What is an edtech coach? What do they do? I’m asked these questions all the time. Technology coaches can do so much, that it can be tough to define their role. As tough as it may be, it’s really important that building and district leaders understand what an edtech coach (also known as an integration specialist, or integrationist, or TOSA, or about 100 other titles) can do for their teachers and admin.
Technology coaches are absolutely crucial to the successful implementation of technology into daily teaching and learning. If decision makers don’t fully understand the type of integration support a coach can provide for them, then why would they cough up the salary to pay for this position? As coaches, we have to make sure our leaders understand what we can do so they will keep or create the position and we need teachers to understand what we can do, so they will utilize us as a resource.
Future Ready Instructional Coaches Framework is a part of Future Ready Schools and my new favorite resource for defining the role of an edtech coach. This framework provides a very comprehensive overview of all the ways instructional coaches support teaching and learning in a school district. Click the Future Ready Instructional Coach Framework image to the right for the full flyer. I’d also recommend hanging this framework up in your office to regularly reference.- ISTE’s Standards for Coaches provide a great outline for the day to day responsibilities of an edtech coach. Many principals and district leaders will use these standards to create interview questions when interviewing a coach or writing a job description. These should be hanging in every tech coach’s office for daily reference and accountability!
- ISTE also published an article on the role of instructional coaches last April that I think is a good read for tech coaches and district/building leadership to understand the need for this position in schools and help define the role (I swear I’m not biased because they interviewed me ?).
- Sometimes you just need something short and sweet. After working with my team at Forward Edge, I think we’ve narrowed down a broad definition pretty well:
“The Technology Coach or Technology Integration Specialist helps teachers improve their use of technology by introducing new strategies on implementation, exploring different classroom approaches and finding resources to support the day-to-day activities of various teachers.” –Forward Edge Website
What other resources do you use to help define the role of an edtech coach?
Tech To You Later!
-Katie
Thanks for your post Katie. You make a really great point about being able to articulate how we support as coaches. In my role this year we have shifted from Instructional Technology Resource Teachers to Modern Learning Resource Teachers. I think being able to succinctly define that shift is key. Love all the frameworks. Some weekend reading for me. Thanks for the prompt!