•Technology Leadership, Planning and Implementation: Specific Strategies for Small School...
-
Upload
schooldude-editors -
Category
Technology
-
view
2.687 -
download
1
description
Transcript of •Technology Leadership, Planning and Implementation: Specific Strategies for Small School...
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Technology Leadership, Planning and Implementation: Specific Strategies
for Small School Districts
Presented at SchoolDude University 2009
Vicki Smith Bigham
President, Bigham Technology Solutions, Inc.
Consultant to the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN)
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
As you come into the session, please complete the Self Assessment of the K-12 Chief Technology Officer.
Then take the 2 blue dots and the 2 yellow dots at your seat.
On the skill area charts posted, place 1 blue dot on each of the 2 skill areas where you feel you are
strongest and 1 yellow dot on each of the 2 skill areas where you feel you need the most growth.
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Who are “Small School Districts”?
• Student populations of 2,500 or less• Nearly 75% of nation’s 14,000 districts• Typically impacted by different resource,
personnel and expertise constraints than larger districts
• Often challenged to plan long-term given immediate needs, lack of resources and personnel and, in some cases, expertise
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Major CoSN Focus Group Findings
• Lack of budget, personnel, time and sometimes expertise
• Ever expanding roles and responsibilities and “wearing many hats”
• Challenges stemming from lack of community support
• Often hard to “make the case” for technology, both internally and externally
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Focus Group Finding: Most Critical Problems
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Small District Technology Leadership Wiki
www.cosn.org/wiki
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Wiki to Address Small District Issues and Needs
• Internet-based toolkit…goal is to be one-stop resource for small district technology leaders
• Resources relevant to all districts but with special insights for small school districts
• Resources aligned to CoSN’s Framework of Essential Skills of the K-12 CTO
• Case studies for each skill area
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Essential Skills of the K-12 CTO
• Leadership and Vision• Planning and Budgeting• Team Building and Staffing• Systems Management• Information Management• Business Leadership• Education and Training• Ethics and Policies• Communications Systems
From CoSN’s “What It Takes: Essential Skills of the K-12 CTO” http://www.cosn.org/resources/cto_council/excerpt.cfm
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Leadership and Vision - Strategies for Small School Districts
• Developing a shared vision and big-picture perspective on the district’s goals
• Playing a key role in district-wide planning and goal setting
• Serving comfortably as a change agent and consensus builder
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Perspectives of Those
Involved in Technology
Planning
Board Members
Media Specialists
District Administrators
Teachers
Principals/ Assistant Principals
Business Manager
Parents Students
Reaching Out to All Stakeholders
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Planning and Budgeting - Strategies for Small School Districts
• Transforming the district vision for effective use of technology into a long-range plan
• Beginning with strategic challenges and moving on to specific goals, objectives and action plans
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
What does Total Cost of Ownership
(TCO) mean…
…and what has it got to do with a school learning
environment?
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
What Is TCO?What Is TCO?
