While teachers in Arkansas are required to get 60 hours of professional development each year, there’s no equivalent requirement for technology specialists.
So, four years ago, Parks decided to create his own conference where school IT coordinators could talk with vendors, share best practices, attend seminars on topics such as networks and cybersecurity, and obtain Google Certification.
Last year, about 350 people, representing 136 schools, attended the Arkansas Conference of Technology. This year, Gov. Asa Hutchinson gave the keynote address.
“Sometimes, it’s just good to sit down with another school and see what they’re doing,” says Parks. “We’ll have roundtable discussions where we ask, ‘How do you manage your laptops or keep up with work tickets?’ We want to encourage everyone to be the best they can be, because our job is to facilitate education through the devices that we service.”
MORE FROM EDTECH: Add professional development to boost blended learning programs.
Teacher Certifications Can Help Get Educators on Board
For technologists, staying current on the latest advances is essential, says Parks. But what Hoxie really needs is someone who can bring that knowledge about tools and devices to educators.
“I’m not good at teaching teachers how to use technology,” Parks admits. “We are actively looking for a technology coach who can bridge the gap between me, the super-techy nerd guy, and the person who’s actually teaching in the classroom.”
Parks is looking for someone like Andrea Tolley, Microsoft Imagine Academy Educator at Greeneville Middle School, 75 miles east of Knoxville, Tenn.
Tolley not only teaches essential digital skills to Greeneville’s 720 sixth- through eighth-graders, but also works to spread that knowledge to her fellow teachers.
Greeneville was recently named a Microsoft Showcase School for the second year in a row, in part because it features four teachers — out of just seven in the entire state — who have been recognized as Microsoft Innovative Educator Experts.
Tolley was the school’s first MIE Expert, and she recruited the other three. All of them completed a series of self-paced online courses on how to master various Microsoft products. In addition, teachers can receive certifications in different Microsoft Office tools via the Imagine Academy.