Administrators and Technological Support

I strongly beleive that it is imperative that administrators provide technological support in two areas: technical and curricular. Many times the responsibility of the maintenance and purchasing of hardware and software for computers fall on the shoulders of a teacher in the school. This can become a difficult situation if the teacher is not provided with adequate release time to perform these duties plus it sends a negative message to other teachers. A knowledgeable technician that is trained to repair computers and deal with networking issues best provides technical support. A skilled teacher can also provide technical support but appropriate release time to deal with this added responsibility is a must. Classroom teachers should be educated on basic troubleshooting measures but should also understand that they are not expected to be technicians. Administrators must also seek ways to provide curricular support to teachers. Teachers need professional development on integrating technology plus a knowledgeable teacher to work in the classroom with them as they work to find ways to integrate technology. A technology coordinator hired by the school division is often an ideal person for providing curriculum support in the area of technology. The technology coordinator can provide professional development plus mentor teachers in their classrooms. Administrators should also ensure that a professional development fund is in place to encourage teachers to take advantage of conferences and workshops that focus on integrating technology into the curriculum.