ATLANTA – June 28, 2014 – To support schools and districts as they navigate the path to tech integration, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®) today unveiled the Lead & Transform movement. Debuting at ISTE 2014, this new initiative will provide a comprehensive roadmap and professional learning opportunities to guide education leaders through the system-wide transition to technology-rich and standards-ready learning environments.
“Schools and districts have made unprecedented investments in technology, ranging from devices to support 1:1 initiatives to deep expenditures for technology infrastructure,” said ISTE Chief Innovation Officer Wendy Drexler. “The Lead & Transform movement will provide school leaders with the tools and resources to leverage those investments and make a successful transition to digital learning that will result in increased student achievement and engagement.”
Based upon ISTE’s Essential Conditions, the 14 critical elements for effective technology integration, the Lead & Transform Diagnostic tool provides superintendents, CTOs, CIOs, school leaders and other decision-makers with a framework for planning and building a successful system wide initiative. Users get free recommendations immediately and then can work with ISTE experts on customized strategies to help leverage their strengths and identify opportunities for growth. The Lead & Transform Resource Portal features a growing collection of tools and resources to support planning, implementation and reflection and refinement of technology integration.
Education leaders around the country have looked forward to the launch of Lead & Transform.
“For years, I’ve been asking, ‘how do we make schools relevant?’ The reality is that we need to rethink learning from beginning to end. Having a resource like Lead & Transform can help leaders understand the critical elements and options for getting there as they consider decisions on how to implement different types of technologies or just need background information to ground themselves,” said Sheryl Abshire, Ph.D., CTO, Calcasieu Parish Public Schools, Lake Charles, Louisiana. “Too often people don’t know how, why or when to use available resources in a strategic way. The Lead & Transform diagnostic tool provides a great way to help focus efforts, understand the gaps, and not be consumed by a water hose of information that is overwhelming.”
The Lead & Transform movement is the focus of two special sessions at ISTE 2014. On Saturday, June 28 from 9-11:30 am, the first-ever ISTE Town Hall, “Lead & Transform” will feature inspiring speakers who are pioneering critical innovations to prepare students for success. Superintendent Pat Skorkowsky of Clark County School System in Las Vegas will kick-off the event with a keynote speech followed by a panel discussion on leading through change, moderated by Carl Azuz, anchor of CNN Student News. The panel of education leaders with diverse geographic and demographic experiences will share views on leading and transforming education in today’s evolving education and technology environment.
In the second session, “Rethink Learning with the Lead & Transform Movement,” on Tuesday, July 1, from 10:15-11:15 am, ISTE CIO Wendy Drexler will give participants an overview of the new resource for helping school and district leaders plan, build and implement effective system wide technology transition plans.
About ISTE 2014
Part idea incubator and part collaborative workspace, the ISTE Conference & Expo, June 28 – July 1 at the Georgia World Conference Center in Atlanta, is the epicenter of forward-thinking where attendees share discoveries and develop solutions for their greatest challenges – all while connecting to a global network of education colleagues and resources.
About ISTE
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®) is the premier nonprofit organization serving educators and education leaders committed to empowering connected learners in a connected world. ISTE serves more than 100,000 education stakeholders throughout the world.
ISTE's innovative offerings include the ISTE Conference & Expo — one of the biggest, most comprehensive ed tech events — as well as the widely adopted ISTE Standards for learning, teaching and leading in the digital age and a robust suite of professional learning resources, including webinars, online courses, consulting services for schools and districts, books, and peer-reviewed journals and publications. For more information, visit iste.org. Connect with ISTE via Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
For more information, media only:
Jodie Pozo-Olano, Chief Communications Officer, 804-986-6911, jpozoolano@iste.org
Lisa Wolfe, L. Wolfe Communications, 773-278-2800, lwolfe@lwolfe.com
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