Technology Director Named to New Schools Post

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David Willingham, an experienced educational technologist, has been named to the newly created post of school technology director in the Superintendent of Schools Office.

Willingham, who began in the position last month, will provide leadership in identifying, assessing and managing the system’s technology, including evaluating the current state of technology and supporting infrastructure in schools; and incorporating best practices in instructional technology and school data collection.

“This is actually the first time this role’s really existed in the archdiocese,” Willingham told CNY. “As director of technology I’m going to be managing the information systems and the data team that we have here that all the elementary schools use. Over the last couple of years we’ve been transitioning to a new student information system to track enrollment, do report cards, grade books. We currently have 80 schools that are using the new system and another 63 that are due to roll over in September.

“I’ll be working with the team here to plan, implement and support the new system that’s going to be rolled out for those remaining 63 elementary schools,” he explained.

He also said collecting, collating and helping to evaluate data, such as enrollment figures, results from state tests, or end term assessments would be a large part of his job. Another important part of his job will be providing guidance and support to schools on how to use the new technology available to them.

“Obviously schools are changing now. In the last five or 10 years the amount of technology that’s being used in the classrooms has grown exponentially. It’s really not fair to ask each individual principal to be knowledgeable about instruction, the teachers, the students and also wireless infrastructure, so hopefully I’ll be able to help centralize that process and again be able to provide the guidance that the schools need.”

Willigham said the archdiocesan school system stacks up fairly well with other large urban school districts in how modern technology is used but he said a major challenge is creating a system that meets the needs of individual students and teachers.

“This is a big school system,” he explained. “We’re talking 220 schools, and I’ve never been one to create a ‘cookie cutter’ solution. Students have different needs. So really my intention is to get a better idea of the needs of the individual schools and be able to provide some choice for the principals as well and the teachers.”

Born and raised in Leeds, England, Willingham graduated from Loughborough University in 1998 with a bachelor of science degree in ergonomics.

Most recently, he was director of operations for TEQ, a leading technology and professional development company, where he managed a team of 35 instructional technology specialists and developed innovative training applications aligned with Common Core standards, 2008-2014.

He previously served as assistive technology specialist at the Kornreich Technology Center/Henry Viscardi School on Long Island, 2003-2008, where he provided in-class coaching to teachers on the effective integration of technology into curricula and instruction; and helped to oversee the Center’s Inclusive Technology Program.

He resides in Brooklyn with his wife and two children.