Educational technology teams are often evaluated based on uptime, system reliability, ticket closure rates, and, of course, cybersecurity compliance. Those metrics matter. Schools and universities depend on secure, stable digital environments to support teaching, learning, and operations. Yet, many IT departments unintentionally overlook the most critical metric that directly shapes trust in technology services: customer experience and usability.

When faculty, staff, students, or families contact an IT help desk, they are not simply engaging with a technical system but interacting with people. They almost certainly have a problem and often feel frustrated or rushed for time because they need a piece of technology for a meeting or a class. The tone, responsiveness, empathy, and professionalism displayed during those interactions often determine whether users see the IT department as a collaborative partner or as a barrier to getting work done.

Technology support in education is ultimately a service profession. When I used to hire frontline IT staff, the customer service orientation was what I looked for, as technical skills can be taught. Developing customer service skills is much more difficult.

The Human Side of Technical Support

Educational institutions increasingly rely on technology for every operational and instructional function. Learning management and student information systems, classroom presentation tools, cloud storage, multifactor authentication, and digital assessment platforms have become foundational infrastructure.

At the same time, many educators and staff members are under significant pressure, so when systems fail or access becomes difficult, frustration escalates quickly. In those moments, customer service matters as much as technical expertise.

A help desk interaction may only last a few minutes, but it can influence a user’s perception of the entire institution. Small gestures of professionalism and courtesy make a measurable difference. For example, many institutions now require users to verify their identity through live video before account recovery or password reset procedures can occur.

Security concerns make these processes understandable and often necessary. However, if an IT staff member asks a user to turn on their camera and display identification, basic professionalism suggests the support staff member should activate their own video feed. The interaction should feel reciprocal and respectful.

Turning on a camera, introducing oneself, and explaining the process helps establish trust and transparency. Such actions are simple examples of customer-centered thinking.

Courtesy Is Not Optional

In many educational environments, IT departments unintentionally adopt cultures focused primarily on compliance and enforcement, rife with rigid policies, transactional processes, and impersonal communication. This can result in users avoiding support interactions, faculty members delaying the reporting of problems, students disengaging from required security processes, and staff members creating risky workarounds.

Effective IT support teams understand that professionalism includes patience, clarity, and empathy. Users do not always understand technical terminology, nor should they be expected to. An educator struggling with multifactor authentication during class preparation is not primarily concerned with the underlying architecture of identity management systems; they simply need to regain access quickly so they can teach.

Ultimately, support interactions should minimize stress rather than increase it.

Simple practices can significantly improve service quality:

• Introducing oneself to the customer.
• Explaining why a security procedure is necessary
• Using plain language rather than excessive technical jargon; however, don’t talk down to the user
• Providing realistic timelines for resolution
• Sending routine satisfaction surveys, as nothing is more frustrating than getting an email saying a ticket has been closed when the problem has not been resolved.
• Designing support procedures around user workflows rather than institutional convenience

Educational institutions often speak about relationship building in classrooms and student services. The same philosophy should apply to technology support.

Cybersecurity Must Support the Mission

Cybersecurity threats facing schools and universities are real. Ransomware attacks, phishing attempts, credential theft, and data breaches continue to affect educational institutions nationwide. IT leaders are correct to prioritize strong security controls.

However, institutions sometimes implement security practices that significantly impair usability without meaningfully improving protection. In 1755, Benjamin Franklin wrote, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”

IT leaders need to consider this concept when tightening security to the point that it is difficult to use the system being protected. Balance becomes essential. As my favorite university registrar has been known to say, he builds systems that address the needs of 90% of the students and faculty. One of the reasons he is my favorite is that he understands there needs to be enough flexibility in systems to address the needs of the remaining 10%.

If security measures or any institutional processes become excessively burdensome, users predictably seek ways around them. Faculty members may store passwords insecurely. Staff may rely on unofficial tools. Students may disengage from institutional systems altogether. Ironically, overly rigid environments can create additional vulnerabilities.

