Technology Planning Tools

"Technology introduction is instructional change is organizational change."

Clearly, the skills involved in strategic planning and continuous improvement are crucial to leading effectively in the context described in this quote. This is particularly true as it pertains to technology planning and implementation in a district or school.

"A new vision of technology’s place in education is required if teachers and students are to develop the skills necessary to meet the challenges of a high tech society. Today, technology changes too rapidly to allow school leaders the luxury of planning for the next decade; in this era, six months is an eternity. During that time companies are formed and dissolved, products are heralded and junked, the latest and greatest innovation arrives and becomes obsolete, and school administrators are inundated with technological innovations they must learn how to use and manage."

- Education Commission of the States

 While specific details about the planning process vary from district to district, most groups work through a similar sequence of planning stages. This section outlines those stages and provides tools and techniques to guide the process.

 The Ten Commandments of Technology Planning (CED)
  1. Consult teachers.
  • Establish a technology committee
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  • Determine educational objectives.
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  • Conduct an inventory of existing hardware, software, and human resources.
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  • Develop professional development strategies.
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  • Establish a timetable.
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  • Create budgets.
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  • Review the draft of the plan
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  • Identify new software, curricula, and instructional techniques.
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  • Establish linkages of technology-based assessment and administrative tasks, including scheduling and record keeping.

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    Link to the following sections to get the tools you need to effectively lead technology planning:

    Roles in Technology Planning

    In organizing a technology planning group, districts and schools must strive for a broad base of participation and input from those who will be most affected. This section outlines the roles of various members as they participate in technology planning and as they relate to the functioning of the district as a whole.

    Visioning for Technology

    Those involved in planning must understand the role of technology in education. Efforts need to address the uses of technology as tools that can help staff and students realize educational and managerial goals. This series of questions help to develop this understanding.

    Taking Stock for Technology

    At this stage, planners need to focus on the more detailed task of defining the current status of people, programs, and equipment and projecting future needs. This involves conducting a needs assessment. The sample questionnaires and surveys in this section provide the basis for developing your own approach to taking stock.

    Prescribing Action

    Plans must be turned into blueprints for action. Timelines should include budget recommendations, describe specific action steps, and indicate who is responsible for carrying them out. The list of crucial issues to cover helps to ensure that your plan and its implementation will successfully meet your district's needs.

    Evaluating and Updating Technology and Planning

    Effective planning includes a built-in mechanism for periodic review, evaluation, and revision. No technology plan should be carved in stone. Use the assessment tools included here to make sure that your vision, plans and actions are aligned and on-track. There are three key areas to address: Assessing the Plan, Assessing Technology, and Assessing the Technology and Curriculum Fit.

     

    In this Module:

    Strategic Planning Tools Technology Planning Tools Planning Resources

    In the Toolkit:

    Toolkit Home Page Why Change? Why Technology?
    Planning Policy Curriculum and Assessment
    Community Involvement Facility Planning Funding
    Prof'l and Ldrship Development