I have often reflected with one of my mentors the notion of an eLearning leadership position. We sit on the fence in regards to it. So my first question to you is:
Why do you need an eLearning person?
I think honestly, the answer to this question frames whether you will have a school using technology well, or whether you will have a room for of wasted tech.
eLearning has a very important word in it - learning. How does any learning take place - good pedagogy. So, I ask you this? Why do you need an eLearning person? Or do you really need a teaching and learning leader with skills in digital learning? Are eLearning leaders a bridge between the old and new? Have we created the positions because, generally speaking, our Heads of Teaching and Learning, with all the skills and experience they bring, lack the expertise required for the 21st century learner?
I think, as we move forward at such a rapid place, there is a fairly good debate that eLearning leaders are needed.
So my next dilemma - why do so many eLearning/Digital learning positions request ICT teaching skills to be a prerequisite? Why are so many organisations assuming that a Digital learning leader would be an IT teacher?
A good digital learning leader is excellent at pedagogy. Curriculum design, student engagement. Understands that teaching and learning is the purpose. That the devices are not thought of first. When I am often asked what devices a school, year level should have - my response is "What teaching and learning are you hoping your students are engaged in? And then from that what tools best fit - tech or no tech?"
Don't use technology for the sake of it. If it's not authentic your students will see right through you and your engagement will plummet.
And think when you are hiring a digital leader - why do you need them? What do you hope to achieve? Because I'm pretty sure an authentic answer will not have anything to do with what subject areas they teach.