Technology Training Meets With Mixed Reviews

By the end of last summer I couldn't wait for September because I was so excited to get my technology training program off the ground. There were so many programs and websites I wanted to share with my colleagues. For every training session I was picturing a room packed to the gills with standing room only. I was looking forward to the faculty meetings when I could do "tech guru" segments to share new websites. Instead I send email blasts. My vision and reality were very different. Well, not totally.

I have had the opportunity to train the foreign language department in podcasting. I possibly will train the science and/or religion departments in Photo Story. I am very excited that people are attending my trainings even if it is only 1 or 2 people. That is about what my average attendance is. To a point, it is a little disheartening but I think about the words of a respected colleague: "Quality not quantity." That is very true. Yes there are only 1 or 2 people in the training but they tell others about what they are learning and sometimes word of mouth is the best form of advertising.

When I started the program in October, I was doing 1 class per month. This month I decided to run the same class 2 weeks in a row. The other thing that I did that was different was that I sent a sample of what could be done with Photo Story. There were people who signed up for the class that didn't put it down on their "pink sheets" as something they were interested in.

I was feeling very down and unsuccessful about the training of my colleagues in technology. Was it worth my tech coordinator's time to set up the screen and projector for 2 people? The answer is absolutely yes. One of the 2 people that I taught Photo Story to is telling everyone who will listen what an awesome program Photo Story is. She even showed her husband (my headmaster). He thought it was a great program and wants me to teach it to his class.

I learned that vision doesn't always equal reality and that's OK.