Gateway’s Technology Coordinator Christopher Parker was named MassCUE Educator of the Month. (Photo submitted)
HUNTINGTON – While at times technology seems to divide people more than bring them together, educators from across the state are banding together to develop new ways to teach with technology. One such educator is Gateway’s own Technology Coordinator Christopher Parker, who was awarded the Massachusetts Computer Using Educators’ (MassCUE) Educator of the Month for February. This award recognizes MassCUE members statewide who are innovating technology in the classroom.
Within MassCUE, Parker serves on the Development and Outreach Committee, which works to expand the network of educators involved in MassCUE. Parker specifically works towards bringing conferences and trainings from Boston to Western Massachusetts. “Conferences in Eastern Mass can be difficult to attend,” Parker noted for rural schools like Gateway. One way in which Parker attempts to draw events out west is hosting his “Lunch and Learn” events. These events allow vendors and educators to work together, give and receive feedback on products, and generally improve educators’ understanding of the technology products they can use in the classroom. “It’s more than a sales pitch,” Parker stated, “People get the chance to actually see what the products can do, and give feedback, instead of ‘hey buy our laptop!’” Parker has also hosted a “Googlepalooza” at Gateway, a workshop on using products and services designed by Google. On hosting events in Western MA, he stated “This all shines a light on smaller schools…I’m trying to get them to see what life is like out here.”
Parker’s work at Gateway was not unnoticed when MassCUE was determining this month’s featured educator. They cited his work with Gateway’s Technology Committee. Parker took on this project when its previous advisor retired. While this group of eight teachers had always been a resource for teachers, Parker has worked to make it a resource in the technology field as well and this year is leading them to each become Google Classroom Certified. Parker is working to train them in specific skills, so that they may all teach and support their fellow educators, who can then continue the cycle by teaching more educators. This way, every educator will be up-to-date in their technology knowledge. Parker has also spearheaded the Chromebook 1:1 program, where every student in grades 3 – 11 has their own online device to increase student and teacher productivity.
Parker hopes to bring technology and teaching together to improve education both at Gateway and across Massachusetts. “I’m not doing this because I want to get my name in lights,” Parker said, “I’m doing this to bring people together.”
