ScenarioOne:

TheJob:

Iamapplyingforthe
DirectorofAcademicTechnology
positionatTheFrenchAmerican
InternationalSchoolintheSanFranciscoarea.Someoftheresponsibilitiesforthisjobinclude:
providingleadershipfortechnologyintegration
engagingtheschoolcommunityindiscussionsrelatingtoemergingtechnologyand
trends
reviewingandevaluatingeducationaltechnologyandclassroominnovations
coordinatingwithITDepartment,NCISandCAISregardingthecampuswidenetwork
infrastructuretoidentifyneedsandplanfutureprojectsandimplementations
servingasmemberofteaminresearch,discussion,andimplementationofinnovative
learningspacesthatbestfitschool'sgoalsandneeds
helpingtoplanprofessionaldevelopmentopportunitiesforteachers
providingsupporttoteachersregardinglessonplanningsurroundingtechnology
integration

InterviewQuestions:

1).
Howdoyoupromoteacooperativeteamenvironment,evenwhenothersaroundyoudisplay
negativity?Whatdoyoudowhenfacedwithuncooperativeattitudes,andhowdoyougoabout
turningthingsaround?

Ingroupsituations,therewillalwaysbemomentsofdisagreementortimeswhen
everyoneisnotonthesamepage.Totrytopromotethebestpossiblework
environment,Ialwaysbeginbytryingtomotivatemyaudience,throughanicebreaker,
ashortinspirationalvideo,oraquickdemonstrationthathighlightswhatweare
workingtoward.Imakeourgoalveryclearfromthebeginning.Iftensionsdoarise,I
alwaysletthepersonstatetheircaseandletoutanyfrustrationsheorshemaybe
having.Afterlistening,ImakeitknownthatIhearwhatisbeingsaid,andthatI
appreciatethefeedback.IfthereareanyconcernsorproblemsthatIcanaddress
immediately,Ido.Ifproblemspersist,Imeetwiththepersonorpeopleprivatelyatalater
timetoseeifwecancomeupwithacompromiseorasolutiontogether.

2).Howdoyoustayuptodateonthelatesttrendsintechnology?Howwouldyouensurethat
teachersarealsocognizantofemergingtechnologicaltrends?

Istayuptodateonthelatesttrendsintechnologybybeingpresentonlineandin
socialmedia.Byfollowingkeyorganizations,includingmymastersprogram(@MAET),
@Edutopia,@HuffPostEdu,TheUSDepartmentofEducation(@usedgov),andoneof
thefoundersofTPACK(@punyamishra),Icanstayontopofthelatestintrends.
Additionally,Twitterallowsmetointeractwithothertechnologyleadersandteachers

acrosstheglobe.IalsoattendEdCamps,whichareknownaseducation
unconferences,whereteachershavetheopportunitytoleadprofessionaldevelopment
sessionssurroundingtopicsthatareofinteresttothematthecurrentmoment.Following
keyacademicjournals,liketheJournalofTechnologyEducation,alsohelpsmetoread
thelatestresearchbackingtechnologyintegrationintheclassroom.Attending
educationaltechnologyconferencesandtakingadvantageofthenetworkingthatcanbe
doneinthosesettingsisalsoofcriticalimportance.

3).Whatconstituteseffectivetechnologyimplementationintheclassroom?Howwouldyou
adviseanddirectteacherstoensuresuccessfultechnologyintegration?

EffectivetechnologyimplementationshouldadheretotheTPACKmodel.TheTPACK
model,developedbyMishraandKoehler,statesthattechnologyshouldbealignedwith
bestpedagogicalpracticesandwithcontentknowledge.Inotherwords,technology
shouldntbeusedjustforthesakeofusingtechnology.Instead,theteachershould
beginbydeterminingthepurposeofthelesson.Then,heorsheshoulddecidehowthe
lessonwouldbestbetaught,whetherthroughgroupwork,ateacherledlecture,
independentwork,oranothermethod.Finally,theteachershouldaskifthereisa
technologythatwouldenhancethelessoninsomeway.Couldtechnologyaddvalueto
thelesson?Howwilltechnologyinteractwiththecontentandwiththepedagogical
practicesidentifiedforthelesson?ThesearethetypesofquestionsthatIwouldadvise
teacherstoaskastheyareplanningtheirlessons.Ifthetechnologyisonlythereforthe
bellsandwhistles,withnorealpurpose,Iwouldadviseagainstusingtechnologyinthat
particularlesson.

4).Presentinginformationandcreatingprofessionaldevelopmentopportunitiesforteachersisa
largecomponentofthisposition.Howwouldyouensurethatyourpresentationsmaintainthe
attentionofyouraudience?

Firstandforemost,Ineedtokeepmyaudienceinmindanddirectmy
presentationtothatparticulargroup,ensuringthattheinformationisrelevanttothem.
Additionally,IliketoaddvarietytomypresentationsIneverlecturefortheentire
period!Instead,Iincorporateshortvideos,allowtimeforgrouporpartneractivities,and
makesurethattheaudiencefeelscomfortableaskingquestionsandcontributingtothe
discussion.Ialsoaskforfeedbackattheendofmypresentations,askingspecifically
whattheaudiencelikedanddislikedaboutthepresentation,andIalsoaskfor
suggestionsorimprovements.Iusethisfeedbacktoreflectandtomakeadjustmentsfor
thenexttime.

5).Ourschoolsmissionistopreparegraduatestobeabletothinkcriticallyandtocommunicate
acrosscultures.HowwouldthismissioninspireyourworkastheDirectorofAcademic
Technology?
Ibelievethatallworkwithtechnologyshouldbeinspiredanddrivenbytheschools

mission.Withoutavisionorapurposeinmind,thinkingaroundtechnologytendstobe
instrumental,ordrivenbythetechnologyitself.Insteadofasking,Howcanweuse
technologyinourclassrooms?,thefocusshouldbepropelledbyamission.Weneedto
askifandhowtechnologycouldhelpusaccomplishourmission.InthecaseofThe
FrenchAmericanInternationalSchool,Ourmissionistoprepareourstudentstothink
criticallyandcommunicateacrosscultures.Therearetechnologiesthatallowpeopleto
interactacrosstheglobe,problemsolvingtogetherandcomingupwithcomplex
solutions.Wouldanyofthesetechnologiesserveourstudentswell?Whentechnology
isappliedwithaspecificpurposeinmind,theoutcomeisoftenmuchgreater.In
essence,themissioniseverything,foritservesasthedrivingforcebehindevery
decision.