Watch the full video to learn more about the importance of bringing an education background to IT teams.
Build a Balanced K–12 IT Team for the Best ROI
K–12 school administrators should be innovative when it comes to hiring IT team employees, especially in small districts. In smaller schools, or those on a tighter budget, balancing the technical expertise on the team with instructional experience is crucial.
“My experience as a teacher really helps with my role as the tech coach, because I have an understanding of how the classroom functions,” Stitzel says. “I understand there are days where tech integration is going to go really well. I understand there are days where I need to sit with students and work with them one-on-one.”
IT teams should look to hire teachers with an IT background or someone sponsoring a club or other school activity. Someone who has that experience will more effortlessly bring the instructional skills to the team.
“That investment in people will go a long way toward getting a return on investment on your equipment and software,” Chan says. “If the equipment’s not being used, if the application is not being used by teachers and students, then you’re throwing money away.”
KEEP READING: K–12 leaders can follow these tips for balancing budgets with government funding.