Edtech 501 - Technology Use Planning Overview
Technology use planning is an important building block to effective technology use in educational institutions. A technology use plan identifies and researches the needs of the institution. The plan also articulates how technology can support the educational institution's needs. The technology use plan defines the institution's goals and explains the supporting tasks. Finally, a technology use plan lists needed technologies and which goals they support.
According to See (1992), “five year plans are too long”. His reasoning is that technology changes too fast for long term plans to be effective. While I agree that technology evolves at such a rate that five-year-old technology can be obsolete, I do not agree with See’s opinion. Good plans include short-term goals, one to two years, and long-term goals, three to five years. Long-term goals are important because they help guide the technology use plan. Long-term goals also help districts plan approaching technology budget considerations.
I partly agree with See (1992), “effective technology plans focus on applications, not technology”. Technology use plans need to focus on applications for long-term goals. However, plans need to focus on technology for short-term goals. Focusing on what technology the district needs allows administration and purchasing to efficiently and accurately comparison shop and procure the technology.
Effective goals in a technology use plan address district needs, integrates into existing curriculum, and reference national goals. It is important for plans to meet a district need or the technology will be ineffective. Integrating technology into existing curriculum to allows better utilization of the technology. Aligning to national goals is easy using The National Technology Plan (2010). Alignment with national technology goals can add merit to a technology use plan and increase chances for grants.
I have not had any direct experience with technology use planning. I do not believe my school has a technology use plan. I plan on writing a technology use plan to help guide my school's integration of technology into the curriculum.
AECT Standards
1.4 Learner Characteristics
“Learner characteristics are those facets of the learner’s experiential background that impact the effectiveness of a learning process”
2.2 Audiovisual Technologies
“Audiovisual technologies are ways to produce or deliver materials by using mechanical devices or electronic machines to present auditory and visual messages”
2.3 Computer-Based Technologies
“Computer-based technologies are ways to produce or deliver materials using microprocessor-based resources”
2.4 Integrated Technologies
“Integrated technologies are ways to produce and deliver materials which encompass several forms of media under the control of a computer”
3.1 Media Utilization
“Media utilization is the systematic use of resources for learning”
3.3 Implementation and Institutionalization
“Implementation is using instructional materials or strategies in real (not simulated) settings. Institutionalization is the continuing, routine use of the instructional innovation in the structure and culture of an organization”
3.4 Policies and Regulations
“Policies and regulations are the rules and actions of society (or its surrogates) that affect the diffusion and use of Instructional Technology”
4.1 Project Management
“Project management involves planning, monitoring, and controlling instructional design and development projects”
4.2 Resource Management
“Resource management involves planning, monitoring, and controlling resource support systems and services”
5.4 Long-Range Planning
Long-range planning that focuses on the organization as a whole is strategic planning....Long-range is usually defined as a future period of about three to five years or longer. During strategic planning, managers are trying to decide in the present what must be done to ensure organizational success in the future.”
References
Al-Weshail, A., Baxter, A., Cherry, W., Hill, E., Jones II, C., Love, L. T., Montgomery, F., … Woods, J. (1996). Guidebook for developing an effective instructional technology plan (Version 2.0.). Mississippi State University. Retrieved from http://www.nctp.com/downloads/guidebook.pdf
Karen Cator answers questions about the National Education Technology Plan. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATlvkklmvqU&feature=youtube_gdata_player
See, J. (1992). Developing effective technology plans. The Computing Teacher, 19(8). Retrieved from http://www.nctp.com/html/john_see.cfm
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Technology. (2010). Transforming American education: Learning powered by technology (p. 124). Washington, D.C. Retrieved from http://www.ed.gov/sites/default/files/netp2010.pdf
