Improving the Tech. Mentor Program
Posted by rsevilla on May 17, 2008
What ideas do you have to improve the technology mentor program? Please try to be specific. Be sure to include both what can be improved and how it can be improved. Mention who can help staff developers, Dir. of Staff Developement, technology mentors, principals, etc.
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khorrocks said
I would really like to see our whole TM meetings (monthly) incorporate one new thing that we can spend a brief time learning about and then some time playing with. This is the biggest problem for me, first, having time to explore newest technology and second, having time to learn how to use it. This would be a really good use of TM meeting time.
APiasecki said
The TM program is wonderful to have but as a TM I find it very challenging to learn the new stuff and find the time to then integrate it. Working 7 am till nite time hours just on your regular classroom teacher responsibilities makes it difficult to find time to “play” around with the the technology to then teach others wheter it be your own class or the staff. At the TM meetings we are sometimes introduced to something new but then I never have time to continuing using it to learn it. The TM job can be very difficult if you are not an “expert” at most things and can’t quite keep up with the level of the more experienced Tech. mentors.
Adam Bauchner said
I don’t really think the tech mentor program works all that well, but given current budget constraints, the reality of our staff’s various attitudes and abilities vis-a-vis technology integration, and the general state of the edu-tainment industry, I’m not sure how to improve it. However, I would like to go back to the discussion when someone decided to use this model for staff development, have a look at the other options, and begin trying some new things. I guess I just see so much potential for technology integration in elementary schools, so underachieved and unrealized, and I don’t see the tech mentor program making much of a dent.
kidscom said
I think there should be a team of tech mentors from each building. The principal and the librarian should both be on the team with classroom teachers.
TNoyes said
AS much as I enjoy and do learn new things, its very hard to stay on top of everything. Especially this year with the TM being in control of computer training’s at the high school. There has been a lot of effort and time put in by all parties. I would like to see the TM’s meet and discuss topics (i.e. school tech issues, TM problems, new technology) and deciding ways of improving them at the school or even district level.
Matt Holl said
In playing off of what Todd said, I felt overwhelmed by the number of trainings we offered for the new computers. Thankfully, for next year, there will not be 46 new MacBooks being distributed (if any at all). I think that this year was an anomaly in that we had the entire technology budget put into laptops, and I doubt well ever see that again. Also, we were piloting a new way of conducting the distribution to streamline the process on all sides (training, IIT, teachers) and it was a lot of “debugging”. I appreciate (SINCERELY) the help I received from Jean and Todd in training all the recipients of the new machines, and also Roger for all his help and guidance. As far as “improvements” for next year…who knows? This was my first time as a TM, so I have no basis of comparison for what is good/bad/other. I feel that the monthly meetings would benefit from having a technology-specific agenda, or maybe have a TM present something each month for the betterment of his/her peers.
sarah b said
I think the tech mentor program is useful. I like the idea of one new tech thing show cased every month, but I also think that an almost opposite approach would be useful where we had one project a year that we worked at together- chipping away at it together. I think our time together of comparing notes is really useful too but hard to quantify. One thing that I would change is not in our control to change. I do find it frustrating to be asked to help on a new machine that I have never played with. Everything is just a bit different and I feel so inefficient trying to find my way around. In a perfect world, I would give tech mentors a new computer as the district got them to try to stay on the crest of the curve. ;D
Jane Koestler said
I really like the idea of learning one new thing a month. However, I don’t think it needs to be the same thing for everyone. I would love to have a choice each month from a couple of different options. Logistically, I’m not sure how it would happen, but I think there is enormous talent in our tech mentor pool- and I think that we could share with each other. For example, I’d love to share some of the projects that I do with students and perhaps inspire someone else to try them out. Conversely, it’d be great to see what others are doing in their classrooms. Of course, I’d still count on learning new tricks from Roger and Andy
Kathryn Cernera said
The tech mentor program is useful, in theory. Unfortunately, it is hard to inspire people with new technology, when what we currently have is broken, substandard, out of date, or on lengthy repair. My biggest frustration with the TM program is that my co-workers see us as an extension of IIT (those who fix our computers) rather than Professional Development. If we had a tech guru in house who could fix the network issues, set up printers, relocate the printers when they get bumped from the network, and do all of the other “repair” related jobs to keep the technology functioning then TMs would be able to really TEACH new ways to USE the bright, shiny, working resources that we have.