Originally uploaded by robynejay

At one of the sessions at which I presented at AERA, a conversation arose around the issue of tech. support in schools. Neal Strudler, who’d done research on the issue 20 years ago, mentioned that the tech. support personnel he studied then spoke of “working themselves out of jobs.” I’ve heard that phrase from tech. support personnel at the higher ed. level. Strudler said that such a goal was idealistic and, as it turns out, unrealistic. I wondered (out loud, of course) whether it really is an unrealistic goal in the information age.

You see, I learn GOBS through my Web 2.0-based personal learning network. I consider Twitter, my Bloglines account, etc. my tech. support. SO, what if tech. directors / tech. support personnel in schools made it their professional goal to make teachers learners? What if the job description of ed. tech. support personnel was to facilitate professional learning networks? By teaching teachers how to learn as I (and others in my PLN) do, they might just work themselves out of a job.

What do you think?

Tags: AERA, education, support, technology