Support-seeking and support-giving relationships of school technology coordinators

Abstract

Evidence has shown that workers usually rely on their colleagues for guidance or support. Their social relationships in organisations or in schools are the in?uential factors on obtaining information, sharing knowledge, solving problems and learning how to do work better (Bitwell, 2001; Levin & Cross, 2004; Talbert & McLaughlin, 1994). School technology coordinators (STCs) are responsible for technical consultation and instructional technology services at schools. Their work relationships with their colleagues could provide some information for understanding the networks of their support-seeking and support-giving behaviours. The authors of this study are interested in knowing how the relational variables are correlated with the support- seeking relationships? What relational variables are correlated with the support-giving relationships? And does the position variable correlate with the support-seeking and the support-giving relationships? Social networks in a workplace (such as a school) are the underlying social structures for supporting or hindering the operations in a workplace. This study attempts to investigate this hidden social structure and to provide an insight (social network perspective) toward the operations of STCs.