This article may reflect the Service Line Directors’ initial thinking, which may experience changes as the Service Lines develop.
What is the Education and Training Technology Service Line?
Education and Training Technology at SMPH is focused on enhancing teaching, learning and professional development through the integration of technology and tailored training programs. This service line supports the effective use of educational technologies in teaching, learning, and research, offering tools and resources that foster an engaging and innovative educational environment.
We provide consultation, training, documentation, and support for a wide range of educational technologies, ensuring that faculty, staff, and students are well-equipped to utilize these tools effectively. Our goal is to facilitate a culture of continuous learning and improvement, leveraging technology to enrich the educational experience at SMPH.
Q+A with Education and Training Technology Service Line Director Kristin Simon
What is your role and initial focus as a new Service Line Director?
My new role is the Service Line Director for Education & Training Technology. This service line will focus on supporting our faculty, staff, students, and researchers on a variety of different educational technologies and training methodologies.
My initial focus is to better understand the needs of the entire IIT in the training space. I hope to learn what type of training our teams are currently providing in an effort to support them with research based, learner centered teaching methods as they move forward.
As the previous manager of the Educational Technology team, I am familiar with the academic mission of our programs, but I am excited at the opportunity to begin to connect with our clinical and research missions as it pertains to educational technologies and training.
What inspired you to step into this leadership position?
When this opportunity came to serve and represent a team I already felt so connected to, I jumped at the opportunity. I love my job and I love the opportunity to serve others within the technology space at an academic medical center. My master’s degree is in Adult Education, so to be able to expand the reach of the team to include training was also very appealing to me. I am passionate about teaching and learning, which is at the heart of both education and training.
How do you envision your service line supporting the goals of the Office of IIT?
SMPH’s mission states: Together, we are advancing health and health equity through remarkable service to patients and communities, outstanding education, and innovative research.
I see the Education & Training Technology team indirectly impacting both education and research through the innovative use of technology and training methodologies.
Part of our team will be focused on the teaching and learning mission by providing consultative and support to a variety of educational technologies to our faculty, staff, and students. Being the expert in the tools we support while staying on top of emerging technologies.
Our training team will focus on learner-centered training approaches to help our Informatics and Information technology colleagues to better serve their customers, to include faculty, staff, students, and researchers. I see this team as the experts in adult learning theory in an effort to provide effective technology training to our IIT customers.
What are you most looking forward to in this new role?
I look forward to the collaboration between the IIT members and the opportunity to continue to serve others with expanded services and reach. I also really look forward to the opportunity to take a step back and organize the team in a meaningful way to better serve our customers. My hope is to also build a structure that allows advancement within the team to ensure we can meet career goals and retain fantastic people.
What’s one key message you’d like to share with your new team?
I look forward to continuing to work alongside the current team and am excited to get to know the new members. I am honored to work alongside you all as we build the new Educational & Training Technology service line!
Anything else you would like to add?
I have been working for the Information Technology team at SMPH for over 9 years and I have never been so excited for the direction we are going. We have an incredible opportunity in front of us now that we are all together and I can’t wait to see the waves we can make!