All costs associated with deploying, operating and maintaining a computer network
Analysis tool used by businesses since the late-1980’s
A method of understanding real costs to make good decisions on technology investments
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Hardware $$ (purchase or lease)
Installation $$
Software $$
Upgrades $$
Technical Support $$
Outside Services $$
Professional Development $$
User Self-Support & Training $$
Total Cost of Ownership
A Simple School TCO Definition
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
TCO Can Help Schools Meet Educational Goals by…
• Tracking tech support– To minimize time computer and network is down– To minimize troubleshooting interruptions for teachers
• Tracking adequacy of professional development– To ensure teachers are prepared– To ensure teachers are integrating technology into the
curriculum• Tracking pros and cons of various implementations
and support strategies
The bottom line: effective use of technology
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
The CoSN-Gartner TCO Tool
• Developed by CoSN, Gartner and NCRTEC at North Central Regional Educational Laboratory
• Supported financially by U.S. Department of Education
• Gartner’s distributed computing TCO methodology for businesses modified for K-12 environment– 100 data points
• Reviewed with a significant number of school districts• Available at classroomtco.cosn.org
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Team Building and Staffing - Strategies for Small School Districts
• Include a staffing strategy to support the technology plan as an integral part of strategic planning — from the beginning
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Systems Management - Strategies for Small School Districts
• Overseeing day-to-day operation of the district’s IT systems
– Requiring project management and personal leadership skills
– Requiring perpetual learning
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Information Management - Strategies for Small School
Districts
• Focusing on the crucial role information plays in today’s schools
• Utilizing the powerful data gathering abilities of digital age tools for strategic planning
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
An Iterative Process of Continuous Improvement
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Data-Driven Decision Making
78 17 6
89 9 3
76 18 6
62 27 11
Total
Large
Medium
Small
Yes No Don't Know/Unsure
Districts That Employ A Data-Driven Decision Making Process(Digital Leadership Divide: CoSN/Grunwald Survey)
Source: www.cosn.org/resources/grunwald
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
+
A New Paradigm
Sophisticated Data Collection
Dissemination technologies
Better understanding of how individuals learn
New assessments
TRANSFORMATION OF EDUCATION
+
+
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Barriers to Data-Driven Decision MakingTo what degree does your district consider the following to be barriers to a more effective data-driven decision making process? (N=353) (Percent Responding 8, 9, or 10 on a 10-point scale)
Barriers to More Effective Data-Driven Decision Making
Source: Grunwald Associates
Lack of training and interoperability are the main barriers to more effective data-driven decisions. A lack of understanding of what to do with data is a barrier that is particular to large and medium districts.
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
CoSN Initiative: Vision to Know and Do
Stages of data-driven decision making…
VISIONplanning for DDDM
KNOWimplementation of systemsand processes for DDDM
DOtargeted interventions
and their results
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
CoSN Initiative: Vision to Know and Do
• Launched by CoSN to help educators use data effectively with goals to provide– Respected source of up-to-date, unbiased information
for educators on collecting, understanding and effectively using data
– Practical mechanism for educating school leaders about data-driven decision making and its application in K-12
– Framework for sharing knowledge among educators and transferring knowledge between educational and vendor communities
www.3d2know.org 3d2know.cosn.org/assessment/survey.cfm
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Business Leadership - Strategies for Small School Districts
• Advising on technology expenditures• Overseeing the selection of technology items• Reviewing requisitions for technology
purchases• Exercising authority to approve, amend or
reject purchases based on compatibility with district goals and needs
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Education and Training - Strategies for Small School Districts
• Overseeing district-wide, technology-related staff development efforts
– From ensuring a sufficient budget through the implementation and assessment process
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Professional Development - Things to Consider
• Whether your investment will go to waste• Wasted time of those who DO understand
computers• Wasted time when not in synch with
installation• Bad choices made by under-trained
technology staff
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Ethics and Policies - Strategies for Small School Districts
• Understanding the social, legal and ethical issues related to technology
• Modeling responsible decision making with regard to these areas
• Building consensus around key issues related to appropriate use of technology, as well as communicating with all parties regarding what is expected of them
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Communication Systems - Strategies for Small School Districts
• Communicating with all members of the educational community
• Using technology-enhanced tools to support communication with stakeholders
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Telling the Technology Story . . .
Public relations is a critical component of your district’s successful technology
implementation—
and it involves communicating on an ongoing basis with the range of
stakeholders inside and outside the district.
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Community Support Makes a Difference
70
38
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
% of school leaders who cite strong communitysupport
budgets haveincreased
budgets havedecreased
Source: Digital Leadership Divide, Grunwald Associates
SchoolDude University 2009 - Vicki Smith Bigham
Vicki Smith BighamBigham Technology Solutions, Inc.
8045-B Antoine #101Houston, TX [email protected]