Edtech exists to support learning, communication, research, and organizational effectiveness. Functionality cannot become secondary to process or systems. This requires IT leaders to ask difficult but important questions:

• Does this security process genuinely reduce risk?
• Is the burden on users proportional to the threat?
• Have we designed this procedure from the perspective of the end user?
• Are we building trust or creating frustration?
• Would reasonable people view this process as respectful and transparent?

Strong IT organizations understand that security and usability are not opposing concepts. Effective security should integrate as seamlessly as possible into the user experience.

Leadership Sets the Tone

Leadership shapes customer service cultures; they do not emerge accidentally. If institutional leaders reward only ticket closure counts and compliance metrics, staff members naturally focus on speed and enforcement. If leaders instead emphasize professionalism, communication quality, and relationship building alongside technical competence, they support cultural change.

IT leaders should regularly review support practices through the lens of user experience. Mystery shopper exercises, satisfaction surveys, and direct feedback sessions with faculty and students can provide valuable insights into how support interactions are actually perceived.

Technical expertise alone does not automatically produce strong customer service skills. Help desk professionals should receive training in communication, conflict management, accessibility, and customer interaction strategies just as they receive technical training. In educational settings, especially, technology teams should remember that every interaction contributes to institutional culture. At the end of the day, users rarely remember the specific technical details of a support ticket but how they were treated.

As noted earlier, Benjamin Franklin famously warned against trading essential freedom for temporary security. The digital world presents a similar challenge. Educational institutions must protect systems and data while still preserving accessibility, usability, transparency, and trust. Technology support should help people accomplish their work, not create unnecessary obstacles to it.

As technology is now a part of everyday life, it has become necessary for students to learn basic technology skills and digital literacy. And although many of them have been born with a digital device in hand, it’s still important to make sure they know how to use it properly to succeed in their education and ensuing careers.

1. Tech Skills Every Student Should Have: Internet Search 

Students need to know how to do a proper internet search, using search terms and modifiers. This skill is needed for school, work, and life in general, and extends beyond simply “Googling” it or asking Alexa/Siri.

These resources can help students to learn to find what they’re looking for.

• Free Fact-Checking Sites for Students and Teachers 
• Common Sense Smart Online Search Tips 
• Snopes.com 
• Top Research Websites, Search Engines, and a Research Choice Menu for K-12 Students 

2. Digital Citizenship 

Students need to understand their digital footprint, how to effectively communicate, the tools they can use, how to find information, strategies for when they feel unsafe online, and what is considered appropriate and inappropriate behavior. 

Here are some resources to get started.

• Best Free Digital Citizenship Sites, Lessons & Activities
• Common Sense Digital Citizenship Toolkits  
• Spunout: What is Digital Citizenship 

3. Online & Education Collaboration Skills  

As we saw over the past few years, learning how to create, edit, and modify digital documents, presentations, and spreadsheets has become an essential life skill for everyone. 

Many businesses still use MS Office, however, Google Docs and other communication and collaboration platforms have become equally as popular. These all work similarly so the learning curve when switching isn't that big. Google Classroom is already embedded in most schools. 

• Google Education Tools & Apps 
• How Do I Use Google Classroom? 
• Microsoft Teams: What is it and How Does it Work for Students and Teachers? 
• What Is Microsoft PowerPoint for Education? 
• Zoom/Video Conferencing Best Practices Revealed in New Research 

4. Navigating Social Media 

How to responsibly use social media, both inside of and outside of school and work, is critical. Students need to know how to protect and promote themselves, make positive social connections, and how to use it to connect and collaborate with others. 

• Best Free Social Networks/Media Sites for Education 
• Keeping Your Students (and Yourself) Safe on Social Media: A Checklist
• When Students Use Social Media As a Source 
• 5 Tips for Talking To Social Media-Addicted Teens  
• How to Teach with Social Media 

5. Cybersecurity and Safety 

Computer literacy and security are not merely elective topics for today’s students. Instead, these have become an essential part of elementary education, starting at the earliest levels— because even preschoolers have access to internet-enabled devices. 

