Technology Educator In Sacramento Explains Value Of Advanced Degrees

Is it really necessary to be tech savvy in the the greater Sacramento business arena? The short answer is yes. It's necessary to have a firm grip on technology to compete in business of any kind, especially when it involves a county office of education. With the capital of California as a backdrop, it's even more necessary. Kim Harrison, with a master's degree in technology, has been in the technology field for many years and sheds some light on the industry.

What drew you to a technology degree and job?

"During college, I worked in the computer lab and enjoyed being able to help students with using the computers. When I applied for my first teaching job, one aspect of the interview was to demonstrate computer skills by creating a potential classroom schedule in a word processing program with no instructions. I was hired and was encouraged to use technology in the classroom with my students, which I did. When I decided upon an advanced degree, it only seemed natural that it be in educational technology."

What is the most fun aspect of your job?

"There are several things that I enjoy about the work I do. First, I get to meet and help teachers. That in itself is probably the most rewarding aspect of my job -- knowing that you are making a difference for those teachers and their classrooms. I enjoy hearing about who they are, where they work and the students in their classrooms. Another fun aspect of my job is being able to create and work on websites and other electronic resources that incorporate text, images and multimedia. Being able to use the technology to create instructional materials and then teaching teachers how to create these resources is very rewarding. I recently built TechConnect 2.0, a bootcamp for technology and teachers."

What do you do to stay current in your field?

"I attend professional development events: conferences, workshops and webinars. I also volunteer for committees in the field of education technology where I can work with colleagues and learn from them. Being able to network and share with other like-minded teachers through these events is perhaps the greatest way to stay current."

What is it about working in Sacramento that makes it all worthwhile?

"Sacramento is centrally located to a number of our larger California districts making it possible to reach out to more teachers both for my daily and volunteer work. Having this business access provides more opportunities to impact teachers and classrooms, and ultimately students, which makes it very worthwhile."

Charles Ferris is a freelance writer who has lived in the Sierra, halfway between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe, for the last 37 years. In 2010 he retired from teaching after 36 years . He and his wife hike, kayak, cross country ski, snow shoe, ride mountain bikes and road bikes, year round. His work can be found at Examiner.com.