Although these pages discuss issues relating more specifically to school ICT planning, the process (or the ‘cycle’) for ICT planning in schools is essentially no different to the cycle for any other planning activity.
Good planning is the result of a considered understanding of:
- where we are at now;
- where we want to go;
- why we want to go there;
- the options available to assist us in reaching our destination;
- the resources that we have available to utilise these options.
It is also important to have a strong sense of honest and ongoing evaluation throughout any planning activity. We need to be able to measure what we are doing, not only to gauge our success, but also to guide future planning. Part of this evaluation process needs to consider how we respond to new (or unforeseen) issues. This is particularly relevant to school ICT planning, where new technologies can emerge relatively quickly, making learning environments that incorporate “current” technologies (around which our planning is likely to be focused) irrelevant, even before a formal plan is implemented.
Let’s consider a generic planning cycle…….
In interpreting this cycle in a school ICT planning environment, we might make the following considerations:
Assessment
- Is ICT being used in a relevant and meaningful way in our classrooms? In all KLAs?
- What is happening in other places? Other schools? Our students’ ICT culture?
- Does our school’s ICT infrastructure transparently support our classroom activities, and learning outcomes?
- Does our school’s ICT infrastructure support our administrative and student welfare needs?
- Do we as teachers understand and adopt new technologies? Are we good role-models?
- Do we as teachers have the skills to integrate ICT in our classroom activities?
Aims and Objectives
- What are our syllabus requirements?
- What do we need to do to meet these requirements?
- What learning outcomes are we trying to achieve?
- Why do we want to achieve these outcomes?
- How are our students (and their families) using technology outside school?
- What are our community’s expectations for the use of ICT in our school?
Measuring
- How will we know if we have achieved the aims and objectives that we have defined?
- What measurement(s) will we use to determine if we have improved learning outcomes?
- How will we address any issues that we discover along the way?
- Has technology become ‘normalised’ in your classrooms?
Actions
- What are we actually going to do to achieve our aims and objectives?
- What options are available? Emerging technologies? Professional Learning? Hardware? Software?
- What resources (facilities, people, funding) are available that can help us?
- What other resources do we need that will help to achieve our aims?
- What professional learning do we need?
- Who needs what professional support?
- What other schools can we visit for inspiration?
- Who is going to organise all this?
- When are we going to do it?
- If our budget is limited, should we make a smaller target group? A pilot group of classes?
Implementation
Just do it! But, keep in mind…..
- How are we going to make sure that resources are available when required?
- What happens if key personnel change during the implementation period?
- What time-frame are we going to set to achieve our aims?
- Have we set achievable goals?
- How do we assess and integrate new and emerging technologies?
Evaluation
- Have we achieved out aims?
- Has technology use in the school been ‘normalised’?
- Are we further down the path than when we started?
- How do we know?
- Have our learning outcomes improved?
- Have our administrative processes improved?
- Do we need to provide some more time to achieve our aims?
- What key resources do we need to provide support for ongoing achievement?
Assessment
- Where are we now?
- Where are we going next?
- Should we be heading in a new direction?
- Should we continue on our current path?
- What is happening in other places? Other schools? Our students’ ICT culture?
- Is the use of ICT making our learning environment more relevant and meaningful?
- Are teachers taking advantage of the latest technologies? Are we good role-models?
- Are teachers integrating ICT in classroom activities?
- Are we able to share our experiences with other schools?