EdTech: Tech Directors Wear Many Hats
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
As chief technology officer for Warsaw Community Schools, Elaine Bultemeier wears two hats.
One day, she might be serving as “operations director,” talking to an engineer about WCS’s network. Another day, she could be in a classroom to see how technology is fitting in, working on the “academics” side of her job description.
“I do take requests every day for new technology,” Bultemeier said.
Requests are filtered through to see if the technology would be appropriate for the classroom. Most of the time, Bultemeier said, the teachers making their requests have done their homework, researching the technology and finding out if it can be used in the classroom and how, so the request will be granted.
Bultemeier’s staff is always doing research on technology, too, to see if it can enhance learning in an educational setting. The technology staff likes gadgets and enjoys talking to people about it, so they gather more information that way. Bultemeier always makes time to do her own research as well.
“Deciding which technology to buy is a tight rope,” Brad Hagg, Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. director of technology, said. “The last few years we’ve tried to focus on technology that really engages the kids and gets them to learn.”
As director of technology, Hagg said he wears a lot of hats.
He’s the chief technology officer for the district, and has to be a visionary in that capacity as well as part of the administrative team.
“Any chief technology officer in any organization needs to sit in with the leadership team to see what the big objectives are and how they can be met,” Hagg said.
Secondly, Hagg sees his job as a “people manager.” He had two people working for him. After one retired, he now has three people working with him.
Beyond that, Hagg said, there’s his duties of supporting the business and operations side of the corporation.
There are so many free resources out there today, include apps, Hagg said, that the frequency of teachers and staff coming to him requesting to buy items is less than ever. He has money in his budget for technology requests, but if a request comes for the whole or large part of the school, it usually comes through the school improvement team. Hagg said he will always work with them to see that it happens.
“If we know we have an academic need we need to meet, we’ll do research on that,” Hagg said.
“Hoosier Educational Computer Coordinators is a great resource for us in Indiana,” Bultemeier said. Every day on the HECC website, there are people asking and answering questions about technology.
Hagg is the HECC president. A lot of information comes through HECC that he can use to research new technology.
Bultemeier also follows a lot of people on Twitter who are “in the know”, including Scott McCleod and Howard DeBlasi. She, and her staff, have been to national conferences for technology and education. Another way to learn is just asking other school districts, inviting each other to vendor conference and demonstrations.
“Technology directors belong to a consortium. We get together four times a year. It is a wealth of information,” Bultemeier said. “We all have the same goal in mind – student learning. It’s a powerful experience.”
Hagg said he also reads different periodicals to see what the trends in technology are.
“It’s very difficult to keep up on new trends because it changes rapidly,” Hagg said. “It’s really difficult to stay up on the certification process with the role I’m in.”
Indiana requires school corporations to update technology plans. A complete update is required every three years, Bultemeier said, with a shorter update required annually.
The state requires schools to provide statistics, a detailed plan of each school building and how dollars are budgeted for technology. Bultemeier said Warsaw Schools would do all that anyway. As part of its strategic planning, Warsaw is looking at technology and coming up with a plan.
Hagg said Valley reviews its technology plan every year as well.[[In-content Ad]]
As chief technology officer for Warsaw Community Schools, Elaine Bultemeier wears two hats.
One day, she might be serving as “operations director,” talking to an engineer about WCS’s network. Another day, she could be in a classroom to see how technology is fitting in, working on the “academics” side of her job description.
“I do take requests every day for new technology,” Bultemeier said.
Requests are filtered through to see if the technology would be appropriate for the classroom. Most of the time, Bultemeier said, the teachers making their requests have done their homework, researching the technology and finding out if it can be used in the classroom and how, so the request will be granted.
Bultemeier’s staff is always doing research on technology, too, to see if it can enhance learning in an educational setting. The technology staff likes gadgets and enjoys talking to people about it, so they gather more information that way. Bultemeier always makes time to do her own research as well.
“Deciding which technology to buy is a tight rope,” Brad Hagg, Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. director of technology, said. “The last few years we’ve tried to focus on technology that really engages the kids and gets them to learn.”
As director of technology, Hagg said he wears a lot of hats.
He’s the chief technology officer for the district, and has to be a visionary in that capacity as well as part of the administrative team.
“Any chief technology officer in any organization needs to sit in with the leadership team to see what the big objectives are and how they can be met,” Hagg said.
Secondly, Hagg sees his job as a “people manager.” He had two people working for him. After one retired, he now has three people working with him.
Beyond that, Hagg said, there’s his duties of supporting the business and operations side of the corporation.
There are so many free resources out there today, include apps, Hagg said, that the frequency of teachers and staff coming to him requesting to buy items is less than ever. He has money in his budget for technology requests, but if a request comes for the whole or large part of the school, it usually comes through the school improvement team. Hagg said he will always work with them to see that it happens.
“If we know we have an academic need we need to meet, we’ll do research on that,” Hagg said.
“Hoosier Educational Computer Coordinators is a great resource for us in Indiana,” Bultemeier said. Every day on the HECC website, there are people asking and answering questions about technology.
Hagg is the HECC president. A lot of information comes through HECC that he can use to research new technology.
Bultemeier also follows a lot of people on Twitter who are “in the know”, including Scott McCleod and Howard DeBlasi. She, and her staff, have been to national conferences for technology and education. Another way to learn is just asking other school districts, inviting each other to vendor conference and demonstrations.
“Technology directors belong to a consortium. We get together four times a year. It is a wealth of information,” Bultemeier said. “We all have the same goal in mind – student learning. It’s a powerful experience.”
Hagg said he also reads different periodicals to see what the trends in technology are.
“It’s very difficult to keep up on new trends because it changes rapidly,” Hagg said. “It’s really difficult to stay up on the certification process with the role I’m in.”
Indiana requires school corporations to update technology plans. A complete update is required every three years, Bultemeier said, with a shorter update required annually.
The state requires schools to provide statistics, a detailed plan of each school building and how dollars are budgeted for technology. Bultemeier said Warsaw Schools would do all that anyway. As part of its strategic planning, Warsaw is looking at technology and coming up with a plan.
Hagg said Valley reviews its technology plan every year as well.[[In-content Ad]]
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