• Best Cybersecurity Lessons & Activities for K-12 
• Cyber.org Cyber Safety Videos 
• Google Family Safety Center 
• Common Craft Video on Secure Passwords 
• Code.org Cybersecurity - Simple Encryption 
• Creating Strong Passwords 

6. Troubleshooting Tech and How to Find Help 

Learning how to search a help menu for software or hardware, where to go to find user forums to solve problems, and how to find other technology tips is always useful. In addition, being able to identify different tech terms and devices, how to make minor fixes, and how to do basic troubleshooting for WiFi, networks, etc., are all now required life skills.

Obviously most of these solutions start with a Google search, however, platforms such as YouTube often have plenty of How To options.

• How to Help Students Troubleshoot Technology Problems 
• Basic IT Troubleshooting 
• Best YouTube Sites & Channels for Education 

7. Typing & Keyboarding  

Yes, basic typing beyond using thumbs to navigate a phone – it's a skill that is necessary for any kind of communication as well as integral for careers involving tech and coding. 

• 15 Sites for Typing & Keyboarding 
• Learn Typing 

8. Understanding Data Privacy & Cloud Storage 

Students need to understand why it is important to protect their data as well as how to do so properly. The U.S. Department of Education protects student privacy as part of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

With all of the data that students create for school and work, it is also important to store it securely and have access to it at any time. Dozens of sites offer free data storage, with limits and pricing kicking in after certain amounts are saved.

• FERPA General Guidance for Students 
• How to Educate Students About Safe Data Storage 
• How Does Cloud Storage Work? 
• Google Workspace for Education Storage 
• Microsoft OneDrive 
• Cloudwards: Best Storage for Students 

9. Finding Safe Apps & Software 

Given the proliferation of options regarding any task, being able to find, evaluate, and use apps for school and work is critical. 

• Common Sense Best Apps & Sites for Learning 
• Evaluating Educational Apps 
• Education Applications Reviewed 
• 6 Ways to Check if an Android App is Safe to Download 

10. Copyright and Citing Sources   

With ease of access to content, students need to understand copyright laws and rules, how to cite a resource, and how to integrate someone else's work into their own work properly. They need to know that just because they can copy and paste something into a document, it does not mean it’s free for anyone to use. 

• Library of Congress: Getting Started with Copyright and Primary Sources 
• 6 Google Scholar Tips From Its Co-Creator 

Industry 4.0 is embracing robotics. However, manufacturers cannot find enough trained robotics technicians to hire to work in their plants. There are just not enough available graduates, which is why federal funding for Career Technical Education (CTE) is part of the three COVID-relief stimulus bills. Also, the Biden Administration’s proposed infrastructure bill designates $1.8 billion for training and reskilling.

School leaders at Northeast Mississippi Community College (NEMCC) are very aware of the manufacturer needs in their local area. “When we developed our program, we spoke with manufacturers in five surrounding counties to find out what they needed,” says Kyle Carpenter, workforce trainer/workforce E-learning administrator. 

NEMCC combined grants with government funding to buy their first robotics cells and training curriculum from Intelitek, which were intended to train unemployed people for specific industries. “Students need to know not only how to operate robots, but how to program and maintain them as well,” says Carpenter. 

Upskilling and Reskilling for New Work Opportunities 

One in three working Americans, including 33 million low-income workers, has the potential to access higher-income occupations with some training and new technical skills, according to the World Economic Forum. Economists believe that learning new skills is key to participating more fully in the post-pandemic economy. It is also the fuel behind one of NEMCC’s success stories.

James Duke is exactly the kind of person the school had in mind when the program was launched. “I was an ironworker for 27 years; then I ran my own trucking firm for seven years,” he says. “I thought the Intelitek program [NEMCC] was using was good and easy to understand.” 

After Duke finished the program, he was hired by Ashley Furniture, who gave him additional system-specific training. Once he was hired, it wasn’t just robotics he worked on, but also whole systems that require maintenance. 

“Entry level training programs teach a basic set of skills to apply across industries wherever robots are used,” said Erik Nieves, an industry expert, who adds that many companies have their own specialized systems that workers need to be able to adapt to. “For example, distribution and fulfillment centers use robotics and have the same sorts of fundamental problems to solve.” In general, employee shortages will lead to automation and additional robotics. 

