Learning Resources - Management & Administration 7.01 7.01 Effective Technology Plan. Develop an effective technology plan for an entire school district, including: Mission Vision A three-year plan for: the purchase and installation of equipment and Software Personnel projections Maintenance and upgrades A comprehensive budget Introduction  Providing short and long-term goals, a yearly budget, and a plan for the purchase, installation, and maintenance of equipment and software, an effective technology plan represents a shared vision of technology's role in your school district. Technology planning is important because it guides the activity of the school district and focuses resources on the tasks considered most important. A good technology plan brings the best thinking of diverse, knowledgeable people and groups together to identify priorities that result in the effective use of technology by students. The "preparation" section of a good technology plan describes the most important reasons the community is interested in employing technology effectively, and describes the purpose of the plan. It also shows the various ways the community was involved in the preparation of the "plan".  Your Job Use the details provided below to create a product that addresses and demonstrates mastery of this competency. Use the stepwise process listed under Your Portfolio to display the completed product in your ITSC portfolio. Product Details: Create a product in INSYS 462 that demonstrates your understanding of technology planning for an entire school district. Within your product: detail the plan preparation. Plan preparation is important, because it helps readers see how preparation was accomplished and how the community and its resources were involved in that preparation. Stakeholding is an important variable in the success of the technology plan. You must include both the school and general community in the preparation of the plan. And you must show a good deal of thinking on your part by including all stakeholders and resources that are required for an effective technology plan. provide a vision statement. The vision statement is important because it helps others see the way things will be if the plan is implemented. If they can't "see it" they are not likely to "get it" and are even less likely to be willing to pay for it. The vision statement must paint a powerful, compelling, and attractive picture of the future seen by you and the other members of your committee; show a commitment to professional development and accountability; and show a commitment to State Academic Standards. detail the current status. The analysis of current status illustrates where the district's technology initiative is at the present time. It indicates what should and needs to happen in the future. This section is important because it serves as a "picture" of the district's present status in the technology business and can indicate what needs to be done in the future to raise the district's technology standing. Within this section you are to portraying your district's techology assets and expenditures;show the present strengths and weaknesses and how they will be used in the future to upgrade the technology program; include an inventory of hardware, software and network resources; mention readiness for technology infusion; and show available staffing and support services for technology. include a section on intergration. The Integration section of the Technology Plan identifies goals and objectives in the areas of Curriculum and learning; administration and management and communication and information access. The Integration section is important because it forces the district to think about these very valuable categories that often get overlooked. Within this section you are to discuss in detail integration into curriculum, areas of administration and managemen, and the district's communication and information access areas. to include three year plans & action steps. This section on goals and objectives puts into writing the district's commitment to the project by describing the steps to be taken to bring the technology plan to fruition. Without this element in a technology plan, the district has no set goals and or objectives to follow. There is no way to know what is necessary in the way of updates and upgrades and many times no way to pay for them because they were not anticipated. Within this section you are to describe the additional personnel that will be required to make the plan work, describe the commitment to the updating of hardware and software, describe the commitment to the necessary staffing and staff development, and show a timeline and estimated budget for training, as well as needed software and hardware upgrades. include three year annual budget. This section identifies the less glamorous, but very important expenditures related to keeping existing technologies running and making them more powerful. This section in today's modern education, is the heart of the technology initiative. Taxpayer's money is at stake.This section, too, is very important, because a lack of attention to this aspect will minimize the value of your prior investments in technology because there is no means to keep the systems current. "No Money" means no plan, or at least no way of carring one to fruitition. Within this section you are to show an understanding of future technology needs by providing a very comprehensive discussion of all considerations, including many that are often overlooked. a monitoring & evaluation section. The "monitoring and evaluation" section of a Technology Plan identifies how and by whom the "plan" will be monitored and evaluated. This will, and should, be done on a regular basis and meetings should be held to decide what changes or modifications are to be made in the "plan". The monitor/ evaluation section is important because it gives a district a chance to look at the plan and make comparisons and changes to the technology in the district. The monitoring should be done on a regular basis by the technology coordinator/administration and the technology committee. Here's the place where you can tell if the plan is headed in the right direction and if it isn't, put it on course before a lot of money is wasted and things must be redone. Within this section you are to detail ALL the necessary means to monitor and evaluate "The Plan" and demonstrate your understanding of the whole process of technology planning. Your Portfolio:  FTP your completed product for this competency to the "7manadm" folder within the web-based portfolio template provided. Click here to view the "Manage" page in the portfolio template. Download the "Manage" page from your ftp folder. Locate 7.01 Effective Technology Plan on the "Manage" page. Under "7.01 Effective Technology Plan" locate this sentence..."To view the evidence that I offer for this competency, please click here." Link the word "here" to your product. Delete the old "Manage" page in your ftp folder. Upload your revised "Manage" page. Click here to view the "Evalu" page in the portfolio template. Download the "Evalu" page from your ftp folder. Locate 7.01 Effective Technology Plan on the "Evalu" page. Under "7.01 Effective Technology Plan" locate this sentence..."To view the evidence that I offer for this competency, please click here." Link the word "here" to your product. Delete the old "Evalu" page in your ftp folder. Upload your revised "Evalu" page. Submit the URL for your completed product in the student database. Related Resources: Pa Etech Planner Type of Resource: Website Source: http://www.etechplanner.org/overview/3a.asp Description: The Pennsylvania Department of Education Etech Planner V3. A complete toolbox!   