Increased Access to Information Communication Technologies and Work-Life Balance with K-12 Leaders

This qualitative study describes the lived experiences of kindergarten through 12th-grade leaders (K-12) relative to the increased accessibility of information communication technology (ICT) and work-life balance (WLB). Technology has evolved and become more accessible in the 21st century in individuals’ personal and professional lives. Research has shown the impact of ICT in other high demanding professions, with little research available relative to the impact with K-12 leaders. However, the role of the K-12 leader is likewise considered highly demanding with extended work hours. The K-12 leader is responsible for the day-to-day activities of the principalship, being available after hours for meetings and other events, serving as instructional and curriculum leader, and in recent years has been called to take on the role of technology leader. Hence, the purpose of this research was to determine the impact, if any, of the increased access to ICT on K-12 leaders and WLB. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, the researcher describes experiences of K-12 principals and WLB relative to the increased access of ICT. K-12 principals describe the experience as one that is overwhelming, includes the role of technology leader, is perceived as both a help and hindrance, and is a position that may benefit from WLB policies. The researcher collected data using semistructured interviews in an online platform called Zoom. The sample consisted of eight K-12 principals from major suburban schools in Texas. The concluding chapter presents key conclusions and implications of this study’s findings, insights, and recommendations. Keywords: boundary theory, ICT, school principal or school leader, stress, WL

International Symposium White Paper: Principal Work–life Balance and Well-being Matters

In November 2016, delegates from over 32 school leader associations (SLAs) from across the globe participated in the third Annual International Symposium on the Role of Professional Associations for School Leaders held in Toronto, Ontario. The symposium explored research on work intensification, generational theory and its influence on principal work and aspirations, and work-life balance and well- being. This White Paper draws on the work of the symposium and the wider evidence base to argue that we currently face a crisis in principal well-being on a global scale that, without urgent policy and practice intervention, will impact school- and system-level outcomes for generations. We argue for the importance of national and local recognition and understanding of the current status of principal well-being and work-life balance, highlight the factors and conditions that impact the work of principals with implications for well- being and work-life balance in the role, and proffer strategies and interventions that SLAs can undertake to enhance and promote principal well-being....a crisis in principal well-being on a global scale. School leaders have an influential and essential role in securing student academic and personal success, creating the conditions required for school improvement by acting as ‘lead learners’, focusing intently on the quality of teaching and learning. Yet there is growing evidence of a global transformation in the roles and nature of principal work (UNESCO 2009; OECD 2003, 2008) shaped by global patterns of educational reform over the last decade (Fullan 2008; Evans 2016; Edge 2016), the rapidity of innovation in information and communication technology (ICT) and its integration into the work and personal lives of educators and students (Dibbon & Pollock 2007; Gurr 2004, 2000: Pollock & Hauseman 2017; Pollock 2015; Carroll 2010), and the growing diversity (and growing awareness of diversity) of student populations and student needs (Ryan 2006; Briscoe & Pollock 2017; ATA 2014; Pollock, Wang & Hauseman 2015). The resulting escalation in workload brought about by these shifts has been described as “principal work intensification” – a phenomenon defined by an increasing volume and complexity of school leaders’ work, roles and responsibilities (Pollock 2014, 2015, 2016; Pollock, Wang & Hauseman 2015). Principals in several jurisdictions are reporting term-time work hours between 50 and 65 hours a week (Riley 2013, 2014, 2015; Bristow, Ireson & Coleman 2007; Alberta Teachers’ Association 2014). In a 2012 MetLife Foundation principal survey “75 percent of the respondents said that the job had become too complex,” creating undue stress (Pollock et al 2012, p. 3). Work intensification hinders the development and sustainable healthy work-life balance, with significant implications for principal well-being (La Placa et al 2013) and subsequently the well-being of schools and school systems. ...intended and unintended consequences. Globalization, demographic changes, growing global awareness of social equity and human rights issues, and rapid technological innovation create a demand and pressure on public education systems to respond and adapt. Over the last decade, educational change in many jurisdictions has been characterized by a rapid flow of initiatives designed to improve student outcomes. These shifts are occurring against a backdrop of structural and funding pressures that demand increased flexibility and creativity from school leaders, without a concomitant increase in, and at times a reduction of committed resources (Auerbach 2012; Barr & Saltamrsh 2014; Ontario Ministry of Education 2010; People for Education 2012; Sanders 2014; Wallace Foundation 2013). The constant pressure to adopt new programs, a lack of alignment between reforms, and competing accountability systems for different initiatives all contribute to work intensification and negative well-being outcomes for school leaders. Under these conditions, the increasing challenges to principal work-life balance and well-being are creating multifaceted implications for schools and school systems. The principalship is an increasingly undesirable position for prospective and current administrators, creating issues of both recruitment and retention across systems (Leithwood & Azah 2014a, b). Simultaneously, current school leaders find themselves pulled away from instructional leadership, with time increasingly co-opted by operational, accountability and administrative demands created by misaligned system-level priorities (SPEF 2015; The Human Cost 2014; Riley 2014). ...support and advocacy, practice and decision-making. SLAs play an important role in addressing these pressures, acting as knowledge brokers, advocates and policy activists for the well-being of their constituents. Globally, SLAs are developing strategies to support their members’ well-being and advocate for better approaches to work-life balance. Building on the current best practices and experience of symposium participants, this White Paper makes several recommendations for areas of advocacy and operational support that address the unintended consequences arising from the pace and scale of education reform, the growing centrality of ICT, and the changing nature of the principals’ role. These recommendations fall into four key categories: • Jurisdictional policy advocacy • Redefining the principals role • Advocacy for school- and system-level support and • Delivery of support and development opportunities. The applicability of specific recommendations depends on local and national context, SLA jurisdiction, mandate and membership structure. Importantly, while SLAs can act as advocates for policy change, work to share resources, and offer continued professional learning, coaching and mentoring for their members, the challenge of addressing principal well-being and work-life balance extends beyond principals and their professional associations: it rests in the hands of policy makers and school systems

