The ed-tech industry is evolving with leaps and bounds. It is not merely confined to K-12 classroom engagement tools. In fact, the ed-tech space is revolutionizing the education arena with cutting-edge technologies and innovations. It has taken education and learning to newer heights.
The torchbearers of the ed-tech industry are constantly researching to come up with innovative solutions and to further upgrade the education sector. They are leaving no stone unturned to ensure excellence in every educational endeavor.
A foremost name in the ed-tech industry that is creating waves with its dedicated efforts is Educator Alexander Consulting, LLC (EA). The company provides quality and effective professional development to empower educators to discover and amplify the intrinsic desire to become innovators in education. It aims to create a worldwide network of educators focused on the constant and consistent improvement of education for the students.
Leadership’s Mettle
The personality leading Educator Alexander Consulting from the front is Dr Desiree Alexander. She is an award-winning, multi-degreed educator who has been in the field of education since 2002. She is the Founder CEO of the company. Furthermore, she is the Deputy Director for the Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana. Dr Desiree consults with members of several schools/businesses and conducts presentations at conferences across the globe.
Dr Desiree is lifetime certified in Louisiana in Secondary English Education, as a reading specialist, as a school librarian, as an educational technology facilitator, and so on. She is certified in Texas as a principal in English language arts and reading for grades 4-8 and grades 8-12, as a reading specialist for grades EC-12, and as a school librarian. Dr Desiree holds multiple technology certifications, including, but not limited to, IC3 certification, Google Certified Trainer and Innovator, Apple Teacher, and a Microsoft Innovative Educator Trainer and Expert.
The Beginning of the Journey
Dr Desiree states that at one school where she was a teacher, all activities were carried out via e-mails. As a result, she had to use a computer for communication and other operations. The school authorities also provided an old laptop for carrying out different activities in school. Also, while there were privileges to take the laptop home, teachers could work their way up by earning points to a sleeker, newer computer. To earn points, teachers had to complete tech tasks.
Dr Desiree actively participated in those tasks, which eventually introduced her to ed-tech. After that, she became a library media specialist and her love of ed-tech and teaching ed-tech to educators grew and became an actual part of her job. From there, Dr Desiree’s fascination with it has not wavered.
Her first introduction into the public ed-tech space was as a certified Google Educator, Trainer, and Innovator. After that, she took gradual steps to achieve newer heights in her career.
Offering Services of the Highest Level
Educator Alexander Consulting offers its clients a variety of professional development (PD) services. The team does not believe in cookie-cutter PD. It emphasizes talking through the issues a school/district/company is having and then coming up with trainings that will work to better their situation. The company also pays attention to using needs assessments to see what educators/users really want to know and are curious about using. While leading the company, Dr Desiree offers professional development in edtech, as well as leadership, classroom management, equity, library services, various teaching techniques (distance learning, blended learning, etc.). She also holds expertise in educational consulting/building one’s company, branding, SLLA test prep, and more.
Overcoming Adversities
When Dr Desiree entered the ed-tech space, she did not know anyone and also did not have any concrete plans for the future. She was not aware of the latest and hottest developments that were taking place in the industry. She kept up with all the latest developments so that she could help all the teachers.
“I remember when I went to the Google Innovator Academy in 2016. I knew no one there, had never heard of the company that was helping run it at that time and had never touched a Chromebook before,” says Dr Desiree. “I will never forget feeling inadequate as I asked how to rightclick on this new device. Everyone around me seemed so much more advanced than me,” she adds. Even though these may have felt like challenges at that moment, they taught her a valuable lesson- everyone starts somewhere and there is always more to learn. Dr Desiree keeps that in heart when she is educating about tech to teachers. “Everyone starts somewhere. Never make anyone feel less than as they are learning,” she further expressed.
Taking on the Pandemic Challenge
The pandemic was a massive challenge for Educator Alexander Consulting. However, the entire team managed to transform obstacles into opportunities. Dr Desiree spent a considerable amount of time on scheduled professional developments. She was training seven days a week globally all from her office at home. It was a bit complicated, but she chose to look at it as triage training. As per Dr Desiree, educators and companies needed technology training quickly and effectively. She believed that it was game time and there was no time to prepare. “It was a very interesting time. It was very tiring, but I was also extremely aware that people were losing their jobs and their lives and front-line workers were going out in danger to keep people alive and the world spinning, so I knew my situation was blessed and I refused to look at my situation as negative at all,” expresses Dr Desiree.
Inspirational Words
While advising the up-and-coming entrepreneurs, Dr Desiree states that they should make sure that they are passionate about the ed-tech industry and that they enter this space for the right reasons. They should make sure that they really love this work and that they are truly in it for the empowerment of educators which will lead to the empowerment of students. This way, their ego will not get entangled in their service. The entrepreneurs will realize that the ed-tech space is open for everyone and provides a great service for educators. This will help them to welcome and encourage anyone who wants to excel in education. She also advises them to take their time and hurry up. “Take your time knowing that this is a huge space, and you are never done learning. It also takes time to make a name for yourself as a trusted voice,” expresses Dr Desiree. She further adds, “However, hurry up and get started because if you do not take that first step now, you never will. Jump in and make a difference”.
Taking the Next Step
Shedding light on the future plans of the company, Dr Desiree states, “I plan for Educator Alexander Consulting to one day be a business where multiple consultants work for the company full-time, and I work to help build educators more that way as well.” She believes that education and especially the ed-tech space will never stop evolving, growing, and moving on to the next thing. In her opinion, there is so much out there to decipher. “I hope to be one of the voices in this space that calms the raging waters of information to make it still and clear for educators so they can make their own informed decisions,” expresses Dr Desiree.