Leadership in instructional technology. Mathew M. Mauer & George S. Davidson. Type of resource: Book (hard copy) Source: Upper Saddle River, N.J. Merrill, c1998. Description: Constructivist and developmentally appropriate learning theories are the underpinnings of this engaging book. After reading this book, principals, teachers, and technology specialists can not help to "step out of the box" and view teaching and technology in a new light. Issues covered: planning, funding, leadership, staff development, shared goals, censorship, and software evaluation. The National Center for Technology Planning Type of resource: Web site Source: http://www.nctp.com/ Description: The National Center for Technology Planning (NCTP) is a clearinghouse for the exchange of many types of information related to technology planning. Included at this site are: school district technology plans available for downloading via a computer network; technology planning aids (checklists, brochures, sample planning forms, PR announcement forms); and/or electronic monographs on timely, selected topics. Critical Issue: Developing a School or District Technology Plan Type of resource: Web site Source: http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/methods/technlgy/te300.htm Description: How to create a technology plan that is part of an overall school improvement plan. Discusses guidelines, planning committees, budgets, and agenda ideas and pitfalls. Includes 7 district and 2 state technology plans as examples. Instructional Technology Profile Type of resource: Web site Source: http://www.ncrtec.org/capacity/profile/profwww.htm Description: Provides a profile tool to help compare your current instructional practices with a set of indicators for engaged learning and high-performance technology. For each category there is a description of the indicators and examples that fall along a continuum. Guiding Questions for Technology Planning Type of resource: Web site Source: http://www.ncrtec.org/capacity/guidewww/gqhome.htm Description: This guide is intended primarily for administrators and technology planning teams in a wide range of organizations including schools, school districts, community colleges, and adult education. The purpose of the planning tool is to assist those responsible for developing technology plans by stimulating discussion about potential components of a technology plan and to assist decision makers in the process of consensus building. While it is not intended to dictate practice, the tool does offer a set of guiding questions for technology planning that is both supported by current research and found in technology plans considered exemplary in the field. A Guide to Networking a K-12 School District Type of resource: Web site Source: http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/edu/nie/overview/handbook/handbook.html Description: This Web site, created by the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (an NCRTEC partner), presents information about networking a school. It starts with the need for networks and technology in schools and then moves into detail about how to design and create a district network. Learning Through Technology: A Planning and Implementation Guide Type of resource: Web site Source: http://www.ncrel.org/tandl/homepg.htm Description: The information at this Web site helps educators and community members develop a comprehensive learning and technology plan. Learning Through Technology is divided into six sections (1) Planning to Plan (2) Building a Knowledge Base (3) Establishing General Directions (4) Implementation Priorities and Strategies (5) Evaluation (6) Revising for Improvement. From Now On - The Educational Technology Journal Type of resource: Web site Source: http://fromnowon.org/ Description: A general resource Web site for educational technology. Following concepts are covered: assessment, change, copyright, curriculum, grants, internet use policies, libraries of the future, Networks, Parenting, Research, School Museums, staff development, technology planning, virtual museums, webs sites, and web site design. Education Leadership Toolkit - Change and Technology in America's Schools Type of resource: Web site Source: http://www.nsba.org/sbot/toolkit/ Description: A free on-line technology resource for school board members. This toolkit is a collection of tips and pointers, articles, case studies and other resources for education leaders addressing issues around technology and education. While this toolkit is written for school board members, anyone involved in technology and education will benefit from this excellent resource. It is especially useful for understanding how school board members interpret educational technology issues. The toolkit is organized into the following sections: Why Change?, Why Technology?, Planning, Policy, Curriculum and Assessment, Community Involvement, Facility Planning, Funding, and Professional and Leadership Development. Each section includes an overview and links to many resources. The Technology Source Type of resource: Web site Source: http://horizon.unc.edu/TS/ Description: This is a "webzine" (web magazine) published monthly. The stated purpose of The Technology Source is "to provide thoughtful, illuminating articles that will assist educators as they face the challenge of integrating information technology tools in teaching and in managing educational organizations." Many High School Professional Development and Technology Plan Type of resource: Web site Source: http://www.sabine.k12.la.us/mhs1/techplan.htm Description: This high school has combined their teacher's technology professional development plan with the school's technology plan. Included are strategies and a time frame for completing both plans as well as funding sources. K-12 ACCEPTABLE USE POLICIEs Type of resource: Web site Source: http://www.erehwon.com/k12aup/ Description: This site contains materials to assist school districts in the development of effective Internet policies and practices. Ways to Define User Expectations Through Acceptable Use Policies Type of resource: Web site Source: http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/htbin/rfc/rfc1746.html Description: This paper covers basic fundamentals that must be understood when one defines, interprets, or implements methods to control user expectations on or over the Internet. Technology planning and management handbook - a guide for school district educational technology leaders. Philip J. Brody. Type of resource: Book (hard copy) Source: Educational Technology Publications. Englewood Cliffs, NJ. 1995. Description: Simple, straightforward, sound, practical advice for those responsible for the leading and administrating a school district's technology plan. Staff and curriculum development are covered along with, budgeting, purchasing, equipment maintenance, strategic planning, and user support. Leadership & Technology: What School Board Members Need To Know. Bailey, Gerald D.; And Others. Type of resource: Book (hard copy) Source: Call the NSBA Distribution Center at 800-706-6722 to place your order. National School Boards Association, Alexandria, VA. 1995 Description: In an easy-to-read, discussion guide format, this bookt helps the board and administrators hurdle the barriers to change, understand the importance of their own leadership, prepare for technology planning, and confront important technology-related issues such as purchasing, staff development, curriculum revision, facility improvement, and evaluation.The book opens with a six-step model for how boards can assist in their district's technology planning process, then offers tips and exercises to help school boards develop as teams, work with school administrators, and overcome a natural hesitancy toward change. [Competencies Home Page] [ITSC Home Page]