To complete a fundamentals course, students must also learn about other machines in addition to acquiring interpersonal skills for collaborative work environments. 

“Robotics training needs to be broader than just how to make the robot work or how to maintain the robot,” said Graham Celine, from Intelitek. “When we create a training program for schools like NEMCC, we take into account students coming in at different levels of experience. We also look at the other competencies a graduate needs when they get into real jobs and build programs that include theory, practical hands-on, assessments and certifications.”

Robotics Training Certifications 

Industry 4.0 deals with a new world of integration and collaboration, and the training courses can be tough for some students, according to Carpenter. “We’ve designed our program to weed out students who are not ready to commit,” he says. For example, the Intelitek curriculum is designed to engage students in hands-on labs, and Carpenter’s role as an instructor is to help students navigate the program. “But they’re on their own to do the work,” he says. 

From an industry perspective, Nieves believes that certification programs need to transition from the current vendor-specific certifications to more vendor-agnostic, portable, national certifications. Since robotics is growing as an industrial practice, it is inevitable that certifications will move to some sort of national model. “We need to know we’ve got the right people trained in the right way, no matter where they go,” he says. 

The certification programs the college uses for production technician and robotics are nationally known certification programs. “We have certifications because of the demand,” says Carpenter. “These certifications are available throughout the U.S., and industry needs to recognize them.”

The Future of Robotics and Industry 4.0 

When educators and industry folks talk about Industry 4.0, they are really discussing a variety of skills. For instance, robotics are tied to upper level controls that direct the pace of work, and at the same time, computer programming schools are teaching Python and other coding languages. “We need more programming in Industry 4.0,” says Nieves. “Everyone should come out of school with Python scripting. It helps you formulate the right way to think through a problem.”

Being successful requires the learner to take responsibility for their own learning. “Whether or not you become a robotics technician, you have to motivate yourself and own your experience,” says Nieves.

Summing up his experience, Duke says that Carpenter and the NEMCC program made the reskilling process easy for him, and he is enthusiastic in his encouragement for others to consider the program. “You can learn this for yourself,” he says. “Get out there and get with it.”

• How Teaching Robotics Fosters Tech and Soft Skills
• The Future of Career Technical Education (CTE): What Educators Need to Know

Tech literacy is the language of the future, says Jeremy Keeshin, co-founder and CEO of CodeHS and author of the recently released book Read Write Code!

In his new book, Keeshin gives a primer for the world of computers, explaining the basic building blocks of programming, the internet, data, Apple, the cloud, algorithms, and more. 

He believes that everyone, regardless of their career goals or interest, should be educated in tech literacy in today’s world. Here are his tips for educators on how to develop their own tech literacy and share that knowledge with students.  

1. Tech Literacy Today is Similar To Actual Literacy in the Past  

 “Reading and writing, those are kind of core foundational skills, you expect students to know how to read and write,” Keeshin says. “It doesn't mean you have to be a professional reader or writer, but you use those skills all the time. Five hundred years ago most people couldn't read or write, and they were like, ‘What am I missing?’ But now we look back on that and go, ‘Of course, you need to read and write.’” 

He adds, “The printing press then caused an inflection, an explosion of literacy. And I think with computing, with the internet, we're at a similar inflection point.” 

2. Tech Literacy Isn’t About Becoming a Programmer 

Thinking that students should learn programming in order to become programmers is a common misconception, says Keeshin. “You can take what you learn in coding and programming and apply it to any area,” he says. “You can apply it to the medical field, the health field, you can apply it to the media or journalism, you can apply it to gaming, or you could apply it to athletics or whatever you can come up with.” 

Coding is already intersecting with most professions and that this intersection will only grow in the future, he says. 

3. Tech Literacy Is Critical For Everyone  

One of Keeshin’s main goals with his book is to show students and educators that achieving tech literacy is easier than they think. 