Laptops for teachers: An evaluation of the TELA scheme in schools (Years 4 to 6)

The purpose of this evaluation was to investigate the impacts of the Laptops for Teachers Scheme (referred to from here as the TELA scheme) on Years 4 to 6 teachers’ work over a period of three years (2004-2006) and to record emerging changes in laptop use. The investigation focused on the Ministry of Education expectation (Ministry of Education, 2004) that teacher access to a laptop for their individual professional use would lead to gains in confidence and expertise in the use of ICTs, to efficiencies in administration, would contribute to teacher collaboration and support the preparation of high quality lesson resources. It was also anticipated that teacher would use their laptop in the classroom for teaching and learning

Laptops for teachers: An evaluation of the TELA scheme in schools (Years 1 to 3)

The purpose of this evaluation is to investigate the impacts of the Laptops for Teachers Scheme: TELA (referred to from here as the TELA scheme) on teachers’ work over a period of three years (2006, 2007, 2008) and to record emerging changes in laptop use. This evaluation report presents findings from the three annual cycles of national focus groups and questionnaires with Years 1 to 3 teachers in New Zealand primary schools. In this evaluation, two methods of data collection were used: first, three focus groups were held with teachers in face-to-face meetings and second, a questionnaire was sent to teachers in a range of schools. The focus groups allowed teachers to talk about changes in their use of the laptop over the three years. Focus groups were held in the Taranaki, Wellington and Marlborough areas. The questionnaire asked teachers about various aspects of their laptops experience, including school support for laptops, professional development, their use of laptops at home and in school, and their goals for future use. In this final report, questionnaire results are presented together with the results from the focus groups held over three years

A community of teachers: Using Activity Theory to investigate the implementation of ICTE in a remote Indigenous school

In 2001-2002, an innovative project entitled Reach In-Reach Out has been conducted in Far North Queensland. Its aim was to use telecommunications and Internet tools to facilitate communication between the children of Lockhart River who attend secondary school in such centres as Cairns, Townsville and Herberton and their families. This study was the first (of three) to investigate the impact of this project. Its focus is on the teachers of Lockart River State School and the changes made to their practice by the implementation of the project. The study described in this paper was conducted in Lockhart River which is situated on Kanthanumpu (Southern Kuuku Ya'u) land in Far North Queensland. The current population is estimated between 650 (Education Queensland, 2001a) and 800 (Lockhart River Land and Sea Management Agency, 2001) residents. The student population of Lockhart River State School in 2001was 26 (Kindy), 105 (Primary) and 30 (Alternate secondary/VET) programs) (Education Queensland, 2001a). At the end of 1999, the secondary school of Lockhart River was closed following a community decision to do so. This necessitated the majority of post-primary students having to leave Lockhart River to continue their education at boarding school. At the beginning of 2002, 38 students left the Lockhart River Community to attend boarding schools (and 8 remained to take part in the Alternate Secondary/VET program offered at the school). Table 1 details the secondary enrolments of Lockhart River students from 1998 to 2001, including the period covered by this study (2001)

How are science teachers using their TELA laptop?

The Digital Horizons: Laptops for teachers scheme provides teachers whose schools opt into the TELA scheme access to a laptop for their exclusive use. This paper reports on a three-year evaluation of the impact of the TELA laptops on teachers’ work. The findings of the evaluation suggest teachers are making substantial use of the laptop for tasks such as lesson planning and preparation, reporting to parents and communication with colleagues. Teachers are making some use of the laptop in the classroom for teaching and learning. Science teachers are amongst the most active users of the laptops and the paper details how ongoing access to a laptop changed the way a third year science teacher planned for teaching and subsequently his interactions with students during lessons. Colleagues and the science head of department noted that the teacher provided a role model for what was possible. This case study highlights the importance of leadership and collaboration in supporting the integration of ICT into science teaching and learning

Integrating ICT in Kenyan secondary schools: an exploratory case study of a professional development program

This study explores the introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Kenyan secondary schools. Specifically, it is a case study of four schools with no previous access to ICT. The professional development program from which data for this study were drawn was designed to support teachers learning to integrate ICT in the curriculum. Using a mixed method research approach, we collected data from multiple sources and triangulated the views of various stakeholders: questionnaires with teachers, focus groups with teachers, school leaders and ICT coordinators, field observations and document analysis. While the broader program focused on the use of ICT, the results highlighted in this study focus on the development of the four schools with respect to 1) vision building, 2) leadership, 3) collaboration, 4) expertise, and 5) access to adequate resources. The discussion centers on the challenges and opportunities inherent in understanding how to prepare schools in developing countries to integrate ICT in education