Sign up for newsletter

January 1, 1998

Technology Coordinator -An Impossible Job?

by Barbara Bray

As a consultant, I receive email and phone calls from technology coordinators from all over California asking for suggestions. "How do I do it all?" "How do other tech coordinators handle all the demands of their position and stay sane?" From these calls and more, we decided to design a forum for technology coordinators that was not limited to any specific geographic area. We are looking at several avenues where tech coordinators can communicate, share, network, help each other, learn some strategies to do their job more effectively, and so on.

Several of the county offices in the Bay Area have forums on a regular basis for the tech leaders to meet, including Alameda County Office of Education (contact: John Riley) and Contra Costa County Office of Education (contact: Doug Prouty). Computer Using Educators, Inc. also has a Technology Coordinators SIG (Special Interest Group) that meets twice a year at the Fall and Spring CUE conferences. If you are concerned about designing or managing a network, check out Smart Valley Inc.'s web site for their "Technical Guide for Schools."

At our Technology Coordinator's Forum in August, 1997, we designed a Technology Coordinator's Job Description. One of our attendees was starting as a Technology Coordinator at a new school just recently built. We thought we could help him define his job and help him start off right. So first thing we did was brainstorm a list of typical jobs that any Technology Coordinator (TC) may be asked to do:

• Prepare annual technology budget
• Order hardware and software
• Install and maintain the hardware and software
• Develop and update inventory
• Support the staff
• Find champions
• Research and keep current with any reading, Internet sites, new technologies
• Develop surveys, scope and sequence, standards
• Develop method of assessment
• Present to staff, parent groups, board meetings, etc.
• Research and find curriculum resources for teachers appropriate for their grade levels
• Troubleshoot on a moment's notice
• Work with student groups and individuals
• Attend conferences and workshop
• Manage the network
• Develop and maintain the web site
• Be a liaison with the community, district, and business partners
• Attend all school and district technology meetings
• Write grants and run fundraising activities for technology
• Market technology's effectiveness with newsletter, parent letters, web site (PR)

Whew! This was no way to help him get in control. This is a job for ten people. The title "Technology Coordinator" implies that this one person coordinates everything but does not necessarily do everything. Unfortunately, many of us are so excited to get this job that we agree to the job description which implies that we can do it all. From our discussions, we confirmed that the TC's job has to be team-based. Find your champions first and develop a team who are willing to pitch in and help will make the job more successful and more fun. It isn't realistic for one person to do everything, especially if it's in addition to teaching regular classes. We decided to figure out what is realistic and given all the constraints of the job, what would be the best order or priority for these various roles. What roles are inappropriate for you and should be handled by someone else? So what we came up with was for this group. You may find that you may prioritize the duties differently.

Things You Want To Do:

• Develop a technology team (visionaries, your experts, your curriculum experts, those that believe in what technology can do, people who do not mind working to make the vision work)
• Facilitate the technology planning team to define and update the technology plan
• Communicate your priorities to others
• Delegate pieces to your technology team
• Act as liaison for implementing the technology plan
• Find champions and partners ("special friends," visionaries, parents, business partners, others in the community)
• Coordinate staff development activities (can be responsible for pieces)
• Coordinate presentations to staff, parent groups, board and community
• Be a liaison to district, school, board, community and parent groups
• Attend meetings, conferences and workshop
• Research and development - keep current (read and preview software, hardware, and Internet sites)

Things You Want Input On
(You don't have the ultimate responsibility, but you want to be consulted and involved in the process):

• Define technology goals and develop or revisit technology plan
• Prepare technology budgets
• Develop Acceptable Use Policies
• Develop Scope and Sequence and Standards
• Develop method of assessment
• Write grants and fundraising activities
• Preview technology hardware and software
• Order, install and maintain equipment and software

Things You Want To Delegate
(You are responsible for these things, but other people can do them. This is why you built a team of supporters and champions):

• Troubleshoot problems
• Develop inventory
• Manage network
• Develop and maintain web site
• Provide parent and community classes
• Facilitate a student group

Now with these tools in hand, we created the 17 commandments of a Technology Coordinator:

1. Kids come first.
2. Learn to say "NO".
3. Never take work home.
4. Don't make house calls.
5. Have set office hours.
6. It's OK if it doesn't get done or if it doesn't get done just right!
7. Divide work into three categories:
   a. Happy to (Immediate priority)
   b. Hope to (Maybe I'll get to this)
   c. Hmmmmm...(when in doubt, throw it out)
8. Just because it's cheap, free or new, doesn't mean it's worthwhile.
9. Know what you want before you ask for it.
10. Spend an hour a day reading.
11. Set limits on what technology you're willing to support.
12. Do something fun regularly.
13. If it's not fun, don't do it! Keep your sense of humor.
14. Document everything. (also know as "CYA")
15. Don't work alone.
16. Find a volunteer before YOU'RE volunteered.
17. Check your email!

After several months, some of the participants contacted me and said this was all good and true but very difficult to stick to. Our next forum will focus on creating a Survival Kit to help those Technology Coordinators who may feel a little overwhelmed with their position.

E-mail: Barbara Bray

Return to the Articles page.