“Usually we have these associations, ‘Coding, computer science -- that's not for me. I can't do that,’” Keeshin says. “We want to dispel that notion. We want to say, ‘Hey, actually, you can do it. It's not that hard to get started.’ And in today's day and age, you don't have an option not to if you want to understand what's going on around you.” 

4.  It’s Never Too Late to Learn Tech Literacy 

For educators looking to increase their own knowledge of tech literacy skills such as coding, Keeshin says the secret is starting small. In the book, he takes readers through the basic building blocks of computing. “It goes, ‘Okay, there's bits and bytes, and how does that make up the language of computing? And what is coding? How do you use those to build apps or websites?’ And then we go into cybersecurity and AI,” he says. 

Educators can also take part in various trainings offered by CodeHS and others. Whether someone is a beginner or looking to increase their abilities in a new coding language, Keeshin says the best way to learn is to “Dive in and try it.” 

5. Districts Should Have Thoughtful Tech Literacy Programs  

To create an effective tech literacy program, districts need to know the skills of their teachers and students. Continuing education opportunities should be afforded to educators, and tech leaders should take time to see where students are, and thoughtfully plan the sequence of courses. 

“Do you have students who are new to coding, or have they been doing it for a few years?” Keeshin asks. Depending on the answer to those questions, it may mean that what your high school pathway looks like today is different than what it looks like in a couple years after a full K-12 tech literacy program has been implemented. “Because today, maybe it's their first course,” he says. “But maybe in a couple years, it's their third or fourth course.” 

• 4 Tips for Teaching Digital Literacy
• 3D Game Design: What Educators Need to Know

On a recent OnEducation Podcast episode (embedded at the bottom of this post), the hosts Mike and Glen got into a debate about what exactly is the “right” model of support when it comes to technology integration in schools? As they called out my name in particular, I felt it best to write this post in response.

Make no bones about it…Technology is a gift with a tail. It’s predicted that schools will spend $19 Billion dollars on technology in schools. This can range from a variety of devices, apps, software and various “STEM” tools but not necessarily servers, wires, and all that stuff in the closet.  Despite this large amount of money invested in technology, the amount of money to support and integrate these tools dwarfs the amount spent on the hardware and software. I’d also wager that a majority of that “support” money is primarily for personnel needed to repair and keep the technology running, not to integrate it into learning.

I’ve been integrating technology in some form or fashion during my entire 20 years in education. A few years ago I wrote this post about how funding support in both I.T. and instruction can affect the level of integration. From that research as well as my work with districts around the country, I’ve seen a wide variety of models when it comes to support. With most models, the two largest determining factors are budget and vision. What follows are the various models I’ve seen employed by districts around the country. Each model is followed by a letter grade that is completely subjective, because, hey, this is for education right?

The “Tech Support Only” Model

In this model, staff and funding for support go solely towards keeping everything up and running. That means at a bare minimum, the technology will work. Will it be integrated thoughtfully? That depends largely on the teacher and the goals and expectation of the principal. I would say a majority of districts and schools across the country use this model.

Grade= C- 

While it’s great that the technology can turn on and off, there’s really no way to know if it’s making a difference educationally without some intense expectations, strategies and vision from leadership.

The “Pay and Pray” Model

No tech support. No Instructional support. Just spend the money on devices and see what happens. Whenever you read research about how technology in schools doesn’t really help, it largely comes from schools that employ either the previous model or this one. Often times you’ll hear phrases like “well, some tech is better than no tech” but in terms of this model, you could almost make the case that this could be worse for students (not to mention the tax payers funding the bill).

Grade= F

No support at all is not an advisable model.

The “Vanguard Teacher” Stipend Model

When I started as a classroom teacher, this was the widely used model I saw for technology integration. The way it works is you have I.T. staff to make sure the technology is running and you add some stipend or an extra amount to a group of teachers or a single “rock star” teacher to help with the integration on campus.

Grade=B-

While the district saves money by not paying for a full-time staff member to support integration, this model puts a lot of pressure on the Vanguard Teacher to not only do their full-time teaching duties, but also support staff on a variety of issues. As someone who lived this role for several years, eventually the vanguard teacher also gets roped into helping with printer issues, projector issues, and everything in between.

