EduCon 2.9

Overview The NYC DOE Division of Instructional and Information Technology (DIIT) has created cohorts of Technology Single Points of Contact (Tech SPOCs) to collaborate on projects that improve technology use in schools. The program consists of a roving team, SPOC Squads, that meet on location at participants’ schools to engage in real time problem solving. Sessions address the needs of the respective schools of participating SPOCS.

Identifying the Need

While most educators work in teams by grade or subject area, the more than 1000 Tech SPOCs in NYC Schools do not often have that opportunity. Like librarians, or parent coordinators, they are often one-of-a-kind in their respective schools. As a result, collaboration with others in the field is essential. SPOCs may be able to attend a workshop or training throughout the year but it is not enough for many SPOCS. The SPOC Squad program addresses this issue by building a community of practice for NYC Schools tech educators. The program addresses common needs such as establishing a tech squad, removing obsolete equipment, rolling out Google Classroom, developing an inventory process, and re-imaging devices. It also results in the development of materials and documentation of practices to support other educators and schools throughout NYC.