Technology coordinators : the relationship between employment responsibilities and need for ongoing professional development

The intent of this research paper is to examine the responsibilities of technology coordinators in the P-12 educational environment and the association of ongoing professional development for technology coordinators. The research cited indicated that the responsibilities of technology coordinators have evolved to include complex technical skills. Commonly cited duties include network administration, maintenance, instructional design, staff development, budgeting and acquisition, software evaluation and installation, multimedia production, management of communication and online resources. The extent of suggested expertise implies that technology coordinators have need for ongoing professional development. Informal conversations were held by this researcher with several technology coordinators to gather general opinions concerning their own professional development. The technology coordinators varied in their educational backgrounds but were similar in their demographic environments. The informal conversations revealed that the technology coordinators felt they needed continued education in technical skills to perform their duties responsibly. The dialogues indicated that most of the technology coordinators are self-taught and self-financed or obtain support from their district\u27s local Area Education Agency. The technology coordinators indicated that they needed ongoing professional development, particularly in the area of network management. The relationship between the technology coordinators\u27 perceptions about their professional development and the actual funding and administrative support available may indicate a difference that warrants further investigation in a more formal study