My mission as an instructional technology coordinator is to provide not only technology support for teachers, but also provide a deeper sense of how technology is part of their classrooms. I aim at helping teachers to see that technology can be a solution to making teaching not just easier but provide another tool to support learning at a more authentic and deeper level for students. In fact I think Bill Ferriter ‘s popular Pinterest image of “What do you want kids to do with Technology?” says it all. I really want teachers to see that technology as a tool in our toolbox and what we really want is good teaching.
To this end I have spent time at both of my home schools, Hutchison High School, and North Pole High School providing technology support to teachers so that they can provide technology tools to their students to discuss, collaborate, brainstorm, create, and envision their learning.
For example, at North Pole High I have spent time with the world languages teacher to help her students utilize Google Apps so they can collaborate and present their experience in Spanish. I work with the drafting teacher to utilize Google Sketchup as a primer to Autocad and 3d printing. I have worked with the art teacher to utilize Google Apps and Photoshop Bridge to help students create digital portfolios of their work. I worked with the SpEd tutors to help create a collaborative spreadsheet to track student progress and provided math lessons on the iPad for special needs students. In addition, I provided support for a new science teacher to use Canvas Learning Management System with her classes.
I also provide the just-in-time support for teachers that experience technology issues, whether it is with iPads or their computers. Having the equipment working smoothly means they can accomplish their lesson goals and the technology is seamless rather than a tool that is preventing learning. This year is also the year of implementing online testing, which means I spent time supporting teachers in using KITE, the online testing software. We worked as teams to provide technology lessons to students to utilize the software so when it comes time to do the Alaska State Test, AMP, the students are tested on their content knowledge and not their technology skills.
BEING AVAILABLE MEANS SUPPORT IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL
Teachers at North Pole know that when I am in the building they can stop me in the hall and ask for help or collaborate on possible project ideas. If I am not available, they also know that I am an email away and that I will make a point of stopping in to check on them if they need something.
Similarly, at Hutchison High School, the teachers have become accustomed to seeing me in the staff room and asking me questions. I purposefully station myself there in the mornings so teachers can locate me first thing and can grill me with questions or see if I am available to meet and do some planning. It is also a time for me to check in with teachers to see how they are doing and make suggestions for possible project or technology use ideas. And much like North Pole High, everybody in the building knows that I am their support, including the nurse and safeties.
Also like NPH I have provided support for KITE and MAP testing, working with Social Studies, Math and ELA teachers. I have also worked with the math teacher, the world language teacher, an ELA teacher and cte teachers to integrate Canvas LMS into their classroom. I have worked with the PE teacher to help integrate the use of an iPad into her PE class and generate ideas for her students to compare sled dogs to athletes for the special Iditarod event in Fairbanks. In addition, I provide the just-in-time support needed, which ranged this year from Smartboards to printers to iPads to basic computer questions and support.
To this end I have spent time at both of my home schools, Hutchison High School, and North Pole High School providing technology support to teachers so that they can provide technology tools to their students to discuss, collaborate, brainstorm, create, and envision their learning.
For example, at North Pole High I have spent time with the world languages teacher to help her students utilize Google Apps so they can collaborate and present their experience in Spanish. I work with the drafting teacher to utilize Google Sketchup as a primer to Autocad and 3d printing. I have worked with the art teacher to utilize Google Apps and Photoshop Bridge to help students create digital portfolios of their work. I worked with the SpEd tutors to help create a collaborative spreadsheet to track student progress and provided math lessons on the iPad for special needs students. In addition, I provided support for a new science teacher to use Canvas Learning Management System with her classes.
I also provide the just-in-time support for teachers that experience technology issues, whether it is with iPads or their computers. Having the equipment working smoothly means they can accomplish their lesson goals and the technology is seamless rather than a tool that is preventing learning. This year is also the year of implementing online testing, which means I spent time supporting teachers in using KITE, the online testing software. We worked as teams to provide technology lessons to students to utilize the software so when it comes time to do the Alaska State Test, AMP, the students are tested on their content knowledge and not their technology skills.
BEING AVAILABLE MEANS SUPPORT IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL
Teachers at North Pole know that when I am in the building they can stop me in the hall and ask for help or collaborate on possible project ideas. If I am not available, they also know that I am an email away and that I will make a point of stopping in to check on them if they need something.
Similarly, at Hutchison High School, the teachers have become accustomed to seeing me in the staff room and asking me questions. I purposefully station myself there in the mornings so teachers can locate me first thing and can grill me with questions or see if I am available to meet and do some planning. It is also a time for me to check in with teachers to see how they are doing and make suggestions for possible project or technology use ideas. And much like North Pole High, everybody in the building knows that I am their support, including the nurse and safeties.
Also like NPH I have provided support for KITE and MAP testing, working with Social Studies, Math and ELA teachers. I have also worked with the math teacher, the world language teacher, an ELA teacher and cte teachers to integrate Canvas LMS into their classroom. I have worked with the PE teacher to help integrate the use of an iPad into her PE class and generate ideas for her students to compare sled dogs to athletes for the special Iditarod event in Fairbanks. In addition, I provide the just-in-time support needed, which ranged this year from Smartboards to printers to iPads to basic computer questions and support.
Though these are just a few things that I have done to provide support of technology in my schools, the majority of my time has been spent focused on providing support for distance delivery in both schools, as well as the other 3 high schools. I have found that this year I have needed to provide regular support for use of the videoconference equipment, ranging from the Smartpodium to the touch tablet controller. I have also needed to provide regular support for the iPads that are used by the students. All so that when teachers use the technology it is seamless and allows them to focus on their content. We have had many discussions about what makes a strong distance delivery teacher during our PLC’s and what I feel it boils down to is being a good teacher with strong technology skills to teach the content. But most importantly these are skills that teachers have gained from practice and focused attention on being a quality teacher first and utilizing the technology to do so. Again coming back around to my mission as an instructional technology teacher.
In general, I feel that I have a wide range of technology skills that has allowed me to provide support to a wide range of teachers. I also feel that one of my strengths is that I work well with others and have strong listening skills. Often teachers need a place to vent their frustration when the technology is not working and sometimes just listening and reminding them that technology is just one tool in our tool belt helps to relieve the stress. I also feel that I have strong skills in troubleshooting and general knowledge of application of software and hardware. This allows me to be versatile in variety of content areas. I also make point of keeping up with current trends in technology and helping to share these with colleagues when possible. Part of my job also requires time management skills, which at some points is a strength because I am able to meet so many teachers needs, but at other times can be a flaw because it may not be particularly balanced.
Along with strengths come areas for improvement. In particular, I feel I can continually work on more focused time management and providing more hands on support in classrooms when teachers are using technology. I am in my third year of my 4-year cycle being an Instructional Technology Teacher, and I feel that next year I would greatly benefit from collaborating with my boss and other ITT’s to create some goals that I as an ITT could help to meet the mission of being a strong Instructional Technology Teacher. These SMART goals would be ones that could be assessed quarterly to make sure I am on target for being a better instructional technology teacher and they may include such things as time management, classroom support, lessons modeled etc. In addition a rubric could be created for evaluation purposes along with continual collection of evidence to demonstrate growth and progress. Finally I would like to focus on being more collaborative with my colleagues to share ideas and practice modeling lessons. I feel these things would greatly help me to be a stronger support for teachers and staff.