CODE77 Rubrics for Administrators 2010 Part 5 of 10

I warned you these were coming.

Self-evaluation Rubrics for Basic Administrative Technology Use (2002) 2010

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. - G.B. Shaw

V.  Communications and Public Relations (TSSA Standards I.A, I.C, III.B, VI.B) NETS-A, 2009 (3c, 5d)

Level One:  I ask that my secretary word-process out-going communications. Telephone messages are hand written. When I speak to the public, I use overhead transparencies or no audio-visual aids. I do not have a professional online presence.

Level Two: I effectively use a variety of technologies to communicate with students, teachers, parents, and the public. I can use voice mail and the fax machine. I have an e-mail address, check my e-mail on a regular basis, and communicate with building and district staff using e-mail. When speaking, I can use presentation software and the necessary hardware to effectively communicate my message. I use the district’s cable television capabilities for public information uses in the school and community. I have presence on the district's website that is current and useful to students, staff, parents and the community. I can use the mass calling and e-mail systems in our district to notify the public of events and emergencies.

Level Three: I communicate online using a variety of technologies - blogs, wikis, podcasts, videos, microblogging and emerging technologies. I contribute information and policy advice for our school’s web pages. I encourage my staff to use technology to communicate with each other, students, parents, and the public. The public is encouraged to communicate electronically with the school. I understand the powerful impression that my school's online presence can play in the public perception of the school and can use online tools for recruiting and keeping students.

Why leaders need to be able to communicate electronically:

Good leaders need to be effective communicators. We need to be able to find ways to allow our staff, students, parents and community to freely communicate with us. And we need powerful ways to inform these same groups about our schools’ goals and programs. Technology can help us do that in a variety of ways.

Older technologies such as the telephone and fax machines have not been supplanted by newer technologies. More than ever, good school telephone systems (that include telephones in the classroom) are vital for two-way communication with our students’ homes. Voice mail with informative introductions (Today is February 12^th. I will be in meetings this morning, but will be in my office during the afternoon.) helps end possibly illegible and misplaced notes from the receptionist and frustrating rounds of telephone tag. Good telephone systems that automatically route calls to voice mail during instructional times are essential. Schools can and should use automated dialing systems that work in conjunction with their student information systems to rapidly send information about events and emergencies to all families.

E-mail has become the communication method of choice for many teachers and parents. Quick, thoughtful responses to questions or concerns through email can often take much less time than telephone conversations. E-mail in combination with electronic mailing lists is also a great way to send information to groups of people. By setting up either a “group” nickname in one’s e-mail program for smaller e-mailings, or establishing an electronic mailing list (listserv) for larger groups, a single email can reach many people. Our district has separate electronic mailing lists specifically created for all staff, all administrators, all teachers, all staff in individual buildings, all district parents, and all parents of students in individual buildings. (We are seeing percentages of parents with email access rising to over 90% 70% in our district.) Our public relations department now regualry sends news to the community using Twitter,  Facebook and text messages.

Face-to-face communication can also be enhanced with the use of carefully used technology. Electronic slideshows like those created with PowerPoint can help both inform and persuade. Judiciously chosen text allows the listener to keep organized and know the key points of the presentation. Charts, graphs and diagrams illustrate concepts that are difficult to comprehend with words alone. Digital photographs of students and staff can convince an audience by actually showing how programs affect individuals and can appeal to the emotions of those viewing them as well. Well directed and edited videos are becoming increasingly easier to make since using digital video cameras and computerized editing equipment no longer requires a high degree of expertise. A word of warning: all audiences are coming to have higher expectations of presenters and their use of slideshow-enhance presentations. Poorly designed slides with too much text, read-aloud to an audience will have a negative impact on getting one's message across.

Many administrators have found that district and community cable television networks can be a great public relations tool. Informative programs and bulletin boards of activities help keep the parents and the rest of the community aware of all the good things happening in schools. Video “streaming,” broadcasting video over the Internet, is becoming more common. Parents can view the programming by simply going to a webpage.

School leaders also need to understand the purpose and policies of school websites. Web-accessible information that can be kept current and usable is growing in popularity with all segments of the community. Basic contact information, calendars of events, directories, policies and links to various departments and buildings in the district are commonly found useful to parents. In addition, student work can be shared with the public. Schools need good webpage guidelines and administrators need to be familiar with such guidelines. Some school webpage guidelines can be found at <www.isd77.k12.mn.us/webguide.php3>.

Leading edge administrators are using a variety of "web 2.0" technologies - blogs, wikis, podcasts, online videos, microblogging and social networking site to communicate with their staff, communities and peers. They also understand the impression that their school's online presence plays in the public perception of the school and how this presence can be used for both recruiting and keeping students in an environment of increasing educational competition.

School leaders encourage other staff members to use electronic communication tools. Administrators need to model the effective use of technology and have high expectations of its use by their staff