What does being a Technology Coach mean?
Standard 4. Coaches model and support educators to design learning experiences and environments to meet the needs and interests of all students
4a. Collaborate with educators to develop authentic, active learning experiences that foster student agency, deepen content mastery, and allow students to demonstrate their competency.
4b. Help educators use digital tools to create effective assessments that provide timely feedback and support personalized learning.
4c. Collaborate with educators to design accessible and active digital learning environments that accommodate learner variability.
4d. Model the use of instructional design principles with educators to create effective digital learning environments.
Standard 6. Coaches model and support the use of qualitative and quantitative data to inform their own instruction and professional learning.
6a. Assist educators and leaders in securely collecting and analyzing student data.
Standard 7. Coaches model digital citizenship and support educators and students in recognizing the responsibilities and opportunities inherent in living in a digital world.
7a. Inspire and encourage educators and students to use technology for civic engagement and to address challenges to improve their communities.
Being a technology coach has a variety of components. First, it means listening to the needs of others and determining the best way to go forward in providing accurate resources to assist those needs. Additionally, being a technology coach means being able to assess educational needs even when minimal information or awareness is provided to assist in doing so. Having situational awareness in terms of the demographic, age, grade level, and availability of resources, for students is also important as technological intervention is not a one-size-fits-all product. A technology coach is someone aware of all the most relevant and up-to-date resources available to help teachers accomplish their classroom goals. I would demonstrate being a technology coach by regularly gathering teachers' information regularly. I would provide surveys and questionnaires to a variety of teachers ranging from those who teach elementary school through high school. I would gather data about their biggest struggles and frustrations, as well as what areas they find most fluid and successful. I would use this data to problem solve using technology and share my suggestions and create Professional Development resources to address the very struggles they have shared through my data collection.
As a technology coach, I would create a platform for teachers to collaborate and share their highs and lows. I would encourage teachers to use one another as a primary resource to collaborate on projects and create digital lesson plans and artifacts that can be shared across a variety of platforms to elevate teaching and learning. I would create a Google site with valuable resources depicted and thoroughly explained, which I would update consistently, to remain relevant and valuable to educators. Every new digital tool or software discovered would have its page on my Google Technological Resources site. Additionally, examples of successful implementations of any resources would also be available for viewing on the Google site. This site would also provide stories and information on how to become involved in civic engagement, and encourage collaboration on projects to help address issues for community improvement.
The resources I would use to assist in reaching my full potential in becoming an effective technology coach are:
Google Sites: The site I create will have resources that address a plethora of struggles and resources to help solve educational frustrations and improve upon the quality of instruction, assessment, and gathering data to deepen the understanding of what is proving effective or not.
Google Forms: I will use google forms to collect data and information from a variety of educators. I will use this information to determine what technological solutions I can provide educators.
YouTube: Having a Youtube channel is a great way to showcase and demonstrate new resources in place of having in-person Professional development workshops, which may not always be time or cost-effective.
Facebook: I would create a private Facebook page/group that would cater solely to educators. This would be a platform for teachers to share experiences, ask questions, get answers, and collaborate for optimal results.