The Ed Tech Consultant Model

This model seems to be on the rise as many districts that can’t support a full-time staff member. Having a consultant who’s an expert in technology integration can help build vision, support the Vanguard Teachers and converse with IT staff can be a huge benefit at a fraction of the cost of a full-time administrator.

Grade=B+

This model works best when school and district leadership are on board and match the vision for technology integration with campus-wide expectations. Also, having those Vanguard Teachers or to work with gives insight and boots on the ground so to speak. As someone who consults with schools and districts from time-to-time, I’ve seen first-hand the benefits of this model when done right.

The Full-Time Coordinator/Director Model

While far from ubiquitous, many districts districts land on this model of support by hiring a full-time administrator to help guide the integration of technology in schools. On top of helping with the vision and expectations, this person (also the role I’m currently in) works with all teachers, the community, leadership, and IT to makes sure all stakeholders are on the same page. While it does cost a district a little more, having a full time person coordinating the integration of technology came make a huge difference in learning and usage, especially when compared with the “Tech support only” models.

Grade = A-

The only reason this wouldn’t grade out higher depends on two factors – the amount of campuses to support and how they work with the I.T. Department. If an Instructional Technology Director has too many campuses to support, their impact is minimized as they can really only take a shotgun approach to integration. If they have an over-bearing or controlling IT department, it limits the amount of progress they can accomplish.

The 1:1 Coaching Model

This model involves putting a highly qualified, instructionally-focused staff member on each campus to support the integration of technology. Some schools have used current staff (instructional coaches or library media specialists) to sort of “hack” this model as it does cost the most money of all the models listed above. However, having a dedicated ITS or EdTech on each campus to coach, co-teach, and lead innovation with technology on campuses can be EXTREMELY powerful. When coupled with well-communicated expectations from campus leadership and vision from the district, I’ve yet to ever see a more beneficial model of integrating technology into the classroom.

Grade = A+

Note: I may be a little biased as this is the model my district currently employs. That said, as someone who has been in the “Director” role for the past 8 years, I can tell you maintaining the A+ Coaching model isn’t necessarily easy. Whenever budget cuts come, as they often do in public education, it’s often the first position to come under the knife which can cause disruption and uncertainness to those in the position. Also, it’s important to coordinate these positions across the district to guarantee some level of fidelity or else risk the role being used differently from campus to campus.

Summary

You can get various levels of technology integration depending on the vision, goals and budget of a district. I’ve lived through 3 different iterations of our “Ed Tech” position in my tenure and am now going through another “evolution” of sorts. As we’ve had a high level of support for years, we are evolving the position from someone who supports the integration of technology to someone who supports high quality teaching and learning with technology as an embedded part of that.

While it seems subtle, it does change the ideology around support. Removing the word “technology” or “digital learning” from a title implies that this person supports all learning, which is a good thing. That also implies that they don’t exist solely to repair printer issues or help a principal make a newsletter.

Regardless of roles, position titles, and support, without a well-communicated vision and expectation, technology usage will continue to be only substitutive in nature with the exception of a few outliers. If you have a moment, give the OnEducation Podcast below a listen. They start to get into the debate around the coaching and support models right around the 27 minute mark. Drop a comment below too if you have feedback on the models I’ve shared or maybe some I’ve left off.  

cross-posted at https://hookedoninnovation.com

Carl Hooker has been a part of a strong educational shift with technology integration since becoming an educator. As Director of Innovation & Digital Learning at Eanes ISD, he has helped spearhead the LEAP program, which put one-to-one iPads in the hands of all K-12 students in his 8000-student district. He is also the founder of “iPadpalooza”- a three-day “learning festival” held in Austin annually. He's also the author of the six-book series titled Mobile Learning Mindset, a guide for teachers, administrators, parents and others to support and embrace mobile learning in our schools. Read more at Hooked on Innovation.

