Alright, let’s have a heart-to-heart about something that’s really been bugging me lately. As an edtech specialist, I’ve noticed a trend that’s got me a bit worried, and I think it’s time we address it head-on.

I want to talk about what we do, how we specialize, and why it’s important to protect the integrity of the role, but I also want to speak directly to the folks who can ensure that this happens – the school administrators.  At the school, district, or county level, we need admins who believe deeply in why “tech coaches” are valuable.  I provide some specific, helpful tips for admins at the end of this post.

What’s the Deal with Edtech Specialists Anyway?

First things first, let me give you the lowdown on what we edtech specialists actually do. We’re actually NOT the folks you call when the projector’s on the fritz or when someone forgets their password (though we’re happy to help in a pinch!). We’re NOT the people who magically make the student information system (SIS) work with all of its data.  Our real superpower? We’re the bridge between all those shiny new tech tools and the actual teaching that happens in classrooms.

Think of us as the secret sauce that makes technology and education blend smoothly. We’ve got this unique mix of skills:

  1. We know our pedagogy (fancy word for teaching methods, am I right?)
  2. We’re always on top of the latest and greatest in edtech
  3. We’re pros at matching tech tools with what teachers actually need to teach
  4. And we’re pretty darn good at helping other educators feel confident with new tech

Let Us Do Our Thing!

Here’s the thing: to really make magic happen, we need to focus on what we do best. When we get pulled into general IT stuff or constantly asked to work on systems integrations, it’s like asking a star quarterback to sell hot dogs during the game. Sure, we can do it, but is that really the best use of our skills?

We’re Educators at Heart

Remember, most of us started out as teachers. That classroom experience? It’s gold. It means we get the challenges teachers face every day. We speak “teacher,” if you know what I mean. When you’re looking for an edtech specialist, make sure they’ve got that education background. That’s what makes it all work.

Why What We Do Matters

When we’re allowed to really dive into our work, amazing things happen:

  • Classes become more engaging (goodbye, snooze-fest lectures!)
  • Teachers start feeling like tech superheroes.
  • Students get all excited about learning (for real!)
  • And all that money spent on tech? It actually does what it’s supposed to do.

So, What Can Administrators Do?

Alright, school leaders, here’s where you come in. We need your help to make this work:

  1. Take a look at what edtech specialists are actually doing in your school. Are we spending more time making sure the SIS works with the LMS and all the other integrations than we are training teachers?
  2. Give us the time and tools we need to focus on the good stuff – integrating technology into learning.
  3. Make sure everyone knows the difference between general IT support, the data technology folks, and what we do.
  4. Hook us up with some professional development!  We love it!  The tech world moves fast, and we need to keep up!
  5. Check in now and then. Are the cool tech initiatives we’re running actually helping teachers teach and students learn better?
  6. Share the good news about the impact we make.  Talk about the positive outcomes of edtech at your board of education meetings and parent nights.  Celebrate those teachers who are using the edtech tools in creative ways!

Let’s Team Up!

Here’s the bottom line:  When administrators let us edtech specialists do our thing, everybody wins. Teachers feel more confident, students get more excited about learning, and you? And the administrators?  Well, they look like rockstars for bringing all this awesome tech-enhanced learning to their schools.