WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.060 Have you ever stopped to think about who the 00:00:03.060 --> 00:00:07.160 real heroes are behind the tech in schools? You 00:00:07.160 --> 00:00:09.160 know, not just the IT folks fixing things, but 00:00:09.160 --> 00:00:12.119 the ones helping teachers actually use it effectively. 00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:15.859 Like really weave it into learning, not just 00:00:15.859 --> 00:00:18.440 deal with a glitchy projector. Who's helping 00:00:18.440 --> 00:00:20.660 them innovate? Yeah, that's a great question. 00:00:20.920 --> 00:00:22.559 Well, today we're doing a deep dive into exactly 00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:24.739 that. We're looking at technology integration 00:00:24.739 --> 00:00:28.379 specialists, or TIS. Right. We're digging into 00:00:28.379 --> 00:00:30.879 a really interesting blog post by Gary Ackerman 00:00:30.879 --> 00:00:33.340 called Hashtag EdTech for Hashtag Ed Leaders, 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:36.679 Whom to Hire, Technology Integration Specialists. 00:00:36.700 --> 00:00:39.600 It was on hack science education back in August 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:43.100 2018. A very relevant piece, even now. Absolutely. 00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:45.820 So our mission today is to really unpack who 00:00:45.820 --> 00:00:47.939 these specialists are, why they're so crucial, 00:00:47.939 --> 00:00:50.929 and also So the challenges they run into trying 00:00:50.929 --> 00:00:52.810 to help schools really make the most of technology. 00:00:53.009 --> 00:00:54.929 OK, let's untack this. That was good. So for 00:00:54.929 --> 00:00:56.689 a long time, professional development, especially 00:00:56.689 --> 00:00:59.429 for tech, it often happened outside the classroom, 00:00:59.689 --> 00:01:02.390 like in a conference room somewhere. Away from 00:01:02.390 --> 00:01:04.609 the kids, away from the actual teaching environment. 00:01:04.849 --> 00:01:07.430 Exactly. You'd learn about a tool in theory, 00:01:07.810 --> 00:01:10.730 but then trying to actually use it back in your 00:01:10.730 --> 00:01:13.409 own classroom. That was tough, left a big gap. 00:01:13.689 --> 00:01:16.329 A huge gap. And that's precisely where this role, 00:01:16.510 --> 00:01:19.090 the technology integration specialist, came from, 00:01:19.150 --> 00:01:22.170 to fill that void. OK. These folks, they're typically 00:01:22.170 --> 00:01:25.250 licensed educators themselves. They've got extra 00:01:25.250 --> 00:01:28.370 training, sometimes advanced degrees, specifically 00:01:28.370 --> 00:01:31.469 in educational technology. So not just tech support 00:01:31.469 --> 00:01:34.049 people pulled into a school. No. Definitely not. 00:01:34.230 --> 00:01:36.450 They understand teaching. They bring that learning 00:01:36.450 --> 00:01:39.069 into the school, into the classroom context, 00:01:39.810 --> 00:01:41.709 bridging that theory practice gap you mentioned. 00:01:41.909 --> 00:01:43.930 Right. And the article we're looking at, it calls 00:01:43.930 --> 00:01:47.239 them technology stewards. Which is interesting. 00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:49.640 Yeah. Drawing on Venger, Smith, and White. But 00:01:49.640 --> 00:01:52.400 it also calls them lead users. Now that sounds 00:01:52.400 --> 00:01:54.939 really significant. What does that actually mean 00:01:54.939 --> 00:01:57.180 in a school setting? It's a really powerful idea. 00:01:57.319 --> 00:02:00.120 It comes from Eric Von Hippel's work, specifically 00:02:00.120 --> 00:02:02.400 his book, Democratizing Innovation. Von Hippel 00:02:02.400 --> 00:02:07.379 says lead users are, let me get this right, ahead 00:02:07.379 --> 00:02:10.240 of the majority of users with respect to an important 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:13.259 market trend. And they expect to benefit highly 00:02:13.259 --> 00:02:16.530 from solving needs they encounter early. So applied 00:02:16.530 --> 00:02:18.789 to school applied to schools. It means the TIS 00:02:18.789 --> 00:02:20.849 are the ones out front. They're experimenting 00:02:20.849 --> 00:02:22.909 They're seeing the potential of new tech for 00:02:22.909 --> 00:02:25.090 learning before most others and they're figuring 00:02:25.090 --> 00:02:27.289 out how to make it work. Ah, okay They're kind 00:02:27.289 --> 00:02:30.289 of the pioneers creating and then spreading these 00:02:30.289 --> 00:02:32.430 innovative uses of technology within the school 00:02:32.810 --> 00:02:35.949 like an internal R &D for pedagogy, almost. Wow, 00:02:36.169 --> 00:02:38.370 okay. So they're innovators ahead of the curve. 