Dark Cave

One of the most common things I have heard from business owners about high school students is the lack of soft skills they possess. The technical skills are there and they can learn, but it is difficult to teach the soft skills. The issue is not specific to high school students, but in the tech world, that generalization has been there for many years. The dark caves stories that make up an IT shop exists for a reason, many are like that. If you only know that your help desk ticket goes into a secret cyberspace and eventually someone assists without any human contact, is a giveaway that your IT department is operating under the dark cave model. This model does not promote soft skill expectation or development.

Tech Savvy?
Make no mistake, hard or technical skills are necessary to keep any environment running smoothly for the end users. Problem-solving, project management, coding, and technical writing are all important hard skills that make this possible. Under good leadership, mentoring, and training, these hard skills can be learned by a motivated person. The question becomes can someone be taught the soft skills necessary to balance and provide the best customer support possible to the end user? In January this year, LinkedIn released the "The Skills Companies Need Most in 2018-And The Courses to Get Them". Top four soft skills include leadership, communication, collaboration and time management. According to LinkedIn, 57 percent of leaders say soft skills are more important than hard skills, makes sense in a customer service focused environment.

[Computer Science For AZ?]

Organizational Chart We know the dark cave model does not work in today's world, but what organizational structure best works for an IT department to provide the best end-user support with customer support as the ultimate goal? If we are working to shed the stereotype of the dark cave, then our IT team needs to be visible and accessible to the end users. So where do we start with setting the customer service expectations desired?

Job Description
When researching job descriptions recently for technicians that are in the field with our end users I noticed that technical skills are still the priority. It was not until I searched for "customer care representative" that I found the soft skills listed on job descriptions that are needed for any technology department to be successful. If we are going to set an expectation that relationships are the number one priority for our teams, then soft skills should be on the top of any application.

• Positive attitude
• Build and maintain positive relationships with students, staff, and stakeholders
• Go the extra mile to engage end users
• Greet customers warmly
• Customer orientation and ability to adapt/respond to different types of users
• Resolve end-user issues via an in-person visit, phone, help desk, or email, based on the individual needs of the user

Get Out
It is not a new concept that creating an environment that places end-user support at sites, allows access and relationships to develop between end users and technical services support. Knowing that shoulder to shoulder support is nearby is comforting for those that still feel they are not good with technology and at the same time gives the early adopters a place to bounce ideas and be innovative knowing someone has their back when needed.Soft skills and relationships are not an option, they are key to a successful customer care environment. Take the time and step out of the dark cave and look around, you may find it is a great place to be!

cross posted at jcastelhanothisandthat.blogspot.com

Jon Castelhano is the Executive Director of Technology for Gilbert Public Schools in Gilbert, Arizona. He serves as an advisor to the School CIO member community, a group of top tier IT professionals in schools across the country who understand and benefit from news and information not available elsewhere. Read more at jcastelhanothisandthat.blogspot.com

Before you can use technology to teach math...science...language arts...etc, you need to make sure that your students have mastered some basic skills.Students may develop some of these skills in computer class (if your school offers it), but subject-area teachers will still need to teach some basics early in the year.

[Ultimate Resource Guide for the NEW Google Classroom!]

So what are the most important, basic, essential technology skills that your students need to master?
To help you answer this question I created a technology skills checklist. This check list identifies the most basic things that you should teach in your classroom at the beginning of the school year.

Download Tech Skills Guide

These skills are so basic that most middle and high school students will be embarrassed to admit that they don't know them. You will need to think of a fun, creative, non-threatening way to weave these skills into the first 1-2 weeks of the school year.Just because students are "digital natives" doesn't mean that they know how to use technology effectively. We need to help them.

One idea for teaching a lot of these basic skills is my "selfie trading card" activity. It's fun, easy, and will cross off a lot of the skills listed on my check list. Check out this video for details (the trading card template is in the description of the video)!

If tech is an important component of your classroom, it's worth devoting some time early in the school year to help your students be successful.

cross posted at electriceducator.blogspot.com

John Sowash creates useful resources for educators on his blog, The Electric Educator. John is the author of The Chromebook Classroom and founder of the Google Certification Academy. You can connect with John on Twitter (@jrsowash) and Instagram.