Support While some people joke about not being able to program a home VCR, schools and districts in the midst of integrating computer networks and a dizzying array of related software and hardware can't laugh away technical problems. They need help. Fortunately, there are many options available to solve your support dilemma. Finding qualified support personnel, especially a strong technology director who is a good fit for your school or district, is a good first step. But the issue of support goes beyond keeping the "wires and boxes" up and running—you must also provide support for the people working with the technology. Lesson Overview This lesson provides some important information on both technical and pedagogical support issues. It introduces issues related to the shortage of technical support and how to plan for support costs. You will better understand how to find and hire appropriate support personnel for your school or district. You will develop strategies to resolve pedagogical support issues and to develop and maintain your technology infrastructure. Lesson Objectives At the conclusion of this lesson, you will be able to Define support Describe issues related to technical support List key issues related to pedagogical support Provide suggestions to reward teachers for effective technology integration Describe the skills and duties of technology support personnel Develop procedures to effectively recruit, interview, and hire qualified technology support personnel Relate technical support issues to Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Evaluate strategies to overcome common barriers to support Determine whether to outsource equipment and/or personnel Determine whether you should use teachers for technical support Evaluate the possibility of using students or volunteers to provide support List options for using technology as a support mechanism