Emphasizing Technology Over Instruction: Adapting a 20-Year-Old Survey to Examine the Climate of K–12 Instructional Technology Leadership in Public School Districts

Abstract

Current research on computer technology integration in K–12 school classrooms indicates that student learning outcomes remain flat despite heavy investment. Examining school leadership conceptions about technology integration might reveal a way to reverse this trend. This study adapts a survey instrument from Brush and Bannon and applies it to Indiana school district superintendents. Key findings indicate respondents perceive developing technology goals and plans for a school district, providing instructional support, and integrating technology into a core curriculum are very important for instructional technology leadership, but educational experiences and credentials are less important. However, respondents from school districts with smaller student enrollments and who report having little or no knowledge of instructional technology tend to view educational experiences and credentials more highly than respondents from larger schools and who report being very knowledgeable. Implications are that superintendents tend to emphasize the technology-use aspect of instructional technology leadership over instructional proficiencies.