Technology Use Planning Overview

1. Start with defining technology use planning--how would you describe it?

Technology use planning is the process of observing and identifying the needs of a school, district, school system, etc. and creating a foundational framework with objectives and strategies for meeting the identified goals. It is akin to diagnosing a problem and devising a solution. The diagnosis, however, should not just be that a certain environment is lacking in technological devices and capabilities, an easily rectifiable situation if adequate funding is available. Technology planning should identify measurable goals that are achievable through the use of technology.

2. How might the new National Educational Technology Plan 2010 be an effective and powerful resource for technology use planning?

Though I am fairly unfamiliar with the process of technology planning, I am struck by the thoroughness and insightfulness that the 2010 NETP provides. It is logically formatted and structured, beginning with the statement of overarching goals for the American educational system as a whole, and then outlines the processes through which technology implementation can help reach these goals. The creation of the document involved a number of experts in the field as well the input of the public. The plan sheds light on the potential of a number of different educational technology solutions.  

3. Do you agree with See about tech use plans needing to be short, not long term?

I wholeheartedly agree with this sentiment, as technological innovation moves at an incredibly rapid pace. This pace can quickly out-date technology plans, and the implementation of certain tech strategies can create unforeseen problems in the future; a reassessment of technology plans on a more frequent basis, though an endeavor requiring a lot of time and effort, can help to refine the tech strategies for schools and help them navigate a constantly changing landscape. As See (1992) notes, long-term technology plans may potentially lock a school’s or district’s budget into outdated technology. Not only do long-term technology plans have the potential dedicate funds to outdated technology, it may also not account for budgetary changes that can occur within a five year span, usually caused by forces outside of the school’s or district’s control.

4. What do you think about his comment that "effective technology plans focus on applications, not technology?"
5. Do you agree/disagree?

I touched on this a bit in my answer to the first question, and I definitely agree with this statement. I think it can be easy for a district or school to measure technology use by the number of computers or other devices in use, etc., but not how the capabilities afforded by the hardware will be applied in a learning environment. Ultimately, the driving factor behind planning technology use in schools should be the improvements in learning that will be brought about by the technology itself. A recently released book by Frederick Hess and Bror Saxberg, Breakthrough Leadership in the Digital Age (2013), is centered around this idea.  

6. What experiences have you had with technology use planning and what have you seen for outcomes (both good and bad?)

I have not truly seen much in the way of technology planning, and this is my first time reading about the process in general. I have reviewed the technology plan put in place by my former district in 2007 (which has yet to be reviewed) and it does seem to be very vague in nature, as well as cover an inordinately long amount of time (seven years.) Perhaps this is why I did not see technology as an emphasized factor in instruction or see a wide availability of devices and hardware during my time there. This assignment has shown me that technology planning is a very interesting and critical process and one that I could see myself becoming heavily involved in over the course of my career.

Works Cited

Hess, Frederick M., Saxberg, Bror V. (2013). Breakthrough leadership in the digital age: Using learning science to reboot schooling. Newbury Park, CA: Corwin Press.

See, J. (1992). Developing Effective Technology Plans. The Computing Teacher,19(8). Retrieved from http://www.nctp.com/html/john_see.cfm

Digital Divide

This assignment allowed me to reflect on my time at two different school districts and explore some of the trends I observed at each in much greater detail and in the context of digital divide issues that we have been researching over the last two weeks. Among the things that resonated with me through conducting this research is the idea of how interconnected the public and private worlds are when it comes to digital access. The ITU report, Measuring the Information Society 2012, uses terms like "penetration", which I thought had previously reserved for corporate speech, but to combat such an epidemic requires the work of advocates in education, government, private industry, and nonprofit organizations. It is also quite jarring to think about the huge numbers of people across the globe who have none of the experiences that most Americans would cite as essential to securing a good education and job. Overall it was a fantastic learning experience for me.

A narrated version of the presentation is embedded as a YouTube video above, and the Google Presentation version, with a script included in the speaker's notes, is embedded below: