EDU 5373 Igniting your leadership with technology - Fostering emotional intelligence

 

Igniting your leadership with technology

 

·                     What do you notice about the experiences and path(s) taken by the interviewee(s) that result in their elevation to decision-making roles and educational technology experts?

The utilization of technology and leadership goes hand in hand. In other words, the use and technology and effective instruction are interconnected. Technology can be used daily, at specific times when there is a need to accomplish visions or goals of an organization, when there is need to share specific knowledge, to enhance leadership skills, or to improve inclusion of technology in teaching.

·                     What connections if any are made by the interviewee to the ISTE Standards or Essential Conditions to support technology use and decision-making?

The interview with Jeff Hittenberger is about emotional intelligence which relates to the ISTE students 1.7 Global collaborator where the students learn to collaborate with others and work effectively in teams after using digital tools to broaden their perspectives.

Hittenberger stated that technology is the tool used to build relationships among people with the same mission. Focus on people and the organization’s mission, then adding technology helps advance the mission and build a team that shares the same vision.

·                     What is the role of professional development within the initiatives or strategies implemented?

Hittenberger states there should be a partnership of students and opportunities in career development and higher education. The example he provides is his own opportunities from Monterey County Office of Education’s curriculum administration of Education position to Vanguard University professor, to Vanguard University Provost, to Orange County Department of education’s Chief Academic Officer.

·                     What real-world challenges do they share as they describe the work they are engaged in (or have completed) and how do they address these challenges?

Hittenberger reports he focused his effort on emotional intelligence and spent much time thinking about and working on his position at the Orange County Department of Education. He already had skills and knowledge in his job but added the emotional intelligence part to create a team of about fifteen hundred individuals. He grouped the individuals in groups to participate in learning to improve effectiveness in doing their jobs, carrying out the organization’s mission, and work in teams.

·                     What critique might you offer?  Do you see any concerns? Are you inspired?  Tell me about your perspective informed by research from this week.

I really love the focus on the individual. The application of human-centered design thinking to education is process that starts with empathy. Empathy, says Hittenberger, is trying to understand the student. Educators should start with an empathic interview. Whittenberger’s example of Apple technology transforming intimidating technology into something personal and lovable such as an iPhone.

The concern is about the different points of view from students; not all students may see a human experience when using online communications. There may be some students who may feel distanced without the in-person lectures.

I feel inspired to look at the goals of the organization for which I work. I am inspired to belong to the team. I believe emotional intelligence helps individuals to understand each other and work towards the same goal by learning from others. Technology has made opportunity for collaboration very easy.

This week we discussed who are the stake holders of our organization and possibly obtaining permission for gathering information for our semester’s project. I personally have not direct education experience. I feel I help the organization as a consultant, but I am not an employee of the organization.