ETEC 511: ePortfolio

Information Technology departments are typically highly valued at any organization. The way people work in an office environment, for example, is dependent on a seamless flow of technologies and the IT departments have a monopoly on this area as the other departments simply trust IT specialists to make everything work. These departments can also function in a silo where purchasing decisions do not take into account the daily needs and functions of the users. Whether it has been intentional or not, I agree with Mohan when he describes how IT specialists have insinuated “themselves into influential organizational positions and then deploy infrastructures that necessitates continual upkeep and upgrades by individuals in the occupational groups…” (2005, p. 82).

This really made me think about investments in technology in the school and college systems. Are computer labs with Microsoft software a worthwhile investment when so many students already have either a laptops or mobile device (that they are probably not allowed to use in the class)? How about the use of Clickers in colleges and universities? Is hardware that can only perform only one function – polling really needed in classrooms. The cost of these devices are passed onto the students when again, most are holding a mobile devices that could be used for the same function and much, much more (see polleverywhere.com). Could it be that heavy technology solutions with constant upgrades, servers, and sophisticated architecture are pushed on schools to ensure the need of a large IT department?

I work in in an IT department now, and from my seat I think IT specialists need to become better acquainted with the classroom. Rather than deploying sophisticated technology systems in a school to stay relevant they should be closely involved with teaching to support simple and low/no cost applications for learning. The money saved can then be directed towards the employment of more teachers and staff.

Reference

Monahan, T. (2005). Technological cultures. In Globalization, technological change and public education (pp. 73-92). New York: Routledge.

Image by Universidad de Navarra courtesy Flickr