I’m a 39 year old male who has had technology play a part in his life since he could remember.
My father was a doctor but he was obsessed with computers as a hobby and the latest gadget was always in my home. We had the Commodore 64, then apple 2E before switching to IBM We had an ISDN line (keep in mind nobody had these for private home use) when I was in Grade 11. We would strip computers and replace parts like it was a car. All fun memories indeed.
Over the years a lot has changed but I had a unique upbringing in that we were always on the cutting edge of technology. It drove my mother nuts because my dad invested in a lot of stuff that quickly became obsolete and we still have some computer junk in the basement of my parent’s home in Vancouver that is archaic.
The point is I’ve always been up on technology and that made the changes in education easier for me. Education is a second career for me as I was, and still technically am, a pilot. In that field, I used all kinds of technology and loved it.
My first promotion in Education came as an educational technology coordinator. Essentially it came down to me being very ambitious and wanting to help others. This was seen as useful and it started me down the path toward administration.
Now, as a first-year Principal, I look for teachers who are open to rolling with changes, offer input, keep an open mind, and use technology to add value to their lessons.
We are in a great time for educational technology and I couldn’t be more excited about the possibilities.
Hi Ryan,
I liked your piece; you’ve shared so much about yourself. I wonder what made you decide to leave the airline industry and how have you coped with all these changes you’ve made in your career?
Hi Ryan,
That’s good that your upbringing gave you such an edge! There is lots of tech involved in flying too. My dad was a private pilot since he secretly got his flying license and bought a plane at 18. He never stopped learning or flying, even when he couldn’t pass the medical exam to renew his private license anymore, he turned to technology and built his own simulator with huge monitors and even rudders and switches all connected to a computer in his basement!
I am so impressed by your vast experience. Do you find that having a technical background affects your decisions as an administrator? In our district we have a funding process that follows “site based decision making” meaning the principal decided what to buy for their schools based on program need. We end up with many teachers saying “we don’t buy tech because I work for the sports principal”. Additionally our educators with the lowest technical skill and ability are overwhelmingly our administrators. They tend to not have the time or the need to keep up and learn new things because they are technically out of the classroom. I wonder without them having a strong background like yourself how we can overcome the tech hurdles for our administrators as learners?
Trish
Great questions Trisha
I feel as though all experiences shape us but I wouldn’t say that my exposure to technology has made me favour (probably a better question for my teachers) any one department. We have amazing music, athletic, and literacy programs at our school and that is a credit to the teachers and the department heads.
The biggest thing for me working in various jobs where I would report to my principal is I learned as much about what type of principal I didn’t want to be as I did the principal I do want to be. I never want to be a top-down guy and the best ideas are never held by one person alone.
In terms of funding, our school does have an ad hoc policy. The decision-making process is not made by me alone however. Teachers petition for something and I bring it to the director and give my recommendations. I waver back and forth about whether this is the best system but it does allow a certain amount of flexibility.
When it comes to technology my expectation is its all educators responsibility to remain as current as possible. To me it’s not a question of having or not having technology but recognizing the world changes whether we want it to or not. We all pledge to be “life-long learners”. The challenge is in selecting the right technology for the right purpose and ensuring that it is in place to support learning. It isn’t worthwhile to have fancy gadgets if they aren’t used in a meaningful way to add value to the learning experience.
I do hear what you are saying about teachers who do not have a strong background in tech. I think the fact that technology changes at a faster rate each year makes it understandable why teachers feel overwhelmed. The key, I believe, is in professional development opportunities and willingness of districts and schools to recognize the need for tech specialists that can train others. It is all teachers responsibilities to remain current but it is also the responsibility of admin to provide these opportunities to learn.