A Process for Managing Technology Initiatives in Education Organizations

Suppose you travel to a foreign country for a vacation. You've read about several destinations that sound exciting and wondrous. You've lost your map. No matter how much you may have prepared for the trip, the only place you can go without a map is to the nearest information booth for guidance-but you don't even know the language...

Following a proven logical process for sound decision-making is the key to ensuring that a new technology initiative will work. First, you must specify your requirements and keep them at the forefront of all decision-making. Technology that doesn't meet your fundamental user and operational needs is not a solution to your problems. There are many published methods for embarking upon new technology initiatives, most of which contain the same set of steps, although the jargon used to describe the tasks may vary. In broad terms, the steps are as follows:

• establish a context for decision-making (i.e., based on your technology plan and policies)
  (part 1)
• define the task, conduct a needs assessment, establish technology requirements, and describe current computing and networking technology resources (part 2)
• evaluate defined needs relative to current capabilities and select a solution that will meet the goals of the initiative (part 3)
• implement the selected technology solution and incorporate it into your comprehensive technology and security plans (part 4)
• secure your technology and information (part 5)
• provide for the maintenance and support of your technology solution on an ongoing basis
  (part 6)
• train your users to maximize the utility and efficiency of your technology (part 7)
• integrate the technology resources and technology-based practices into the daily routines, work, and management of the organization (part 8)

These steps, which form Parts 1-8 of this resource, are illustrated in Figure 1.1. Think of this document as a map that will help you navigate the various stages of the process. This map will lead you to the decisions that best meet your needs.

Technology Plans and Policies

As can be seen from Figure 1.1, a great deal of preparation is critical to the planning of a technology initiative. In fact, all education organizations should have technology plans in place (meaning that one should be developed if it does not already exist). In many education organizations, the overall goal of a technology plan will be the successful integration of technology in support of student learning and school management. Achieving this goal sometimes requires the purchase of new or upgraded resources. The technology plan, and the policies that derive from it, should guide decision-making. When an organization introduces new components to its technology system, plans and policies must be updated to reflect the change to the overall system. Moreover, when other changes occur within an organization (e.g., it develops a new mission statement), the technology plan must adapt accordingly. After all, unless technology planning is a component of a greater organizational management plan, it is doomed to failure. How else can technology planners be certain that other policymakers share their priorities? Or that funds will be available to achieve their goals? Or, most importantly, that technology supports the overall vision of the organization?

Identifying Technology Policies That Govern the Organization

Developing a Technology Plan

Technology plans are central to technology deployment. They can be tools of reform and guidance and, as such, affect every aspect of a technology initiative, from inception through evaluation. In its simplest form, a technology plan can be informal. A local technology proponent such as a superintendent, principal, or teacher technophile might initiate one. At the other end of the spectrum, a technology plan can be quite formal and, in many jurisdictions, require a public hearing or another prescribed venue for receiving input from various stakeholder groups.

Sound technology plans document that planners have:

	considered the implications of long-range funding issues
	identified timelines and milestones
	coordinated all aspects of technology integration, including professional development and staff training
	established evaluation mechanisms

Technology planning and policies should address the following three major areas: vision-the overall expectations for technology in the organization access-the acquisition, deployment, and availability of technology to intended users or audiences integration-the methods and strategies for ensuring that technology is implemented appropriately and meets users' needs and organizational vision

There is perhaps no better description of a good technology plan than that advocated by the E-rate program. To qualify as an approved "Technology Plan" for a Universal Service discount, a technology plan must meet the following five criteria that have been established as core elements of successful school and library technology initiatives:

1. The plan should establish clear goals and a realistic strategy for using technology to improve instruction and administration in the education organization.

2. The plan should include an assessment of the hardware, software, networking, human resources, and financial resources needed to improve education services.

3. The plan should provide for a sufficient budget and schedule to acquire, maintain, and secure the hardware, software, and related issues (e.g., training) that will be needed to implement the strategy.

4. The plan should have a professional development strategy to ensure that staff members know how to use these new technologies to improve education services.

5. The plan should include an evaluation process that enables the organization to monitor progress toward the specified goals, and make midcourse corrections in response to new developments and opportunities as they arise.

Good technology plans should address the following major components:

• current technology status, needs assessment, and other preplanning products
• organizational vision/goal statements
• equity issues
• applicable technology standards
• integration into core curriculum (if applicable)
• pilot program activities
• infrastructure and support for infrastructure, including such facilities-related needs as air conditioning/cooling and asbestos abatement
• review of current "state of the art" technology for options in design of infrastructure
• current capabilities of hardware and software
• projections of "next generation" capabilities and features
• long-range goals
• inventory control issues, such as maintenance and replacement cycle
• budget projections and funding sources for initial installation, hardware, software, maintenance, security, and training
• staff training
• benchmarking standards
• quality control components
• security planning
• evaluation planning
• review cycles
  

Possible Indicators for Technology Plan Development

1. Are the fundamental components of a good technology plan present (see above)?
2. Has the plan been reviewed by stakeholder groups?
3. Has the plan been approved by the necessary authorities?
4. Has funding support been assured?
   1. Local technology funds?
   2. Other local funds?
   3. State funds?
   4. Federal funds?
   5. Private or other funds?

Implementing a Technology Initiative

Possible Indicators for Technology Plan Implementation

1. What is the status of each major plan component?
2. Are plan components and other benchmarks being achieved on schedule?
   

When evaluating a plan, it is important to remain objective. If the early stages of a plan do not proceed as anticipated (i.e., benchmarks are not being met or tasks are being altered due to "reality"), it doesn't make the entire plan a failure. Indeed, schedules and budgets are essentially early 'best guesses', and will almost certainly need to be adjusted later (i.e. modify the balance of the plan). Implementing new technology can be a daunting undertaking. For this reason, evaluation in a variety of formats is critical for objectively determining what aspects of the plan are working and what aspects need additional attention.

Possible Indicators for Technology Plan Evaluation

1. Is the technology plan being evaluated?
2. Have specific steps during the implementation stage been identified for evaluation efforts?
3. Have indicators for assessing specific implementation steps been identified in the plan?
4. Is there a documented review cycle?
5. Does the plan get revised based on evaluation?
6. Can planners answer the question: Are desired goals being achieved?