Chief Technology Officer

(Also called the Director of Technology or Director of Instructional Technology). While in some districts, the technical component of this job may be separated from the instructional component, the CTO is the lead technology team member in the district. They are responsible for long-term planning and leadership of both the technology infrastructure and instructional program. They are expected to work with superintendents, school boards, and the community to construct a vision for digital-age learning within the district and execute that vision. They also plan, develop, and deliver professional development to stakeholders throughout the district. While there are no set licensure criteria for a CTO, most districts require a Master’s degree in Instructional Technology and, in North Carolina, the 077 Instructional Technology Specialist license. UNC Chapel Hill School of Government offers a Certified Educational Chief Technology Officer (CECTO) program for practicing CTOs. The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) is the national organization for CTOs. Their certification, the Certified Educational Technology Leader (CETL) involves passing a rigorous day-long assessment that is offered several times per year. CoSN has also developed a Framework of Essential Skills for a district CTO.

Instructional Technology Facilitator

The primary purpose of the Instructional Technology Facilitator (ITF) is to lead and implement the instructional technology program at the school level. Technology Facilitators are ideally based within the school, though some districts will have ITFs that serve multiple schools. ITFs primarily work with teachers, supporting them in the transition to digital-age learning. This may include conducting professional learning sessions, modeling or co-teaching lessons, selecting resources or helping with lesson or curriculum writing, and conducting programs for students. While the primary role of the ITF is to coach and support teachers, they are typically asked to take on additional roles such as managing inventory or a 1:1 deployment, school websites, and possibly some administrative duties. While not a technician, ITFs often provide first-line technical support to teachers so that their lessons are not impacted by technical issues. In North Carolina, ITFs must possess an 077 Instructional Technology Specialist license which requires completion of an accredited Master’s degree program. While they do not exclusively service ITFs, NCTIES (North Carolina Technology in Education Society) is the statewide professional organization representing ITFs, while ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) is the national organization.

Media/Technology Advisory Committee

The Media/Technology Advisory Committee (MTAC; pronounced M-TAC) is a committee at the school and at the district level typically convened by the CTO or the ITF. In North Carolina, each school and district is should to have an MTAC for the purposes of reviewing challenged books and instructional materials. The MTAC is also used to develop the instructional technology vision and plan for a school or district, garner buy-in for the district’s instructional technology plan, and provide strategic feedback on a wide variety of topics from textbooks/content needs to end-user devices. The MTAC is typically composed of a representative sample of teachers, administrators, support staff, and parents from within a school or district. Many schools and districts also include students voices on the MTAC as well. The role of the MTAC has been pushed to the forefront of attenation recently as book challenges have proliferated.