Investigation of school leaders' transformational leadership processess and behaviors in nurturing a mobile technology instructional integration culture in a charter school system

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2017-05

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Abstract

This study investigated the multiple variable relationships between school leaders’ transformational leadership processes and behaviors and multiple indices of school effectiveness in a charter school network. Of particular interest in this study was on examining the ways in which school leadership processes and behaviors contribute to the kinds and quality of instructional technology integration cultures.
The study employed a Mobile Technology Instructional Integration Leadership and School Effectiveness (MTIIL–SE) conceptual model as a literature-grounded means to investigate the “links” or “connections” between/among MTII leadership processes and behaviors and multiple indices of school effectiveness in the 46 schools of this charter school network in Texas. A mixed methods phenomenological case study design was utilized to collect and analyze the perceptual data from school leaders in participating schools along with analysis of campus-level STAAR scores, MAP scores and TAPR data. Follow-up interviews with selected school leaders were then conducted to glean additional insights on context-specific technology integration conditions, issues, and challenges that would help explain their perceptions regarding their campuses’ overall level of success in implementing and sustaining effective instructional technology integration initiatives.
Exploratory factor analyses completed on quantitative survey data yielded four factor-analyzed dimensions of instructional technology integration: MTII - Leadership Vision (LS); MTII - Assessment and Reward Systems (ARS); MTII - Professional Development and Support (PDS); and MTII - Implementation Monitoring (IM). Analyses completed on collective qualitative interview data resulted in the identification of four emerging themes providing further insights regarding the challenges and opportunities associated with instructional technology integration leadership in charter and public school districts. The overall findings of this study contribute to the body of knowledge that may be tapped into by school leaders, teachers, and school community stakeholders who want to implement effective instructional technology integration cultures in school districts to support enhanced, technology-integrated teaching and learning effectiveness.

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Mobile technology, Instructional integration, Technological leadership

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