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I graduated with a bachelors in history and education. Planned on becoming a history teacher, but it turns out there is NO market for it. One private school saw my resume and saw that I worked as a computer technician for 5 years and asked me if I wanted to become a computer teacher. I accepted, lower paying job is better than no job. Anyway, I got promoted to assistant director of technology for the school. Basically I teach one less class and help the director with fixing computers, it sounds like its a semi-admin position, but it isnt..but at least i get paid better!! Anyway, my goal is to move over to the public school so I want to expand my technical knowledge. The chance of getting a computer teaching job is small, but with the title of Assistant Director of Technology on my resume, I want to move more into the administrative technology field for a school. I am also about to finish my masters degree in educational technology.
So basically I want to expand my knowledge on networking..good enough so I can run a network and manage it. There are a bunch of online programs for it, but the problem is that they all teach theory, no labs. The community college by me has a certificate program for it, which is very lab based. more "real world" work vs just learning theory. The associates for it defiantly has more coursework that only compliments the things learned for the certificate.
Does it make it look better get a A.A.S in networking vs just getting a certificate?
I dont want to take anything at the graduate level because I will be viewed as too expensive in case if I continue working under the teacher payment schedule. And the problem in the graduate level is that its more theory than lab work.
I graduated with a bachelors in history and education. Planned on becoming a history teacher, but it turns out there is NO market for it. One private school saw my resume and saw that I worked as a computer technician for 5 years and asked me if I wanted to become a computer teacher. I accepted, lower paying job is better than no job. Anyway, I got promoted to assistant director of technology for the school. Basically I teach one less class and help the director with fixing computers, it sounds like its a semi-admin position, but it isnt..but at least i get paid better!! Anyway, my goal is to move over to the public school so I want to expand my technical knowledge. The chance of getting a computer teaching job is small, but with the title of Assistant Director of Technology on my resume, I want to move more into the administrative technology field for a school. I am also about to finish my masters degree in educational technology.
So basically I want to expand my knowledge on networking..good enough so I can run a network and manage it. There are a bunch of online programs for it, but the problem is that they all teach theory, no labs. The community college by me has a certificate program for it, which is very lab based. more "real world" work vs just learning theory. The associates for it defiantly has more coursework that only compliments the things learned for the certificate.
Does it make it look better get a A.A.S in networking vs just getting a certificate?
I dont want to take anything at the graduate level because I will be viewed as too expensive in case if I continue working under the teacher payment schedule. And the problem in the graduate level is that its more theory than lab work.
If you already have a masters, get the certificate. It looks like more education. The associates degree is beneath your masters not on top of it. The certificate is on top of it.
Get the certificate. Some states work in conjunction with the community colleges so that educational employees get credit for the computer technology component. Mine came with a small raise. Also, many public schools today require extra hours in order to renew your teaching cert. Delaware requires 90 hours every 5 years. Each technology course from community college counts as the 90 hours.
So basically I want to expand my knowledge on networking..good enough so I can run a network and manage it. There are a bunch of online programs for it, but the problem is that they all teach theory, no labs. The community college by me has a certificate program for it, which is very lab based. more "real world" work vs just learning theory. The associates for it defiantly has more coursework that only compliments the things learned for the certificate.
Does it make it look better get a A.A.S in networking vs just getting a certificate?
This kind of job depends on if you can keep the system running (basically, what do you know how to do), so I would just concentrate on that kind of training, MSCE, or whatever applicable certificates.
Most larger schools will have more higher up positions for these kinds of jobs, so you have some career path as a manager or administrator for larger systems. You should also learn related things like HTML and web stuff and A/V, and telecomm.
This kind of job depends on if you can keep the system running (basically, what do you know how to do), so I would just concentrate on that kind of training, MSCE, or whatever applicable certificates.
Most larger schools will have more higher up positions for these kinds of jobs, so you have some career path as a manager or administrator for larger systems. You should also learn related things like HTML and web stuff and A/V, and telecomm.
This.
The MSCE stuff won't raise your pay grade, but will probably enhance your resume. You should also consider taking some education management classes - but not too many!
I have a BA in Political Science and i'm looking on getting a certificate. But reading your story is seems like you've done a lot of school. How do you pay for it? Just Stafford loan?
