Preparing Students for Success Means Budgeting for a Tech Coordinator - Agree?

Guest post by Nick Fier | Cross posted at A Tech Coordinator for Elementary Schools

Editor's note:  As we approach this school year and the Office of Educational Technology for New York City fades quietly into the ether, this post by tech coach, Nick Fier is timely and relevant.  

We tend to spend more money on "things" than we do on "people."  Though there is a great amount of disparity out there, it does seem clear that schools today are filling up with technology.  What they are not also filling on is a dedicated person who has the job to coordinate the technology throughout the building.  I do not mean a technician, or I might say I don't mean only a technician.  What I mean is that every building needs an expert educator who will coordinate the use of technology for Students, Teachers, Parents, and Administrators.  

This is a big job and can't be on top of teaching a full or almost full course load.  It needs to be someone who can coach teachers in supporting students in the use of resources and search out and facilitate the use of the best equipment and software that suites the school curriculum and community.

Schools that don't have this person are using technology in a hit or miss manner and as a result they are not using technology to its full potential.

We are so focused on putting technology in the hands of learners. That is great, but it won't meet with success until we focus on putting a person in every school that can facilitate the use of that technology in a way that it can be used to the fullest potential in a consistent manner in every school.

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