Technology InterviewTechnology Interviewbyby CarleneCarlene BaileyBailey

With With BETSYBETSY HANSENHANSEN

January 21, 2009January 21, 2009

Betsy HansenBetsy Hansen

What is your job title?What is your job title?

““I am the technology I am the technology integrations specialist for Cobb integrations specialist for Cobb County Schools.County Schools.

How long have you been in How long have you been in technology and what is your technology and what is your background?background? I have a bachelor of arts degree I have a bachelor of arts degree

from Yale in art and sculpture. from Yale in art and sculpture. About 15 years ago, I was About 15 years ago, I was asked to work with technology. asked to work with technology. My second grader had to help My second grader had to help me learn.me learn. I became a certified I became a certified Novell administrator, and love Novell administrator, and love working with the teachers.working with the teachers.

What schools do you work at?What schools do you work at?

I work at Hightower Middle I work at Hightower Middle School, Pitner Elementary, East School, Pitner Elementary, East Valley Elementary and Power’s Valley Elementary and Power’s Ferry.Ferry.

What does your job entail?What does your job entail?

““I go to schools, talk to teachers I go to schools, talk to teachers and administrators about and administrators about standards and help them figure standards and help them figure out ways to achieve objectives out ways to achieve objectives in technology. I help them in technology. I help them manage integration of manage integration of technology properly.”technology properly.”

What is your educational What is your educational background?background?

I have a degree from Yale in I have a degree from Yale in sculpture and photography, but I sculpture and photography, but I began working in the school began working in the school systems when my children were systems when my children were growing up. I took classes to growing up. I took classes to become a “certified Novell become a “certified Novell administrator”, and started administrator”, and started working as a tech support working as a tech support specialist.specialist.

Tell me one of your success Tell me one of your success stories.stories.

I once worked with a media parapro I once worked with a media parapro who had to learn to do scrolling who had to learn to do scrolling announcements in her school. She announcements in her school. She had never done a Power Point. By had never done a Power Point. By the end of my class, she was the end of my class, she was building incredibly complicated building incredibly complicated Power Points and announcements. Power Points and announcements. She was very proud of herself, and She was very proud of herself, and she had a profound affect on the she had a profound affect on the students and the outside community.students and the outside community.

What things make the difference What things make the difference technology intergration being a technology intergration being a success and not a failure?success and not a failure? Permitting yourself to make Permitting yourself to make

mistakesmistakes Learning along with your Learning along with your

studentsstudents Knowing that technology is Knowing that technology is

constantly evolvingconstantly evolving

How has technology affected How has technology affected the learning process?the learning process?

It is very exciting and engagingIt is very exciting and engaging It enhances a learning It enhances a learning

environmentenvironment Students are learning something Students are learning something

they will use in the real world.they will use in the real world.

How do you identify the key How do you identify the key players in the technology players in the technology integration process and get them integration process and get them to buy into your ideas?to buy into your ideas?

“ “ I do three things:I do three things: Look at the structure of the Look at the structure of the

schoolschool Start with the principal and work Start with the principal and work

downdown Work with teachers to help them Work with teachers to help them

become comfortable”become comfortable”

What principles guide your What principles guide your approach to integrating approach to integrating technology?technology? “ “ What I like to do is:What I like to do is: Make sure technology is Make sure technology is

workingworking Help people understand how it Help people understand how it

worksworks Help people become Help people become

comfortable with the comfortable with the applicationsapplications

What obstacles have you What obstacles have you encountered when integrating encountered when integrating technology?technology? Technology is not workingTechnology is not working

(either hardware, software or (either hardware, software or network)network)

Time to integrate technologyTime to integrate technology Helping people understand that Helping people understand that

it is new and they have to be it is new and they have to be patient with themselves.patient with themselves.