Anyway, my goal is to move over to the public school so I want to expand my technical knowledge. The chance of getting a computer teaching job is small, but with the title of Assistant Director of Technology on my resume, I want to move more into the administrative technology field for a school. I am also about to finish my masters degree in educational technology.
If I received a resume that indicated that the candidate was an "Assistant Director of Technology" I would immediately think that person was involved in purchasing equipment, maintaining purchase orders, and other administrative tasks. Those in "administrative technology" at any institution I've worked in are not responsible for the day-to-day running of the school's network; the network and sysadmins are. Many directors and assistant directors-- in my experience-- were not "techies" and had no real understanding of the underlying network infrastructure. This has been my experience, YMMV.
There is a huge difference between troubleshooting desktop computers and running the phone system, email servers, databases, running wires to new classrooms, configuring switches and on and on. At most schools that I've worked in and visited, the network and systems admins are responsible for everything tech-related at the school so an MCSE might enable you to manage the email server but won't be helpful if the telephone system runs on a Linux box and the school's web servers are Macs.
Most educational technology degree holders that I've met and worked with have been employed to assist teachers with integrating technology into the curriculum, not providing tech support or maintaining equipment.
What exactly is your end goal? If you are looking to be a network administrator, I would get certifications but would find out what platform the school district uses. If you are looking to use your educational technology degree to secure a job as an integrator, I would think that your degree would stand on its own.
If you wish to work in technology in an administrative capacity, you'd have to become familiar with the structure of the school you are trying to get into and see what the duties of the administrators are, i.e., purchasing and realize that this area is pretty hands-off with regard to opening up computers and managing servers.
It might be a good idea to try to secure a position as a help desk support person. If you can survive on that salary that is usually a hell of a learning experience as you're thrown into the fire of a live school environment. You would probably be working in the same office as the network admins and can learn a ton that way and perhaps ease into that job if someone leaves the school's employ. Another benefit is you can scope out all of the systems that are in place and obtain outside training (perhaps paid for by the institution) appropriate to the environment that you are working in.
I think that you should take the classes at the community college, they will give you the certificate that you need, MCSE, Network, and you can work with a teacher who you can network with. The classes are not too expensive at the community college.
I have a masters, and am thinking about going to the community college, so much of my job requires advanced computer knowledge, how to build home networks, ie..I need that basic knowledge.
To answer the first question about how I'm paying for all of this. Most of my BA was paid by my parents, more so during my beginning years there, but as I got closer to senior year I start contributing a lot more because I could. Fournatly, I didn't graduate with any debt. My graduate degree is going to be paid 50% by the school, and the rest by me. So I will pay it off all myself very quickly. I still live at home, so the expenses aren't as high for me yet. I rather not live my house with debt. And my next educational plans involve the community college, which has cheap tuition, about $120 a credit. There is really no point in getting educated to make more, but have more debt.
Now let me elaborate more with the Assistant Director of Technology position, for the most part, my job is to help the Director. The Director is in charge of making the budget, planning, innovating, and making sure the network and computers are running fine in the school. If there is a problem with the network, then he uses the contracted networking company to assist and repair. Also the job consists of helping the faculity work with the computers only from a technicial perspective, aka teach them now to use the new computer grading system. My job as Assistant would deal with more with helping the faculity with training and help resolve various computer/network issues. And when there are meetings, give my input on various ideas. I am still a teacher...just with one less class..my job is not 100% strictly IT.
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Most educational technology degree holders that I've met and worked with have been employed to assist teachers with integrating technology into the curriculum, not providing tech support or maintaining equipment.
I wish that was the case myself, but it seems that now schools also want the person to be tech savy, enough to help fix some issues. It only makes me look more attractive to the employeer if I have the abilities. My end goal is to work as an intergrator but in life sometimes we dont have choices and I want to have my options open. The Director at the school makes about 55k...if you compare the salaries at public schools...its about 10K PLUS...depending on the length of time there and experience. I've seen these technology specialist making $85k. The director of instructional technology (his job is 2/3 dealing with IT and 1/3 with the circiuilum) makes about 100k! The school has a director of technology that deals strictly with IT too. I'm not saying I can jump right away to a big salary, but I wouldn't mind having the ability to start from somewhere and move up to there
There is a HUGE difference between the structure of the tech department in a private school as opposed to a public school. I get the idea that you think that you could make a lateral move from your current position into a public school district. I don't think that's the case. If you can, that's great.
Good luck.
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