curricula and lessons that address content and concepts with which they're already familiar. It's not just the 'talented and gifted' kids; there are plenty of students who know the material in a particular learning unit before they even start. They're just never given the chance to demonstrate their knowledge ahead of time. Nor do they have the opportunity to request to be pre-tested.

The LoTi Classroom Teacher represents a series of online courses designed for classroom teachers, mentors, and building administrators to improve and refine the manner in which 21st Century Skills are used to promote student engagement and achievement. The LoTi Classroom Teacher series explores the concepts of higher order thinking skills, differentiation, collaboration, and the use of technology to build effective communities of inquiry that help students develop 21st Century Skills and improve their academic achievement.

During the past decade, 21st Century Skills have been described, debated, and, unfortunately, downplayed when one considers their overall impact on instruction and assessment practices in our public schools. Organizations such as the Partnership of the 21st Century and the former North Central Regional Laboratory have successfully articulated a set of well-defined skill sets targeting needed student outcomes for the 21st Century workplace; yet, a careful scrutiny of district curriculum manuals, pacing guides, and scope & sequence charts reveals little evidence of their existence.  

TICAL's mission: Helping K-12 administrators provide informed and effective leadership in the use of technology to improve education.   School administrators are busy people with a big job to do! The Internet offers a tremendous range of information, tools, and resources that can help administrators lead their schools and districts to excellence. But what administrator has time to search and sift through hundreds of web pages to find the right resource for right now?

Urging the presidential candidates to make K-12 student access to education technology and modern learning environments a top national priority, leading education association have launched a public service announcement campaign titled One Giant Leap for Kids. The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), the National Education Association (NEA) and the State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) designed the PSA to drive home the message that making investments in technology today is critical to ensuring the ability of U.S. students to compete and succeed in the 21st century global workforce.

This section on Professional and Leadership Development will provide you guidance on identifying developing your leadership styles and responsibilities. In addition, it outlines the characteristics of successful professional development programs and provides the tools and resources to reinforce your education change and technology implementation with the professional development programs required for its ongoing success.

Use the resources in this module to find innovative ways of funding technology initiatives in your district as well as linking to the numerous resources available for grants and other funding programs.

This section on Facility Planning will assist you when planning and preparing your facilities for technology and change.

This section on Community Involvement provides tools for involving your community in the change and technology planning and implementation processes. Involving the community helps to build support and to ensure that diverse needs and viewpoints are included in future plans for the district.

Curriculum and assessment are at the center of education. There are many ways that technology and large-scale change impact on these areas. This module provides an overview of emerging models for curriculum and assessment and links to many resources with related information and tools.

Effective policies provide the framework for education in a district. This section provides information on policy setting in relationship to technology and change implementation.

Leading change and implementing technology often go hand in hand. The key to success in both is a thorough, inclusive planning process. The processes described and tools provided in this module will assist you in leading change and planning for technology. Many of the materials listed in this section are from the Washington State Schools Directors Association Passport to Leadership Program.

Our schools thrive on information. In the ever-changing world filled with new technology, our teachers and students require the right information, from the right sources, today. Having direct access to industry information gives the competitive edge needed to succeed. Student performance can be improved when the enhancement of teaching and learning using technology is adopted as the norm. This section on Why Technology? will lead you to a new understanding for how technology can impact your district, the schools, and the many lives united within your community.

As we advance toward the future, our entire society is changing in a changing global context. Major institutions, including government, industry and finance, are seeking ways to restructure that will increase their flexibility and effectiveness in this climate of change. Education is often pointed to as the key sector of our society that can prepare us for this new world and ensure our success. This module provides information and tools that you can use as an education leader to involve your colleagues and communities in building successful change practices in your district or school.