[K12OSN] Greg reminds us to taste the soup

[Kemp, Levi]

Another issue is finding a tech person with a school mentality. I know that sounds odd with the way this thread is going but it is true. For example we have an intern who just can't seem to get a grasp on the bureaucracy and budgets and things like that. He's really bright, does great work, but I don't see him working at a school. Even I have trouble understanding things from a teachers perspective at times. And I find myself telling him to set a computer up so it is teacher proof which is probably a bad habit even though it's the truth. As far as GUI's go, I think a true tech should be able to cope without, but if we want more average users then there is definitely a need.
 
Levi

________________________________

From: k12osn-bounces at redhat.com on behalf of Ronnie Miller
Sent: Tue 6/26/2007 8:18 PM
To: k12osn at redhat.com
Subject: Re: [K12OSN] Greg reminds us to taste the soup


Being a Technology Speialist also acting as our district coordinator (but without the title and pay supplement), I agree that you should know a little about technology if you're going to do the job. BUT, in way too many cases in schools and school systems, the person put in the technology position is usually a teacher or paraprofessional or someone else who "knows a little about computers". Then, because budgets are ridiculously tight, they can't afford to hire additional help who might actually have some technology expertise.

If this "tech person" is a former teacher, then he/she usually has tenure, so you can't get rid of them. So, then schools have to come up funding to hire outside consultants to come in. Many grants/programs will allow you to hire outside help, but NOT pay salaries to qualified individuals.

The other problem is that to get truly qualified tech people, most schools can't afford the salary scale necessary. Many times, they'll get someone fresh out of school or, if they're lucky, find somebody who's semi-retired and looking for something part-time to do.

It's sometimes a "darned if you do, and darned if you don't" situation.

>THANK YOU! I couldn't agree more. If you want to work in a technology >position, you've got to actually (gasp!) learn about said technology. >But let's say you don't want to. For example, your training might be >in, say, teaching or accounting. Well then, hire someone who *is* good >with technology as your technology coordinator. Such people, like those >on this list, are available; you simply have to ask for them and treat >them well. That last part is critical, BTW. 
>--TP

Huck wrote:


	I tasted the soup...it was bitter, so I went back to the CLI ;)
	so far I've yet to see many GUI tools that do things faster than
	someone who knows what they are doing on a CLI...
	
	
	then again my summarized feelings about GUI's are that they are handicap devices to proliferate ignorance about HOW things work within an OS... 
	Mind you, I do enjoy SOME gui tools (i.e. Bulk-Adduser thing in Webmin)
	
	But if it weren't there I would have either learned more about scripting and rolled my own at the CLI or asked on the list for some script-fu expert to throw out the 5 or 6 lines neccessary to git-er done ;) If the technology co-ordinator in the article is not interested in LEARNING the technology...what's he doing in that roll? 
	Dan Young wrote:
	

		http://gregdek.livejournal.com/14554.html
		
		




________________________________

Ronnie Miller 
Technology Specialist 
Seminole County Schools 
800 Woolfork Avenue Donalsonville, GA 39845 
Phone: (229) 524-5235 Ext. 227
Fax: (229) 524-2212



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