Re: Tech Coordinator Interview Questions

Fred Schouten (fschoute@isbe.state.il.us)
Sat, 30 Mar 1996 10:05:48 EST

Lyla Whyman wrote:
>Hello! I am in a vocational school (11-12/adult) which is currently in the
>process of creating a job description for a technology coordinator to be hired
>this spring. ...
>
>My question is this - what would be some good questions we should be asking -
>other than the basic knowledge of our existing network and computers? We want
>to be very sure that the person we hire is the right person for the job -
>someone who can break us out of our existing paradigms and carry us forward
>with new ideas and possibilities.

It seems to me that if you truly want to break out of existing paradigms
and move forward, then you need to focus less on a "wirehead" and more on
someone who understands new curricula designs and teaching methodologies.
To do this, ask questions like:

1. Describe a class session or learning unit that would be a good example
of the integration of technology into instruction.

2. What would a classroom look like that is, indeed, a technology-rich
learning environment? What would the teacher be doing? What would the
students be doing?

3. Are you familiar with North Central Regional Laboratory's (NCREL)
"Pathways for School Improvement" web page or their "Plugging In..."
publication that describes "engaged learning" in technology rich
environments?

4. If you were to be in charge of developing a long-range technology plan,
what pieces would you consider important in this plan (look for answers
that begin with determining what students should know and be able to do and
how they should be learning before hardware and software is selected).

A few thoughts,
Fred

============================================================================
| J. Fred Schouten, Ed.D. | http://isbe.state.il.us/~peohs |
| Director of Curriculum and Technology |e-mail: fschoute@isbe.state.il.us |
| Peotone Unit District #207U |----------------------------------|
| Peotone, Illinois, USA 60468 | Phone: 708-258-3236 |
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