Being a person in tech in the educational field, you have to constantly be on top of every new device, app, or trend in technology. Teachers have to integrate technology into their lessons, and sometimes it's already built into a curriculum. They need to keep up with any new or updated technology they could use in their classroom. "With 21st -century skills, teachers should be competent in using appropriate technologies and designing lessons to create a new learning culture (Chai et al., 2017)" (Elmali & Kiyici, 2022, p. 66). School leaders, such as administration, must keep up with technology in order to know what their teachers need professional development on. IT departments have to keep up with any new technology that might be used by a teacher or student to make sure that it's safe for the district as a whole. This can be a hard endeavor because something changes about technology daily.
For skill 7E: Enhance communication by keeping up to date on emerging technologies, I used Feedly to follow multiple blogs at once. Below is a screenshot of my Feedly feed:
"The ever-growing use of technology in the work of teaching and learning and social interactions among students and among teachers creates a potential cache of data and computer power not available to school principals in any previous era (Sorenson, 2019)" (Jones & Kennedy, 2023, p. 18). Because of this mounting use of technology that school leaders need to learn about, it's important to try to keep up with what is coming out. In my ED 677 class, I was given a PLN choice board to work on for three weeks. I made the choice of an RSS reader and following EdTech blogs. Some of the blogs that I chose were EdSurge, Cool Cat Teacher, and Edutopia.
This is an assignment that I am glad that I got to do. When I first started this degree and thought about future jobs that I could use it for, I wondered how I would keep up with the ever-evolving world of technology. I knew it was my responsibility to keep up, but I was nervous that I would never be able to keep up. "Future ready leaders take direct responsibility to ensure infrastructure remains up-to-date (both in terms of security and relevant software, apps, and tools) and open to appropriate Web content and social media tools to enable collaborative learning" (Jones & Kennedy, 2023, p. 18). Now that I know there are ways to keep pace with EdTech, I will continue following these blogs and adding more as I learn about more.
Finally, keeping up with EdTech is more than just staying trendy. It is about making sure that students have what they need to learn and teachers have what they need to teach. "Thus, teachers' pedagogical content knowledge about information technologies is vital for developing students' 21st -century skills, and they should benefit from these technologies (Voogt et al., 2013)" (Elmali & Kiyici, 2022, p. 68). You can see where I have shared many of the articles and blogs I have read from my Feedly page on my LinkedIn page here- www.linkedin.com/in/laura-l-730382288.
Elmali, S., & Kiyici, F. B. (2022). What Do Science Teachers Expect from a Technology-Based Professional Development Program?: Reflections from a Pilot Study. Participatory Educational Research, 9(6), 66–88.
ISTE. (2022, February 22). Choose the right edtech tools. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVZXR0I6U6I.
Hello! I had not heard of feedly before and it seems like something I will definitely like to use in the future. I appreciate you sharing it. I agree that communication technology has become a vital part of our daily lives and that those who use it, should use it wisely. Creating a school climate involves creating a place where everyone feels safe including how they use digital tools in the school (Jones & Kennedy, 2023). That's a big reason why training for teachers and students is so crucial. While digital technology can add enrichment to our cognitive capacities, it can also detract from it when we believe that we can fully trust content at face value because we believe that AI or machine learning thinks like a human when in fact, they are "spitting out patterns" (Comola, 2024).
ReplyDeleteComola, J. (2024). AI as a “Paintbrush of Possibility”: Stanford researcher Victor Lee delves into AI in education--the good, the bad, and the possibilities on the horizon. Educational Leadership, 82(3), 16–20.
Jones, L. & Kennedy, E. (2023). Effective technology tools for school leadership: Understanding digital and data-driven strategies. Routledge.
I like how you framed staying current as more than just keeping up with trends. It really is about being intentional with what you choose to learn and how you apply it. That connects to what Jones and Kennedy (2023) explain about leadership in a digital space. Leaders are not expected to know everything, but they do need systems in place to continuously learn, evaluate tools, and make informed decisions. That part matters because technology is always changing, and without a clear purpose, it is easy to start using tools without really improving teaching or learning. Your point about being thoughtful instead of reactive shows that you are thinking like a leader, not just a user of technology.
ReplyDeleteYour ideas also line up with current research on educational leadership and technology. Studies show that effective leaders focus on ongoing learning and professional growth to stay relevant in a rapidly changing digital environment (Uzorka, 2025). Another study highlights that leaders who strategically engage with technology and innovation are better able to support inclusive and meaningful learning experiences (Mariyono et al., 2026). One thing I kept thinking about while reading your post is how important it is to filter what we take in. There is always something new, but not everything is necessary. Being able to focus on what truly supports students and teachers is what separates staying current from just staying busy. That could be a strong next step as you continue building your approach.
References
Jones, L., & Kennedy, E. (2023). Effective technology tools for school leadership: Understanding Digital and data-driven strategies. Routledge.
Mariyono, D., Yunus, M., Junaidi, J., Syam, N., & Mazhabi, Z. (2026). Educational leadership in the digital era: Bridging Global Disparities with Inclusive Management Strategies. Educational Management Administration & Leadership. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432261419475
Uzorka, A., & Kalabuki, K. (2025). Educational leadership in the digital age: An exploration of technology’s impact on leadership practices. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 11, 101581. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101581
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ReplyDeleteHello Laura,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your blog post, especially what you said about the importance of utilizing and keeping up with EdTech in schools. Teachers need to understand how to use as many tools as possible to properly educate their students. As technology progresses, new and more efficient ways to educate are created. Educators need to understand how to use this technology to use it. According to Lawrence (2022), “The most effective digital writers understand, at least in part, how the tools and technologies they are using operate" (pg. 17). Teachers need professional development to learn how they can use digital tools for their students’ and their own benefit.
Furthermore, educators need to understand EdTech so that they can educate their students on how to use digital tools and resources safely. Those without online experience are more at risk of falling victim to Misinformation and Disinformation and assisting in its spread. If we only teach students how to identify these dangers through a few applications or sources that they are familiar with, then they remain vulnerable when using new technologies and systems. According to LaGarde and Hudgins (2021), “In short, the strategies being taught in school to help young people differentiate fact from fiction in the information they consume often do not transfer to the ways in which they access, react to, and share information in every other location” (pg. 19). Just as we need to learn how to use and implement new educational technologies, we must also teach our students how to use these technologies, not just for their learning but for their safety as well.
References:
LaGarde, J., & Hudgins, D. (2021). Developing Digital Detectives: Essential Lessons for discerning fact from fiction in the “fake news” era. International Society for Technology in Education.
Lawrence, D. (2022). Digital Writing: A Guide to writing for Social Media and the web. Broadview Press. February 10, 2026, https://read.amazon.com/?asin=B09Z4VZ9YG&ref_=kwl_kr_iv_rec_1