00:02:38.509 --> 00:02:41.009 What does that actually translate to? Like, day 00:02:41.009 --> 00:02:43.550 -to -day, the article stresses their role as 00:02:43.550 --> 00:02:46.110 mentors, right? Primarily, yes. Mentorship is 00:02:46.110 --> 00:02:48.169 key. But what does that look like? Is it just 00:02:48.169 --> 00:02:50.250 workshops? Well, it's much more hands -on than 00:02:50.250 --> 00:02:53.050 just workshops, ideally. They're involved in 00:02:53.050 --> 00:02:56.050 planning and delivering PD, sure, but also promoting 00:02:56.050 --> 00:02:58.189 just a general understanding of how tech can 00:02:58.189 --> 00:03:00.879 genuinely enhance learning. They help design 00:03:00.879 --> 00:03:02.800 lessons, integrate tech into the curriculum, 00:03:03.319 --> 00:03:06.439 and crucially, they model it. They coach teachers 00:03:06.439 --> 00:03:09.659 directly. That often means being in the classroom 00:03:09.659 --> 00:03:12.539 or in the computer lab side by side with teachers 00:03:12.539 --> 00:03:14.900 and students. Actually in the room during a lesson. 00:03:15.080 --> 00:03:17.879 Yes. Sometimes they even teach or co -teach a 00:03:17.879 --> 00:03:21.039 class. It helps teachers find a sort of comfortable 00:03:21.039 --> 00:03:24.580 way in, especially if a technology feels intimidating. 00:03:24.780 --> 00:03:26.719 That makes a lot of sense. You see it in action. 00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:29.060 Exactly. Now there's another role mentioned, 00:03:29.219 --> 00:03:31.919 one that's maybe less obvious. Supporting the 00:03:31.919 --> 00:03:34.139 IT professionals. How does that work? Aren't 00:03:34.139 --> 00:03:36.280 they sometimes seen as, you know, different camps? 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:39.840 Well, they can be, but the TS plays a vital role 00:03:39.840 --> 00:03:42.500 here. Think of them as translators. Translators. 00:03:42.759 --> 00:03:45.680 Yeah. IT pros know systems, networks, hardware. 00:03:46.189 --> 00:03:49.110 T has no teaching, learning, classroom needs. 00:03:49.550 --> 00:03:51.949 Right. So the TS advocates for what teachers 00:03:51.949 --> 00:03:54.810 and students actually need when IT is designing 00:03:54.810 --> 00:03:57.569 or setting up systems. They help IT understand 00:03:57.569 --> 00:04:00.289 the sometimes really specific educational context. 00:04:00.430 --> 00:04:02.990 So they can explain why a certain setup might 00:04:02.990 --> 00:04:06.349 not work for, say, a group project, even if it 00:04:06.349 --> 00:04:09.750 looks fine technically. Precisely. Or point out 00:04:09.750 --> 00:04:12.449 unmet needs or systems that teachers find clunky 00:04:12.449 --> 00:04:15.379 or difficult to use. They bridge that gap. between 00:04:15.379 --> 00:04:18.399 the tech side and the teaching side. It's supposed 00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:20.540 to be a symbiotic relationship. OK, I get it. 00:04:20.560 --> 00:04:23.019 That's a really crucial kind of behind the scenes 00:04:23.019 --> 00:04:26.199 function. Definitely. So the ideal picture is 00:04:26.199 --> 00:04:29.519 this TIS spending most of their time mentoring, 00:04:29.839 --> 00:04:32.600 innovating, helping teachers become independent 00:04:32.600 --> 00:04:35.610 tech users. That's the goal. Yes, fostering that 00:04:35.610 --> 00:04:38.089 independence. But the article points out three 00:04:38.089 --> 00:04:41.089 big obstacles that often get in the way. What's 00:04:41.089 --> 00:04:43.449 the first one? Well, one common issue, especially 00:04:43.449 --> 00:04:46.329 you see this in smaller schools, is the TIS might 00:04:46.329 --> 00:04:48.629 only be part time in that role. They might have 00:04:48.629 --> 00:04:51.470 their own classes to teach, other duties, and 00:04:51.470 --> 00:04:53.649 that just creates immediate scheduling headaches. 00:04:54.069 --> 00:04:56.069 It's hard to find time to collaborate with teachers 00:04:56.069 --> 00:04:58.470 when you're both juggling packed schedules. Right, 00:04:58.569 --> 00:05:00.709 limited availability right off the bat. OK, what's 00:05:00.709 --> 00:05:03.110 the second obstacle? The article calls it teacher 00:05:03.110 --> 00:05:06.470 dependency. That sounds tricky. It is tricky 00:05:06.470 --> 00:05:08.009 and kind of counterintuitive, like you said. 00:05:08.269 --> 00:05:10.230 The goal is independence, but sometimes you get 00:05:10.230 --> 00:05:13.410 the opposite. Well, some teachers, particularly 00:05:13.410 --> 00:05:15.970 those who maybe don't feel very confident with 00:05:15.970 --> 00:05:19.339 technology, what researchers call low self -efficacy. 