Create Action Plan Assign duties and responsibilities with timelines to assure that the plan is enacted. A plan is not effective without action and action is not effective without a plan.
Create Action Plan Assign duties and responsibilities with timelines to assure that the plan is enacted. A plan is not effective without action and action is not effective without a plan.
A plan without action is as ineffective as action without a plan. Simply buying technology will not automatically produce results. Knowing the goals and purchasing the equipment necessary to reach the goals is just part of the action necessary. The most important process will be incorporating people and equipment to reach the goals.
Use your assessment data to determine your current status. Write the steps necessary to reach your goals. If this is your first attempt at planning, don't get too involved in breaking down each step into fragmented pieces. The essentials are: 1) provide funding; 2) when tasks are assigned, make an individual (not a committee) responsible for accomplishing the task; 3) set a time when the task should be completed.
Do not get people excited if you don't plan to provide the necessary equipment for them to use. If the building or district doesn't have technology for teachers to use then attempts at staff development will not be effective and will frustrate future efforts to infuse technology into the classroom. The literature consistently affirms the effectiveness of staff development that is on-going. Consider calling upon provider agencies for staff development information. A list of staff development providers can be found in the reference section of this document. Money will need to be budgeted for staff development costs -- not only for the first year but to provide on-going training for existing staff and new staff.
Think beyond one year. A three year plan should provide a fairly detailed plan for the first year, a less detailed plan for the second year, and a sketchy plan for the third year. Remember that the plan should be updated at least once a year.
When considering costs, include facility modifications which may be necessary. For example, schools may need electrical outlets in classrooms to provide electricity for the new technology. Also remember that the purchase of technology contains on-going support and maintenance which should be included in the budget.
The SchoolNet project will require adherence to wiring and workstation standards. It will be important to consider the standards when determining what will be ordered. Refer to SchoolNet materials for wiring and workstation standards.
Also, districts should review Board Policies to assure that any new changes that may conflict with policy are reconciled. From time to time, policies which deal with teacher, student and community use of school property may have to be updated.
Technology should be part of the daily cost of doing business
Schools spend money every day. Consider moving to a resource-based educational system and use traditional textbook money to buy instructional resources. Consider trade-offs in which money spent "because we have always spent it that way" is reallocated to support improvement. Time and money are finite resources. You must determine how you spend both. Prioritize how you spend your time and money. Alternative funding schemes can involve technology bond issues, grant writing, leasing programs, and business partnerships. However alternative funding should be used to augment, not supplant, existing technology expenditures from the district's general fund.
Staff development must be addressed
Your plan must contain a staff development program that is ongoing. A one-shot training session will not be effective. Consider training a few of your staff members who can be recognized as "resident experts." Call upon them to provide support and training for other staff members. Teachers will progress from a cycle of awareness to application to integration to refinement. Good staff development will support them in this cycle. In this process, after becoming aware of technology they begin to understand how to integrate technology to teach what they are currently teaching only more effectively and efficiently. When they reach the point where they use technology to help them change what they teach and how they teach it, they have reached the refinement stage. People cannot go directly from awareness to refinement. They need a period of time to experience each stage. The more experience we have with technology, the better we will be at understanding how to use it effectively. Research shows that there are four critical attributes to successful use of technology by teachers:
Advice:
Your plan should describe where funding will come from: district share, industry/community partnerships, SchoolNet, Venture Capital, etc.
Questions:
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