Wolf Creek IT Leader - Gary Spence

From today’s presentation:
The limits of my language mean the limits of my world - Ludwig Wittgenstein

This really struck me, within this graduate study experience.

Also, a fitting 2.0 moniker persisted through the talk given by Gary Spence, assistant superintendent at Wolf Creek School Division: Web 2.0, Networks 2.0, and School 2.0. All were seen as areas of great change. Gary Spence also went on to associate Maslow’s Hierarchy to his own adopted hierarchy within technology in education. I really connected to his interpretation of what is necessary to support learning, teachers, and education through pervasive technologies.

It was clear, to Gary Spence, IT was seen as indispensible to educating today’s world. Specific examples included collaborative practice, communication, and in achieving program of study objectives. What was most clear, however, was his passion for his work and his dedication to student learning and to education. He was consistent, with other speakers, in his efforts to align practice within the district, to collaborate and build relationships wherever possible, and to work within a greater district mission. With technology, he spoke to reliability saying, “if we’re going to do it, it’s going to work!” Specific initiatives were discussed in great detail and I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about each one. The extensive amount of decision making that was necessary for an IT Leader became clear.

Specific [IT] leadership traits were addressed:

1. COMMITED leaders: to: kids, staff, EXCELLENCE, integrity, dignity, organization& respect
2. VISIONARY leaders: knowing where one is going, knowing initiatives MUST benefit learners
3. HUMBLE leaders: aware that success is often the result of others, knowing one can’t know it all; those who give others credit, often
4. TECHNOLOGY SAVVY leaders: with nuts and bolts experience; don’t get misled
5. PEDAGOGICALLY SAVVY leaders: current in pedagogic research, and know the actual reality of classrooms