00:05:19.639 --> 00:05:22.019 Right. They tend to rely really heavily on the 00:05:22.019 --> 00:05:24.620 TIS just for the basics, just to meet the minimum 00:05:24.620 --> 00:05:26.899 expectations. So they call the TIS for every 00:05:26.899 --> 00:05:29.600 little thing. Pretty much. Yeah. And while the 00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:32.839 TIS is there to help, of course, this constant 00:05:32.839 --> 00:05:35.360 reliance can actually stop those teachers from, 00:05:35.360 --> 00:05:38.290 you know... developing their own skills and confidence, 00:05:38.730 --> 00:05:41.329 it becomes a crutch. Mm. So it hinders their 00:05:41.329 --> 00:05:44.089 growth instead of fostering it. That's a tough 00:05:44.089 --> 00:05:46.050 cycle to break. It really is. It keeps them from 00:05:46.050 --> 00:05:47.769 becoming independent users, which is the whole 00:05:47.769 --> 00:05:50.410 point. OK. That's a big one. And the third obstacle. 00:05:50.949 --> 00:05:53.250 I have a feeling I know this one. Let me guess. 00:05:54.009 --> 00:05:56.649 Troubleshooting. Bingo. Yep. It's almost inevitable. 00:05:57.069 --> 00:05:59.529 The TIS is often the most visible tech person 00:05:59.529 --> 00:06:01.379 walking the halls. Right. They know how stuff 00:06:01.379 --> 00:06:04.180 works. Exactly. So when a projector bulb burns 00:06:04.180 --> 00:06:06.800 out or the Wi -Fi seems flaky or a program won't 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:11.439 load, who gets the first call? The TIS. The TIS. 00:06:12.160 --> 00:06:14.199 Now look, sometimes this leads to a quick fix. 00:06:14.579 --> 00:06:16.680 Maybe even a little informal troubleshooting 00:06:16.680 --> 00:06:18.560 lesson for the teacher or students right there. 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:21.839 Yeah, a teachable moment maybe. Maybe. But the 00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:25.980 problem is it pulls them away significantly from 00:06:25.980 --> 00:06:29.459 their main job. Mentoring teachers on integrating 00:06:29.459 --> 00:06:32.100 technology effectively into learning. So they 00:06:32.100 --> 00:06:34.920 get bogged down in basic tech support. Constantly. 00:06:35.069 --> 00:06:37.430 They become firefighters, putting out small tech 00:06:37.430 --> 00:06:40.329 fires all day instead of architects helping build 00:06:40.329 --> 00:06:43.370 new ways of teaching and learning. It really 00:06:43.370 --> 00:06:45.810 dilutes their impact. Yeah. I can see how that 00:06:45.810 --> 00:06:47.449 would completely derail the core mission. If 00:06:47.449 --> 00:06:49.110 you're always fixing, you're not innovating. 00:06:49.250 --> 00:06:51.470 Exactly. It becomes reactive, not proactive. 00:06:51.670 --> 00:06:54.029 OK. So let's pull this all together. What we've 00:06:54.029 --> 00:06:55.870 seen from this deep dive is that these technology 00:06:55.870 --> 00:06:58.410 integration specialists, they're so much more 00:06:58.410 --> 00:07:00.649 than just the tech person. Absolutely. They're 00:07:00.649 --> 00:07:02.870 mentors. They're innovators. They're advocates, 00:07:03.290 --> 00:07:07.339 translators. bridging that gap between what schools 00:07:07.339 --> 00:07:10.540 want to achieve educationally and what technology 00:07:10.540 --> 00:07:13.259 makes possible. They really are the engine for 00:07:13.259 --> 00:07:15.360 meaningful tech use in schools when they're allowed 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:18.399 to be. Understanding their role and critically 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:21.879 understanding the obstacles they face, that's 00:07:21.879 --> 00:07:23.939 vital for anyone who cares about how technology 00:07:23.939 --> 00:07:26.079 actually gets used effectively in education. 00:07:26.360 --> 00:07:28.879 Right, it's the key to moving beyond just having 00:07:28.879 --> 00:07:30.980 devices in classrooms to actually transforming 00:07:30.980 --> 00:07:34.660 learning with them. So that leaves us with a 00:07:34.660 --> 00:07:36.240 final thought, something for you, the listener, 00:07:36.420 --> 00:07:40.040 to consider. Given how crucial this role is, 00:07:40.060 --> 00:07:42.319 but also how easily they get pulled off track, 00:07:43.220 --> 00:07:45.800 how can schools strategically support their TKIS? 00:07:45.819 --> 00:07:47.800 Yeah, how do we protect their time? Exactly. 00:07:47.899 --> 00:07:49.740 How do we make sure they can actually focus on 00:07:49.740 --> 00:07:52.480 that core mission, fostering innovation and teacher 00:07:52.480 --> 00:07:54.500 independence, instead of just being the go -to 00:07:54.500 --> 00:07:57.100 for every single tech hiccup? Something to really 00:07:57.100 --> 00:07:58.660 think about for the future of edtech.