Abstract
This study sought to determine if there were unique skills, knowledges and attitudes deemed to be needed by an elementary principal during a transition to a technology rich school environment. Additionally, the study examined the degree to which these skills, knowledges and attitudes were needed in the planning, implementation and maintenance phases of a school site transition to technology. Using a focus Delphi technique as a structured consensus process, the identification of the unique skills, knowledges and attitudes was determined through three rounds of data gathering using a selected panel of principals who have themselves successfully led his or her school through such a transition. After the initial statements were established in the first round instrument, the second and third round instrument generated data which was analyzed and the mean, median and interquartile ranges for each statement were generated and compared. The principals identified seventy-seven unique skills, knowledges and attitudes that are important during a school site transition to technology. The data indicated a high degree of consensus on the relative value of the identified skills, knowledges and attitudes used in the planning, implementing and maintenance phases of the change process. The panelists identified a great number of skills, knowledges and attitudes needed, which were utilized to varying degrees in the three transition phases. The highest level of consensus was in the three domains concerning attitudes. The lowest level of consensus and the statements which caused the most divergent viewpoints, were those concerning personal computer literacy and the ability to teach technology skills. The results of the research indicate that unique qualities are needed by a principal for managing a transition and these qualities will be instrumental in adapting to new technological demands.