CoSN IT Leader Spotlight: Mike Daugherty

In partnership with CoSN, eSchool News highlights the innovative and dedicated work of IT leaders in school districts across the country.

The spotlight is on Mike DaughertyDirector of technology and Innovation in Ohio Chagrin Falls Exempt School District.

1. What is your biggest IT challenge today?

Cybersecurity remains a major challenge for K-12. Schools often do not have the resources to invest in adequate cybersecurity measures. They may also lack the time and expertise to implement and maintain these measures effectively. The lack of funding, time, and expertise to address these concerns at the district level makes it the most significant IT issue facing schools.

2. What project, initiative or achievement are you most proud of?

Our district is embracing artificial intelligence. We are working to provide professional development in various generative ai tools to our staff this year. We focus on the efficiencies that ai can create, how ai can be used to increase student learning, and the ethics of using this new technology. We are excited to see how ai can transform education in the years to come. We believe this technology has the potential to improve student learning, increase teacher productivity, and make education more accessible for all students.

3. What are your top 3 priorities for the next few years?

ai, cybersecurity and interoperability

4. technology is evolving at such a high rate: what are some of the school IT innovations you see coming and which ones are you most excited about?

Generative artificial intelligence (GIA) is the next big advancement in educational technology that I hope will impact students for years to come. GIA is a type of ai that can generate text, translate languages, write different types of creative content, and answer your questions in an informative way. This means that students will soon be able to use GIA to complete their assignments, write essays, and even create their own works of art.

However, GIA also poses some challenges for educators. For example, how will we create assessments that GIA cannot easily complete? How will we ensure that students are using GIA for the correct purposes and not simply plagiarizing content? These are all questions that educators will need to address as GIA becomes more widespread.

I believe the best way to address these challenges is to teach students how to use GIA effectively. This includes teaching them how to write prompts that generate the answer they are looking for, how to verify that answer, and how to cite the parts of the answer they use. By teaching students how to use GIA responsibly, we can ensure that they use this powerful tool to enhance their learning, not to cheat.

I am excited to see how GIA will impact education in the years to come. I believe it has the potential to revolutionize the way we teach and learn. However, it is important that we address the challenges posed by GIA from the beginning so that we can ensure that it is used for good.

5. What advice would you give to other school IT leaders and IT teams?

Building relationships is essential for CTOs to be successful. This means taking the time to walk the hallways, visit classrooms, and be visible in the school community. Be present and accessible. Listen to people's concerns. Find out how to say Yes when possible. By developing these relationships, you can gain the trust and support of faculty, staff, and students. This will be key when implementing new initiatives or driving changes.

For more IT leadership and innovation news, visit eSN's IT Leadership page.