February 2006 — MacAdemic/Mac Educator
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Enter the Tech Director
Whether it’s in the classroom or behind the scenes, the leadership necessary to successful technology integration comes from an oft-overlooked resource.
We all know how important it is for teachers to incorporate the use of robust
technologies in their classrooms. But who robustly supports and encourages them
when they use technologies? Enter the technology director.
The technology director’s main mission is to provide the essential leadership that aids teachers in the wise use of technologies, even through user-friendly Macs, iBooks, iPods, and associated software. But getting there often requires that extra person-of-action with know-how and a passion for integration, who can step in and, no matter the challenge, make things go right. At the school and classroom level, technology directors help establish and maintain an environment of success through hands-on leadership, back-end support, or a skillful combination of both.
Hands-on Leadership
Julene Reed, director of Academic Technology for St. George’s Independent Schools in Collierville, TN, oversees a multiplatform district with a 1-to-1 laptop initiative in which all students have their own computer 24/7. Using Apple’s (www.apple.com) iMovie (and other iLife components), iChatAV, and podcasting via a Mac, students and teachers in her school have created some of the most stimulating learning experiences—those in which students engage readily and repeatedly—producing an abundance of podcasts and digital stories. “The popularity of and the ease in which student projects can then be transferred to an iPod for portability adds to the excitement of learning,” says Reed.
Still, Reed recognizes the need to ensure that faculty members are prepared to focus technology use specifically on student learning—and don’t get distracted by the technology itself, or spend too much time on the technical aspects involved while student projects are in progress. To create this environment, Reed trains her faculty in the entire process of both digital video projects and podcasting. “The research and planning that go into the projects are critical to academic success,” she says. “Creativity, utilization of higher-level thinking skills, and collaboration are effective components of these projects when they’re crafted in a thoughtful and organized manner.”
Reed herself steps into the classroom to explain the projects to the students and their teacher, making sure to include all of the steps leading to the finished project (including storyboards and assessment rubrics). She also shares best practices. This way, the students are ready to roll with various workable academic projects that directly align to curriculum standards.
