August 23, 2008
Week 1: Description and Hopes
This is my eleventh year as tech trainer for East Peoria School District 86 – plus… That “plus” part of my job includes bits of network and helpdesk responsibilities for our seven buildings, managing and maintaining the district web site, working with the district librarian to support and provide lessons for our library/computer lab aides, major technology plan responsibilities and “all other duties as assigned”. My ten years of public school teaching experience have been invaluable in my work with district staff and my eight years as a library/computer lab aide provide the same for my work with our library and lab aides. My (stay-at-home) mother status provided new perspectives on education and the classroom as well. I share tech responsibilities for our K-8 district with a young Linux geek and we are both incredibly busy with the start of a new school year. I wouldn’t trade my job for any other, even on our most disastrous days. I have the best job in the world!
My greatest hope for this course is to discover a way to truly evaluate the impact of technology on student learning. Tech use is so intertwined with personalities and teaching styles along with a myriad of changes and classroom influences. How do you pull the impact of tech out of such a bowl of spaghetti? Along side that, I/we attempt to evaluate training sessions and workshops, our district technology plan, pilot projects and initiatives, our helpdesk support, district infrastructure, hardware and software as well as our own job effectiveness. I have simply “picked up” what I know from experiences and discussions – and frankly I suspect much of it is not ideal. Often it is difficult to collect data which then remains basically unused. Problems and negativity can easily become the focus of evaluation, leaving a “bad taste” behind. And sometimes it seems fabricated to simply say it was done. After looking through our appreciative inquiry text, I am encouraged and hopeful! It offers a positive, affirmative approach. My past CTER course experiences leave me very hopeful as well. They’ve been incredibly useful, thought provoking and fun!
If so inclined, personal photos and info can be found at: Pam’s Mahara ePortfolio/Profile
Pam
