JUMPING THROUGH HOOPS
Leadership tips for technology integration
The Metropolitan School District (MSD) of Steuben County Schools’ Leadership PLC meets every month to align strategies, set goals and fine tune its initiatives. The Angola, Indiana, school district also holds a Technology Leadership Cohort, which includes classroom teachers and curriculum coaches in its professional development committee. The monthly meetings help steer MSD’s professional development (PD) and tech direction with real classroom insight.
In a perfect model, Chantell Manahan, Ed.D., says students would also have a voice in the meetings—a reality the administrative staff is exploring ways to make possible. In the drive for digital transformation in the K-12 environment—one where education presents a mix of exciting opportunities and persistent challenges—collective input drives collective ownership. “Educators, IT staff and administrators simply cannot operate in silos,” says Dr. Manahan, CETL, MSD’s Director of Technology and Chair of the Indiana CTO Council. “When you have silos, integration efforts splinter or stall.”
The path to innovation is clear. The most powerful way to overcome resistance is to involve educators in the change process from the jump. When teachers feel heard, valued and supported, they are more open to taking risks. Pair that with strong modeling from leadership—leaders participating in training, co-learning with staff and being transparent about their own growth—and change becomes a shared journey rather than a top-down directive.
“The goal is always to move from isolated innovation to district-wide transformation. That takes planning, listening to community needs, and designing with scalability and sustainability in mind.”
— Dr. Chantell Manahan, CETL, Director of Technology, Metropolitan School District of Steuben County
Dr. Manahan believes it’s essential to communicate clearly the “why” behind any change. “If educators understand how a new tool or process directly supports student outcomes or makes their work more effective, buy-in increases exponentially. Small wins, peer champions and ongoing support make all the difference. Innovation without equity is just noise. For any new initiative to scale successfully, foundational infrastructure—devices, reliable connectivity and digital literacy—must be in place for all students.”
That means educational leaders must advocate relentlessly for resources, partnerships and creative solutions to close digital divides. For MSD, pilots and innovation zones are valuable testing grounds—initiatives that Dr. Manahan says should serve as stepping stones, not end points. “The goal is always to move from isolated innovation to district-wide transformation. That takes planning, listening to community needs, and designing with scalability and sustainability in mind. Tech equity isn’t just a tech issue; it’s a moral imperative.”
With movements like Generative AI reshaping the educational landscape, professional development remains the linchpin of successful technology integration. Without it, even the best tools fall flat. To make it all come together, today’s K-12 administrators must make professional development more than a one-and-done training exercise—it should be an ongoing, job-embedded strategy.
“Leadership plays a critical role in modeling learning like Generative AI,” Dr. Manahan says. “When school and district leaders attend sessions, ask questions and show vulnerability in their own growth, it sends a powerful message: We’re in this together. PD should also provide differentiated pathways for learners at every comfort level—offering support for early adopters and those still finding their footing. Impactful PD respects teachers’ time, honors their expertise and equips them with both the skills and the confidence to lead the way.”
Learning to juggle
Located in El Paso, Texas, the El Paso Independent School District (EPISD) is the largest district in the Texas Education Agency’s Educational Service Center – Region 19. With nearly 50,000 students in 75 campuses, EPISD, which was organized in 1883, employs nearly 9,000 people.
From where Sharo Dickerson sits, districts like EPISD face several significant challenges that hinder their ability to integrate technology into the learning environment effectively. One of those is limited funding and resources, which often result in inadequate financial support for purchasing and updating devices, upgrading infrastructure and providing ongoing technical maintenance.
Additionally, there often is a lack of sufficient training and professional development opportunities for end-users and stakeholders, making implementing current and innovative technologies relevant to teaching and learning difficult. “Outdated technical infrastructure further complicates matters,” says Dickerson, MEd, EPISD’s Director of Digital and Learning Resources. “It impacts bandwidth performance and connectivity, affecting consistent and meaningful implementation of technology initiatives.”
“Effective and relevant professional development is essential for helping educators learn new technologies and navigate technology transitions.”
— Sharo Dickerson, MEd, Director of Digital & Learning Resources, El Paso Independent School District
Facing these types of issues day in and day out can lead to a hesitation and resistance to change within the school environment—pushback that leads to limited progress in adopting new methods that could enhance student and teacher success. “School leaders can promote collaboration among educators, IT staff and administrators to develop a cohesive technology integration plan by establishing a shared vision that resonates with and involves all stakeholders,” Dickerson says. “It is crucial to create structured communication channels among the Academics, Information Technology and School Leadership divisions to ensure everyone understands the institutional goals behind the technology plan.”
Dickerson also believes that stakeholders can enhance effective collaboration by employing design thinking approaches to address diverse perspectives, implementing decision-making frameworks to clarify roles and responsibilities and offering professional development opportunities to understand the classroom’s needs better.
“Effective and relevant professional development is essential for helping educators learn new technologies and navigate technology transitions,” Dickerson says. “What does this look like? Professional development becomes a positive experience when educators receive technical skills and a pedagogical understanding of integrating technology. This includes providing differentiated learning pathways based on the educators’ experience levels, offering follow-up support for technology integration during Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), delivering training through online platforms, and ensuring that technology integration training is directly connected to curriculum and instructional priorities.” In today’s K-12 landscape, digital transformation is more than adopting new tools; it’s about creating equitable, forward-thinking systems that serve all learners. By leading with intention, schools can turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities for lasting impact.
