A blogpost I read a week or so ago has gotten stuck in my thoughts…..and since it is still there, I thought I might as well blog my thoughts.
When did we allow the “IT” department the ability to run the show? And know, that when I say what, I know that my title now includes “IT”.
At my past job, and also now at my present job, the IT department seems contain some sort of “power” and “stop signs” than any other department I have ever seen.
And I am confused on how that power was achieved and how does it continue to stay maintained.
I know in the past, the verbiage (at my old position) that was used with me stumped me at times, and I did not know how to fight back…..so I allowed the IT basically to open and shut options as they saw fit. Personally, I thought (and was pretty much told) I was too dumb to understand networks…..and so I did the best with what I could and learned not to fight it.
Then I stepped into the IT world and realized that the vocabulary IS understandable, I am not DUMB when it comes to network, and if I ever entered back into the classroom, I don’t think I would be as in “awe” of the IT department as I had been in the past. Yes, they are necessary — no, they are not “gods”.
So why do we elevate them so? Why do so many people refuse to confront them? Why do so many people give up by saying “Oh, our IT won’t allow us to……” — is that a reality or is that an excuse for not rocking the boat??
How many of us have approached the network department or the admin department and gotten to know them and why things are done the way they are? How many of us have become the broken wheel that just squeaks and squeaks and squeaks until it gets listened to?
OR on the other hand…..
How many of us complain about it to each other, but never say a word at work? How many of us have given up before we really have tried to create change?
I know of a few friends that are “making friends” with the IT department to work as a team and not as adversaries. I know of a few friends who go to school board meetings and speak up and question why. I know of one friend who quit her job because things would not change, and she was told to adapt or to leave — she chose to leave. But those stories are not the norm. Most times, I just continue to hear the same old gripes without any effort to make voices heard.
And that perplexes me. The “IT” department is not — and can not — be the control deck at your school. The “IT” department also should not determine the COURSE your school drives on. The IT department should make sure that the course has as few bumps and obstacles possible, your IT department needs to make sure the course is safe and removes any hazards, but it should not determine the single path that is driven.
But, in so many places, that seems to be the fact. And it seems as if we continue to allow it.
So….what is the next step? How do you get to know your IT as co-workers and not as “the men/women behind the curtain.” Because just like in the Wizard of Oz — the curtain is only a cover-up and the people behind the curtain are “people” — not the lords and masters over the “universe called network”.
As always, I have no concrete answer yet….but would love your ideas, suggestions, and success stories of working with the IT department!
Thank you!
Jen
While I realize that any comment I make here will necessarily grossly oversimplify the matter, I believe that this arrangement exists because it ultimately benefits the school. Consider the following:
In a world where IT is not consulted, vendors feed on curriculum directors. They buy ANYTHING and EVERYTHING, because even the most ridiculously priced software is a bargain compared to textbooks. I’m in the process of installing the operating system on a brand new server (that wasn’t in the budget) so I can install a client-server mathematics intervention program to be used by students in four buildings that our district bought without my knowledge. What does it do? Math fact drill and practice. At least, if I’m involved a little in the process, I can say things like, “you know, you could do this much more effectively by using these free online resources.” Or, maybe, “Hey, I have this pile of Apple IIe’s that do exactly the same thing. How many would you like me to drop off in your classroom?” And this is the fourth major software implementation of this very young school year.
One problem is that everything is possible. But not everything is realistic. Not everything is practical. Sure, I can install a Windows 2003 server in my Linux network. No problem. We’ll just learn a completely new set of skills and double the number of potential network connectivity issues. I can adopt yet another web-based application for which every student needs an account, and I’ll go ahead and add and remove students and staff members as enrollments change every day. School IT departments are notoriously understaffed. They are frequently under-trained. And they’re nearly always working with old hardware that was the cheapest possible solution when it was new. They live and die by standardization. If they can’t get it, you’re not going to have a reliable technology infrastructure because they don’t have the resources to support the crazy combination of technologies that you’ll get from committee-based decision making.
The other advantage to schools is that IT makes a great scapegoat. When my kids were an hour late getting home the first week of school, the problem was the transportation routing software. It wasn’t the people using the software. It wasn’t the administrators overseeing the department. It was the a “computer error.” Likewise, a school reluctant to adopt interactive web technologies can blame the IT department. So if you don’t want to deal with the policy and liability implications of streaming live video, you can just conveniently say “oh, we can’t do that on our network.” Remember, everything is possible. But saying “we can’t because IT won’t let us” is easier than saying “we won’t because we’re afraid of what might happen.”
Jumping off the soapbox now…
Yep, John
I agree — which I did mention in my post — how many times is IT an easy target because teachers don’t’ even ask.
Thanks for your post –
You gave me some things to consider, as you always do.
Jen
Jen, thanks for making me think. I do feel teachers have this view of IT as the blocker, a feeling I sometimes share. However, I have a good relationship with the department and they are willing help when I ask.