By Tweed W. Ross, Ed.D.
NETS-T IVC; VD

In schools around the country, it seems there are one of two views expressed about the level of technology support received in that community. Faculty members either feel their support staff is competent and there to help them, or they are not (competent and there to help them). A deeper looks finds that the level of technical competence on the part of the IT staff doesn't vary much—what varies is the perception by the faculty of their willingness to help. 

This perception seems to be closely related to the social connection between the IT support staff and the faculty. You find this need for social connection expressed in phrases such as, "They don't understand my needs" or "They're not helpful."  Sherry and Gibson (2002, p. 179) outlined this problem when they recognized in "The Path to Teacher Leadership in Educational Technology" that educational systems are not a single social system. In fact, the organization "contains virtual communities that may include students, preservice teachers, inservice teachers, technology mentors, curriculum coordinators, content experts, and administrators" who fall along a range of expertise.

The problem seems to be in many school systems that the IT support staff are separate and socially disconnected from the students and faculty they serve.  As a consequence, there is little understanding of the two groups' needs and aspirations. And without understanding, there can be no trust.

Consider the following scenario.

 A teacher is trying to prepare a lesson for an 8th grade social studies class, and his or her material has been stored on the server. However, something has happened to the network connection in the classroom, and neither the server nor the Internet can be found. Upon calling the IT hotline in the district support center, the teacher gets a recorded message, enters a calling tree, and finally gets a real person. This person says that the situation will be put on the waiting list for the next available technology person to come to the classroom sometime within the next two weeks.

There is no trust established to meet the immediate need. There is no connection to an individual who is known by this teacher on a first-name basis, and no contact with this faceless person who is seen only when he or she comes to fix a problem. Furthermore, the IT person doesn't know the teacher personally and has no real understanding of the building's technology infrastructure as he or she rushes from one building to another trying to put out brush fires. 

As a teacher, you should be aware of this common situation and be open to opportunities to meet and become acquainted with the IT staff in your district. A social connection will help you and those in the IT staff gain a common appreciation for and understanding of each other's roles and responsibilities in relation to the technology infrastructure in your school.

Source:
Sherry, L., and Gibson, D. (2002). The path to teacher leadership in educational technology. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 2(2), 178-203.