The Role of Campus Instructional Technology Specialists in a One-to-One Computing Environment

This study investigated the role of the Campus Instructional Technology Specialist working in a one-to-one computing environment in Northwest ISD, a large school district in the suburbs of Houston, Texas. This position oversees the campus-based technology professional development for teachers. Qualitative, case-study methods were used to gain a better understanding into the responsibilities of five Campus Instructional Technology specialists, the strategies they used to help teachers teach in a one-to-one computing environment, and the enabling factors and barriers to instructional support perceived by the Campus Instructional Technology Specialists. Data were collected through interviews and document analysis.

The results indicated that the Campus Instructional Technology Specialists’ role was divided into four areas of responsibilities supporting the Sugar and Holloman’s (2009) framework: instruction, technical, analysis, and leadership. Both formal and informal professional development opportunities were seen as vital to the success of the program including: one-on-one support, PLC support, trainings, follow-up support, and just-in-time support. Because the Campus Instructional Technology Specialists established themselves as technical experts, teachers approached them with technical issues, and the Campus Instructional Technology Specialists put processes into place to assist teachers. The Campus Instructional Technology Specialists worked daily with teachers to help them choose the best tools to support the curriculum. In addition, the Campus Instructional Technology Specialists emerged as leaders on their campuses.

There were several enabling factors to instructional support as perceived by the Campus Instructional Technology Specialists including working with a partner and their PLC, working with school administration, working with content instructional specialists, their character traits, and a working infrastructure. Challenges to instructional support included learning the position, technical challenges, teacher turn-over, teacher belief systems, and bureaucracy.