According to Frazier and Bailey, to be a succesful technology coordinator, it is important to possess skills in the four following areas: general education and dedication to lifelong learning, knowledge and support for the educational system, good interpersonal skills, and adequate technical knowledge.
These four classifications of skills are all needed to address the diverse needs of a school district or company. Administrators, teachers, students, and parents all have different needs that the network must meet. The technology coordinator is responsible for meeting these needs. I believe that teachers turned into technology coordinators possess the best knowledge on how to meet these needs due to their previous experience in the classroom. By providing staff development workshops, optimizing the school's current infrastructure, and utilizing strong leadership, communication, writing and speaking skills the technology coordinator will be able to ensure that the district's resources are being utilized effectively by everyone.
However, some challenges that technology cordinators often face include: lack of funding, lack of technology support staff, lack of patience, frustration, and desire to change from teachers.
Hi Abby,
ReplyDeleteWe took another online class and I always enjoyed reading your posts, and this is no exception.
I completely agree with you about your comment about teachers becoming technology leaders as being the best option for a technology leader in a school or district, especially if you move up in your own district. You will have a pretty good idea what your districts needs and issues are, you will knwo what recent technology upgrades and programs have come through in the past few years, and you will know what professional development has been offered. While you might not know all the details, you will have a better idea then someone from a different field, or district.
Amy
Abby, you made some great points regarding the areas that can challenge or frustrate technology coordinators. My biggest frustration is teachers who constantly whine and carry on about mandatory technology tools such as electronic lesson plans and grading. If they put as much effort into learning to use the technology as they put into resisting it, they would be proficient users in a short time.
ReplyDeleteAbbe,
ReplyDeleteI strongly agree on the teacher-to-technology coordinator as well. I don't think there is a better person for the position. Giving that teachers have lived it all and dealt with various sides of the educational process including: students, administrators, parents, and fellow teachers. This kind of interaction helps teachers to paint a clear picture on what needs to be done regarding school planing, classes technology integration and so on.
Regards,
Maram
Abby,
ReplyDeleteThanks again for your help last week with resending the email for the blog! Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed your challenges of a technology leader. I actually listed two of the same. The lack of desire of teachers to change, and the lack of support. I agree though with the frustration level, I am actually on my Tech. coordinators last nerve already this week. I truly believe I am the one without the patience therefore making her (my tech. coordinator) frustrated.
Abby,
ReplyDeleteIt is often overlooked that there are different types of people, that possess many different needs. Administrators, teachers, support staff members, and parents all have dynamic needs that need to be met.
Lack of change from teachers is something that I can personally relate to. I work with a Language Arts/Social Studies committee, and my job is to integrate technology into the curriculum. I have planned so many intrinsically motivating activities, but teacher resistance is a never-ending battle.