Instructional Technology Coordinator License

Background

In 1993, a group of computer coordinators and other stakeholders was convened by DPI to make recommendations regarding the licensure of computer coordinators.   They recommended licensure for district-level coordinators and developed competencies; but the proposal was put on hold because of total licensing reform.

Also in 1993, a study of how Wisconsin teachers are licensed was conducted. Many concerns were identified about the great number of rules and regulations that individuals and colleges had to comply with in the licensing process. In order to study the issue further, a task force was appointed in 1994 to study and debate what the licensing system for Wisconsin should be for the next century.  The task force report made three major recommendations: 1) change the categories of licensing to better match what was happening in the curriculum and instructional patterns in schools; 2) change the structure of licensing to have three stages or tiers - initial, professional, and master; and 3) develop performance-based professional education programs and continuous professional development based upon a set of standards.

After a long process including many committees and public hearings around the state, new licensing regulations, PI 34, were approved by the legislature in the spring of 2000.  The new administrative rules contained both licensing provisions and provisions for the approval of programs leading to licensure.  PI 34 can be found on the Internet at:

http://dpi.wi.gov/tepdl/pi34.html

PI 34 describes three categories of licenses: 1) teacher; 2) administrator; and 3) pupil services.  The district computer coordinator license, now named the Instructional Technology Coordinator License (ITC), was included in the administrative category.   Four major work teams were formed to implement PI 34: 

1. Recruitment/Alternative Certification;
2. Assessment;
3. Administrative; and
4. License Stages.

Committees were formed for each license areas, including the ITC, to recommend content standards (competencies). The ITC content standards have been accepted and are listed on page 3 of this document.

The teacher training institutions will be responsible for developing programs that meet and assess the content standards (using performance assessment).   The new licensing regulations, PI 34, go into effect in the summer of 2004.  Persons certified before August 31, 2004 will be certified under the old rules, but may opt to use the new recertification procedures.  Persons certified after August 31, 2004 will follow the new PI 34 rules.  Because the ITC license is new, it becomes effective at the beginning of the 2004-5 school year.

Who is required to have this license?

PI 34 states, “An instructional technology coordinator license is required for any person who is responsible for the direction and administration of the instructional computing and other instructional technology at the district level.”  Districts are not required to have an Instructional Technology Coordinator; but if they do have one, they must be licensed. Building-level technology personnel are not required to have this license.

What are the requirements to obtain the ITC license?

Administrative requirements: Because this license falls in the administrative category, the general requirements for administrators apply.  (Note: while there are some exceptions to these requirements for some administrative positions, these do not apply to the ITC).  General administrator requirements include:

Teaching license:

1. The applicant shall hold or be eligible to hold any license to teach at the early childhood through adolescence level or shall have completed an approved program leading to a license to teach.

   OR

2. The applicant shall hold or be eligible to hold a license as a school counselor, a school psychologist, or a school social worker, or shall have completed an approved program leading to one of these licenses.”

Three years teaching experience:

1. Three years of successful full-time classroom teaching at any of the grades at the early childhood through adolescence level.

   OR

2. Three years of successful experience as a school counselor, a school psychologist, or a school social worker, which includes evidence of at least 540 hours of successful classroom teaching experience.”

Masters degree or equivalent:

1. The applicant shall have completed an approved master's degree program or the equivalent in the area of administration;

   OR

2. The applicant shall have completed a master's degree or the equivalent and an approved program leading to a license under this subchapter.”

Content standard requirements:

In addition to the general administrative requirements, applicants must demonstrate proficiency in the content standards specific to the ITC.  Assessing that applicants meet these content standards is the responsibility of the institution offering the program.   In order to have their program approved, the institution must submit a plan to the Department of Public Instructions detailing how they plan to assess the content standards (and administrative standards as they apply to the ITC).   Once their program is approved, the institution certifies that the applicant has met the requirements and DPI issues the license.

The content standards for the instructional technology coordinator license are listed below.

Demonstrate the following knowledge, abilities, and dispositions:

1. Knowledge of the principles and theories of PK-12 curriculum development and teaching strategies.

2. Ability to provide educational leadership, including visioning, strategic planning, goal-setting, curricular innovation, program evaluation, problem solving, and utilizing management theory and practice. 

3. Interpersonal and communication skills needed to work and interact effectively within the educational community (students, educators, parents, staff and the general public) by displaying a comprehensive competence that promotes reliability, balance, responsiveness and flexibility

4. Knowledge of and ability to plan, manage, budget, make decisions and implement:
   • technology support for instruction
     
   • the selection, supervision, training and evaluation of staff
     
   • instructional technology systems
     
   • facility design
     
   • funding sources, including grants
     
   • instructional design<

5. Ability to plan and manage the identification, evaluation, selection, acquisition, maintenance and use of instructional technology systems (voice, video, data, etc.)
6. Ability to support and implement inclusive and comprehensive user access within and beyond the school.

7. Ability to facilitate the integration of instructional technology into the curriculum through teaching and learning activities.

8. Ability to evaluate and implement appropriate, current and emerging trends and developments in instructional technologies, including information access and delivery systems, networking and telecommunications.
9. Ability to oversee a reliable technology infrastructure and make appropriate decisions regarding that infrastructure in support of learning and teaching.
10. Ability to develop, review, implement and evaluate policies and procedures governing instructional technology.
11. Participate in local, regional, state, and national collaborative opportunities.

12. Access resources through partnerships, organizations, consortia and educational institutions.

13. Ability to facilitate and promote effective use of technology through the planning and implementation of appropriate staff development models.

14. Ability to facilitate and promote the use of technology to meet identified academic standards.

15. Awareness of and ability to apply federal, state and local regulations, laws and policies involving instructional technology and information access.

16. Knowledge of societal and ethical issues related to technology, including the impact of technology on society, censorship, equity, access issues, rights to privacy, copyright laws, and fair use guidelines.

17. Awareness and use of resources for personal professional growth, including electronic and printed literature, professional organizations, and collegial avenues.”

I am currently a district instructional technology coordinator. What are my options?

Get the license: A listing of Wisconsin colleges and universities with programs approved for this, and other, licenses is available at: http://www.dpi.wi.gov/tepdl/xls/indexed.xls

Use emergency licensure to work toward approval. (2 year limit)

Examine the position function: MIS positions and network administrators do not require this license.   If the position is not responsible for the “direction and administration of the instructional computing and other instructional technology at the district level,” this license is not required.

For questions about this information, contact Stephen N. Sanders (608) 266-3856

Last updated on 7/31/2009 9:34:42 AM