Information Systems Management

During this course, I was exposed to a side of technology and our district that I never knew about. All of the "behind the scenes" work that goes into making a school system function ad stay current is a daunting task. I learned that some of the popular options in online gradebooks and student data systems were originated in-house with the help of outside companies and then made available to others. "The goal if for all relevant data to be accessible by the appropriate users at any location at any time" (Thompson and Gould, 2005). This goal is imperative to aid educators across the state and even the country in keeping up with all students that go through the system. In essence, a digital student data system allows easier transfer of student data from year to year, or from district to district when a student moves. I have a new found appreciation for the work performed by school officials that handle all of our student data.
With all of the options that are available to us, most sit unused by teachers. "[Teachers have] never had the type of training time and resources that they need to take full advantage of anything" (Sausner, 2003). I know from personal experience that there are so many technology tools that we have access to, however there is never the type of training available to help us utilize it. In this age of documentation, it would be useful to have more than a handful of people who can use these tools without having to refer to a handbook or "cheat sheets". I completely understand the perspective for the lack of training on this - classroom teachers have so many other demands placed on them, that it is very difficult to keep everything organized in a functional and effective manner.
When all is said and done, our students must take top priority when it comes to the use of technology. While there are plenty of resources available, not all have the best interests of the students at heart. That is why district's utilize a technology department of people dedicated to finding and creating resources to keep our students safe. "Keeping kids safe must be an ongoing effort through awareness, education, and supervision" (Joseph, 2007).
As I continue to grow and learn as a leader, I will constantly challenge myself to go one step further than I had before in relation to my knowledge of using the student information system at our district. I must also keep in mind that if ever I move on to another position, I will have to learn a new system. This can be an asset though, as I will be bringing prior knowledge with me and the perspective of a teacher, not just a technology leader. I want to continue to learn more about the system in place where I am now and see how teachers can better utilize these resources. My biggest obstacle, as is with any other educator, is time. How do you fit it all in when it seems so overwhelming in the beginning?


References:

Joseph, L. (2007, January/February). Keeping Safe in Cyberspace. Multimedia & Internet @ Schools. 17-20.

Sausner, R. (2003). Making Paperwork Fulfilling. retrieved from http://www.districtadministration.com/viewarticlepf.aspx?articleid=103

Thompson, T. and Gould, K. (2005, 62:4). A Homegrown Design for Data Warehousing. School Administrator. 16-23.