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Effective Technology Planning for the Technology Literacy Challange (PDF)

Planning and Implementation

Technology Plan

During the innovative phase, the primary goal of technology planning was the creation of a technology plan, a visionary document that would lead to funding to acquire equipment. During the transition era, the primary goal is the establishment of an effective ongoing planning and implementation structure and process. The transition era technology plan sets forth the goals and objectives and the framework for accomplishing these goals and objectives. The plan should be a succinct document that can provide nontechnologically literate district decision makers with the information necessary for them to gain an understanding of what the district's direction is, why, who is responsible, how progress will be assessed, and what the costs will be.

The basic components of a technology plan are:

• The district's goals for the use of technology and how these goals relate to school improvement.
• The planning and implementation structure and processes.
• The overall plan of action.
• Identification of funding options.
• Report on current status
• Short-range and long range action items, together with the projected costs for the action items. On an annual basis, the district will need to revisit the list of short-range and long-range action items to determine priorities for the next budget cycle.

One way to look at a technology plan is to consider the distinction between statutes and administrative regulations. The technology plan, similar to a statute, is a policy document. Operational committees and/or administrators are then responsible for developing additional implementation procedures or regulations as required or deemed necessary to accomplish the action item. The plan, once approved, will remain relatively stable for several years. The procedures or regulations will change as necessary to meet changing circumstances.

The Technology Planning and Implementation Cycle

The technology planning and implementation process must be a annual ongoing process that includes annual assessment. There are actually two activities that are in operation simultaneously: planning and implementation. The following chart demonstrates the Technology Planning and Implementation Cycle:

Planning activities must be coordinated with the district's annual budget cycle. To be successfully integrated into the educational environment, technology funds must become a standard component of the district's annual budget. To accomplish this, a budget request for technology must be prepared to be integrated into the district's budget cycle. In most districts, the budgeting process begins in January. Therefore, a budget request for technology should be prepared by this time.

Working backwards from this budget request, fall is the period of time in which the district's priorities for technology for the coming year are finalized and translated into program costs. To effectively establish priorities requires knowledge about the current status of the district's technology infrastructure and programs. This current status is obtained through an assessment process. Assessment data is aggregated and analyzed either in spring or early fall. In addition to information on the current status, the assessment should include an identification of needs and recommended priorities. By early fall, the district technology committee should have a report on the current status, needs, and recommended priorities which will provide the information necessary to identify priorities and costs.

Implementation activities are initiated in the spring, when the district's budget for the next academic year is finalized. The assessment, which informed planning also provides guidance for program implementation. The district staff responsible for the implementation of programs that are included in the district's current budget based on last year's priorities will be able to fine-tune the programs based on the more recent status, needs, and priorities report.

The Technology Planning and Implementation Cycle must function at the school and department level, as well as the district level. Assessment data from teachers and other school staff can be analyzed at the school level to inform school decision-making. The data can also be analyzed by the departments or staff with responsibilities for various technology-related programs. For example, the technology coordinator will focus on data related to infrastructure and services and the curriculum coordinator will focus on data related to curriculum and professional development.

Technology Committee Structure

The following are some guidelines for establishing a technology planning structure(1). This structure envisions district level committees, school level committees, and special issue-oriented committees.

District Level

District Administration
Many districts have a high-level administrative coordinating committee that includes building administrators and department heads. The district technology coordinator should be a member of this committee because many of the issues before the committee will impact or be impacted by technology. The district administrative coordinating committee would address the integration of technology-related activities into the overall school improvement planning process.

District Technology Committee

Membership

District technology coordinator
District administrator responsible for curriculum and instruction issues
District administrator responsible for library and media services
District administrator responsible for special education
District administrator responsible for school-to-work programs District administrator responsible for business operations
School technology coordinators (or representative group of school technology coordinators)


Responsibilities

Develop and update Technology Plan
Coordinate assessment process
Develop assessment report
Identify priorities and needs
Develop technology budget request
Coordinate and review technology-related programs

District Technology Advisory Committee

Membership (See Community Involvement)

School Board member
Site council parents
Public library representative
Business and community representatives
Community college or higher education representative


Responsibilities

Review assessment report, provide feedback and input (fall meeting)
Review proposed technology budget request, provide feedback and input (winter meeting)
Identify potential collaborative technology-related activities(2)

School Level

School Technology Committee

Membership
School Technology Coordinator
Library/media specialist
Selected teachers

Responsibilities
Develop and update school technology plan
Develop and update building network infrastructure design
Coordinate school assessment process
Identify school priorities and needs
Coordinate implementation of school technology-related programs


School Site Council

The school site council periodically reviews work of the School Technology Committee and incorporates technology committee plan into school improvement plan.

Special Issues

Other district committees will have responsibilities that relate to the District's technology efforts. These include:

• Curriculum Committees -- with responsibility for technology integration into the curriculum and professional development.
  
• District Administrative Team -- with responsibility for developing strategies to use the District's technology infrastructure for administrative and operational purposes.
  
• Special Education Committee -- with responsibility for determining how to use technology to serve the needs of special education students.
  
• Library/Media Specialists -- with responsibility for coordinating library cataloging and other library/media center uses of technology.
  
• School-to-Work Participants -- with responsibility for coordinating use of technology to enhance school-to-work programs and activities.

Additional district-wide technology issues may be addressed by the district technology committee, permanent or ad hoc special issues technology committees, or coordination with other district committees. These issues may include:

• Equity issues.
• Lifelong learning programs.
• District web site coordination.
• Internet use policy and procedures.

(1)The following technology committee infrastructure is designed for a district of moderate size and will need to be adapted to fit the current operating structure and personnel of the individual district.

(2)The advisory committee members may also participate in ad hoc or ongoing special issue committee to coordinate collaborative technology-related activities.

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