Sign up for newsletter

April 1, 1998

Coordinators Influencing Teachers

by Anthony Fisher

We are living in an exciting age, one of constant technological advances. How can we as technology coordinators convince teachers that the use of technology in the classroom is a tool that will benefit and not hinder.

Being a technology coordinator for a school district or site often seems to be an impossible job. Some of our colleagues see the technology coordinator as a tech giant who has all the answers and knows absolutely everything that is computer related, even if that is not always the case. Others have yet to jump aboard the technology bandwagon and thus are less impressed with the technology coordinator's skills. A good technology coordinator must somehow be a guru, meeting the needs of the technophiles while also enticing the technophobes to consider using technology.

A technology coordinator has the opportunity to develop a technology plan and implement it within the school's purpose and mission statement. Thus the demands put on a technology coordinator are very time consuming and sometimes can be high pressure. Consider some of the ordinary responsibilities of a technology coordinator:

1. Order software and hardware.
2. Establish a monthly and annual technology budget.
3. Train teachers
4. Evaluate software
5. Keep up-to-date via books, magazines, and the Internet.
6. Attend conferences and workshops.
7. Troubleshoot problems, often immediately.
8. Maintain all computers in labs, district office, or individual classrooms.
9. Possibly establish a web site with constant updates and maintenance.
10. Write grants.
11. Listen to goals and plans of district officers, teachers and community.
12. Help with short and long range planning for the district.
13. Motivate teachers to get involved with technology within their classroom.

There are many other roles to which technology coordinators must pay attention, depending on the job description, and for many coordinators there is a need for serious help. However, it is obvious that their biggest challenge is teachers who choose not to welcome technology with open arms, those who either don't understand it or see the need for it.

The challenge is to get these educators to understand why technology is essential. They need to be exposed to the ideas of people like Craig Nansen, technology coordinator for the Minot schools, who explains the need for technology. He states that there are three main reasons why we need technology in our schools. The first and most obvious is that today's students will be working the rest of their lives in the technology and information age. They need to develop skills to survive in a constantly changing world. Secondly,technology is providing a new way to teach math, science, social studies, foreign language and many other subjects. The motto of his district's Technology Committee is "Technology, Opening Minds with a New Set of Keys." The third reason is that technology is needed by today's educators and support staff. In fact, in order for technology to be transferred effectively to our students, teachers must master the same skills that they expect of their students, especially if they are to stay competitive in the job market.

Computers in one way or another play a part in our everyday lives and need to be used as a tool to teach, not as a trophy or prize to just collect dust and eventually become outdated again. So, in addition to all the other tasks, the technology coordinator's role is to show and influence teachers how technology can improve their own professional teaching style and growth. If teachers can grasp and see the benefit of using technology, their view of using technology as a teaching tool can enhance the excitement of the classroom and can improve their creativity. Technology will continue to develop in all aspects of society and if we as teachers plan on providing opportunity for our students in the job market there must be a vision within our educational system.

There are now many schools implementing electronic roll taking, distance learning, research via the Internet, electronic resumes and much, much more. Little do we realize how technology has played an important part of our lives, with constant advances and changes from the time of the Industrial Revolution. Now the computer brings a totally new wave of technology. The question that we as technology coordinators must ask is how can technology truly be used within the educational arena and how can we influence those who are afraid to use it.

These are great and exciting times for teachers who use technology in their daily classroom activities. As one of those, I know that my students feel that they are getting opportunities that will provide an advantage over those who don't use technology. Having students use Powerpoint, CAD drafting, Graphic Design software or the Internet to compile a research paper lets me know that I am doing something that intrigues their interest. If they like what they are doing they will learn. On the flip side, if they don't like what they are doing they will not learn.

We are in a day and age where our students need lots of stimuli to stay active and with the increase knowledge of the multiple intelligencestheorem, technology is a great tool to spark interest with all students. If we truly want our students to learn and strive for the best and as we are constantly finding more information on how people learn, there is no better way than to use technology to assist in that process.

In conclusion I often think back to a quote that one of my professors often said, "If you can't learn the way I teach, then I will teach the way you learn."

E-mail: Anthony Fisher