Supporting Education is Different

Am I the only one who thinks computing support of faculty in educational settings is a different beast than helping business members? Or is it only the environment that is different?

We know that educational institutions generally do not follow the same sheet of music as private business. Nor should they. In an educational setting we expect an air of freedom and relaxation that cannot be had where profit is the bottom line. Faculty and even staff have considerably more leeway in how they spend their time than their "real world" counterparts. Note I put that term in quotes.

I submit that the psychology of faculty is not quite the same, and thus requires a different helping hand when overcomming computing diffulties and issues. Business users are often motivated to the point where they take on computer training on their own, considering it part of the job. Education faculty are hired because of their expertise in a specific subject area, and do not necessarily see computers and other technology as integral to teaching.

But in today's learning environments, technology is greatly enhancing students abilites and skills. Helping faculty into the world of education technology is paramount. It may mean we support people give teachers more indivdualized and one on one help and training, than we might in other contexts.