Effective Leadership in Higher Education Requires a Comprehensive Approach to Technology Integration

Paul D. Miller, EdD, Professional Development Director, Montgomery College, Maryland

Paul D. Miller, EdD, Professional Development Director, Montgomery College, Maryland

Technology is a significant factor in driving innovation and change in higher education. Effective leadership is crucial to helping colleges and universities adapt to the changing landscape and prepare students for the future workforce. To integrate technology effectively, institutions must address gaps in educational technology use, provide ongoing professional development for faculty, and understand the impact of technology on student success. Professional development is essential to educational improvement when it is focused, collaborative, and ongoing. It can support a systematic effort to change pedagogy, attitudes, and beliefs by addressing problems and creating solutions – that relate directly to the classroom.

Training and support systems need to be provided for faculty so that they can incorporate technology effectively into their daily lessons. Full-time and part-time faculty need additional time to plan effective assignments and classes that meet the needs of their students. With time and support, faculty will experiment beyond traditional teaching methods and find more opportunities to incorporate technology into their lessons in rigorous, engaging, and meaningful ways in an ever-changing world.

However, two significant gaps in educational technology use must be addressed. The first is an apparent usage gap or a distinct divide between technology use inside and outside the classroom. Although great strides were made in this area during the COVID-19 pandemic, practical technology usage in the classroom still needs to be improved compared to how long students are exposed to technology outside their academic studies. The second gap addresses the outcomes of technology use in higher education, suggesting that technology has yet to reduce costs and increase productivity within institutions, contrary to the business world, where cost savings and productivity are outcomes of technology investments.

“To integrate technology effectively, institutions must address gaps in educational technology use, provide ongoing professional development for faculty, and understand the impact of technology on student success.”

To create a sense of empowerment and further promote change, higher education leaders must understand how students use technology to support their learning in and outside the classroom. The education system must adopt an innovative mindset that understands its place in preparing 21^st-century learners and addresses the connections between teaching and learning. At Montgomery College, the Office of E-Learning, Innovation, and Teaching Excellence (ELITE) is leveraging professional development to support the integration of technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge using the technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) framework (Mishar & Koehler, 2006).

The TPACK framework offers a learning focus for faculty to develop their use of technology beyond its typical instructor-centric role within the classroom. It provides a context for understanding how instructors integrate technology into lessons and courses, highlighting the complexity of pedagogy, content, and technology knowledge as they are interrelated. Research has shown that effective technology usage needs to be built upon the individual user's habits to support individual learning. By exploring the relationship between pedagogy, content knowledge, and technology to aid student learning, faculty can match the students' use of technology to benefit their learning outcomes.

In addition to TPACK, ELITE uses professional development to address faculty attitudes, anxiety, and beliefs, including self-efficacy associated with technology use in the classroom. These key factors drive faculty's selective use of technology in teaching and learning practices. The relationship between comfort with technology and decreased anxiety with its use can be attributed to familiarity with technology. Consistent use of technology practices impacts faculty and student anxiety and their beliefs about their abilities.

Effective leadership in higher education requires a comprehensive approach to technology integration, including training and support systems for faculty, understanding the outcomes of technology use in institutions, and addressing the connections between the traditional culture of higher education, philosophy of education, and the business world. By prioritizing initiatives, educational leaders can empower faculty to use technology to enhance teaching and learning, prepare students for the modern workforce, and improve academic outcomes for all students.