OK-ACTS represents a partnership for leadership and technology development which seeks to improve student achievement by connecting, supporting and educating Oklahoma head principals and superintendents.

The OK-ACTS model is woven with four major strands:

1. IDEALS
Systemic Change and Leadership Development Framework

Inquiry
Discourse
Equity
Authentic Achievement
Leadership
Service

2. High Student Achievement Research
Authentic Learning and Systemic Change: Rather than teaching in a didactic manner that focuses primarily on the memorization of factual information, utilizing innovative technology helps teachers develop and share authentic learning experiences that:

Researchers have found that when teachers teach authentically, their students consistently outperform those that are taught in more conventional ways (Newmann & Associates, 1996). That is, when teaching focuses on the development of understanding and meaning and on connecting lessons to students' interest and experiences, rather than on memorization, students do better both on assessments of advanced skills as well as on standardized tests. These findings suggest that students who think carefully about subjects, study them in-depth, and connect them to their personal experiences also are more likely to remember the facts and definitions called for on standardized tests (O'Hair, McLaughlin, & Reitzug, 2000).

We know from research and experience that schools can exist that are more personal, collaborative, and participatory. They are characterized by a respect for teacher and student knowledge, a collective sense of responsibility for student and teacher learning, and shared leadership. Frequently there is a set of shared values and principles that guide curriculum, instruction, and the daily operation of the school. School and classroom decisions are based on critical study and inquiry rather than on self-interest (Glickman, 1993). Finally, these schools are typically concerned with connecting curriculum to the world beyond the school (Newmann & Associates, 1996; Glickman, 1993; Meier, 1995; Wood, 1992) and in exploring and addressing social conditions (Apple & Beane, 1995). Such schools appear to be grounded much more in conceptions of community (Furman, 1994; Sergiovanni, 1994) and democracy (Dewey, 1916; Goodman, 1992) than in bureaucracy. By their very nature, these schools help facilitate and accelerate technology literacy and integration by connecting the curriculum to the world beyond school and by making learning more meaningful for students.

After studying over 1,500 schools, researchers found that not only were students' achievements in the first two years significantly higher in professional learning communities [as described above] but those gains also were distributed more equitably. That is, the achievement gap between students of lower socioeconomic status (SES) and students of higher SES was narrower in professional learning communities (Lee & Smith, 1994). Although research supports the efficacy of these schools (Newmann & Associates, 1996; Louis & Kruse, 1995), such schools remain the exception rather than the rule. In order to move schools from where they are to where they need to be in order for innovative uses of technology are likely to be realized, school leaders must be trained in systemic whole school change processes.

Teacher survey data indicate that in 1998, most students were exposed to a broad range of computer applications at some point during the school year, but that such exposure was generally not linked to curricula in core academic classes -- especially in schools serving predominately low-income students. Instead for the most part, students used computers primarily in non-academic courses (Rapert, 2000). As noted by a U.S. Department of Education official at a recent conference, technology has swept the nation in almost every sector except education (Smith, 1999). This lack of technology in academic core courses and throughout education is linked closely to organizational culture, norms, and structures in education.

3. Leadership Skills
OK-ACTS uses the work of Michael Fullan’s “Leading in A Culture of Change” as a foundation for leadership skills needed to encourage systemic change and integrate technology. Fullan stresses five core capacities in order to effectively lead in a climate of change.

Pervasive leadership has a greater likelihood of occurring if leaders work on mastering the five core capacities: moral purpose, understanding the change process, building relationships, knowledge building, and coherence making. Achieving such mastery is less a matter of taking leadership training and more a case of slow knowing and learning in context with others at all levels of the organization.”
-- (From “Leading in a Culture of Change” by Michael Fullan, 2001, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., p. 137)

4. Technology
OK-ACTS bases its technology implementation training on the six core components of the Technology Standards for School Administrators (TSSA). These include:

Leadership & Vision
Teaching & Learning
Productivity and Professional Practices
Support, Maintenance & Operations
Assessment and Evaluation
Social, Legal and Ethical Issues