Bridging the Educator/IT Gap
Lessons learned from a classroom teacher turned EdTech executive
by Dave Saltmarsh
The education landscape began seeing a shift in how it approached technology in the mid-1990s. A handful of innovate teachers began bringing library-managed media into the classroom, essentially creating what we know as educational technology (ET) today. Over time, more educators saw the value of involving technology in learning. As a result, ET grew in both scope and complexity, which eventually warranted the development of self-defined information technology (IT) departments (Reiser, 2001).
In these early years, IT departments were separated from some organizations’ leadership teams. They were viewed as a separate element and not included at the school’s cabinet level. In time, this changed. While the majority of schools now view IT as an integral piece of achieving success within the organization, they don’t all see the value in having systems/information technology work in close collaboration with educational/instructional technology.
The Consortium of School Networks (CoSN), a national organization for educators involved in all facets of educational technology, continues to champion the inclusion of both IT and ET in schools. They believe both are essential to a district’s technology achievements and should, therefore, be equally important to key stakeholders within schools. This is troublesome because only 48 percent of chief technology officers (CTO) in United States’ K-12 institutions indicated having an educationally focused background (CoSN, 2016).
This reality within the education system creates barriers to creating the optimal environment for students to learn because the success of school technology initiatives depends on inclusive relationships between all stakeholders. (Wagner, Hassanein, & Head, 2008). Additionally, CoSN recommends school technology leaders with the Certified Educational Technology Leader (CETL) designation may be better qualified to support both the technical and institutional goals of an organization (CoSN 2016).
Thanks in part to the efforts of CoSN, many organizations now recognize the value of having both their IT and ET programs in sync. However, there are still organizations that struggle with poor alignment, miscommunications, and at times, opposing priorities. Those that are striving to bridge the ET/IT gap should consider the following:
Obtain the right leadership
The most crucial component to bridging the gap between educators and IT professionals is having leadership in place that has oversight and responsibility for both areas. Someone in this role would not only understand the value of bridging the ET/IT gap, but they would also help the departments proactively work together, which is essential to breaking down silos and achieving bigger goals.
Leaders must create the opportunity for transformational growth. They need to have high, yet reasonable and measured expectations that look at long-term success. They should always keep the goal of bridging the gap in mind and continuously work on making progress, never limiting the potential for their teams to grow. And leaders must embrace diversity and all of the benefits it brings. When all of this is in place, an organization can move toward effectively bridging the gap.
Recognize cultural differences
When considering ways to create more alignment with ET and IT teams, an organization must recognize that one group is very instructional minded, while the other focuses on the specifics of IT. These different mindsets can create a potential clash of priorities between the groups.
There are many ways to improve teachers’ technical skills and acceptance of technology. Increasing teachers’ abilities may improve their willingness to participate, reduce their reliance on IT and promote appreciation for the level of IT service they receive.
Equally important, and perhaps given less attention, is the consideration of IT’s quality of support in the areas of responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. Trevino (2014) suggested that IT s