Human Resource Management:  Professional Development and Google Training

The Challenge:  In March of 2015, Bloomington Schools switched e-mail systems.  We adopted Gmail, after over a decade of using FirstClass.  One of my tasks as CE's technology coordinator was to train all of our CE employees on the new system.

The Resources:  This was a transition that our district had planned for over the course of a year.  We had previously adopted Google Apps in 2013/14, and I had done considerable staff training with that roll-out.  I had been part of an Early Adopters group for a few months prior to the e-mail transition.  Some training materials were available from our district.  Others I made myself, tailored to my audience of CE staff members.

Trainings:  I offered eleven training sessions at two sites in the first two weeks of March, 2015.  Trainings were offered during the day, the early evening, and one session on a Saturday.  About 75 staff members attended the one-hour sessions.

Concerns:  Many staff members had concerns.  Some were worried about how they would organize their messages with the different tools available.  Others wanted to learn to set up the accounts on their phones and tablets.  Differentiating between student and staff accounts using the directory was a new issue for most people.

Outcome:  The transition went well.  Staff training and development is something I have done quite a bit of over the years.  I wouldn't say the change was seemless, but most people found that their concerns weren't as daunting as they had feared.