Technology+Facilitator+Standard+VII+Reflection

Standard VII is all about the planning, procedures and budgeting required to provide accesst to high-quality technology (Williamson & Redish, 2009). Technology leaders must use skills to ensure that teachers and students are provided with adequate access to technology. This involves planning, procurement, implementation and maintenance.

In my opinion, this leadership standard is one of the most important because without access, everything else related to technology is irrelevent. According to Prensky (2005/2006), "Educators have slid into the 21st century- and into the digital age - still doing a great many things the old way." I find this to be true in my school, and am striving gently pull our faculty into the digital age by providing more access.

As a technology leader, I must first plan, ensuring that the infrastructure can support technology purchases. For example, it makes no sense to purchase an iPad cart if there is no wireless access. Nor does it make any sense to purchase a printer that can print wirelessly from an iPad or iPhone if the district has blocked the wireless communication between devices that makes the feature work. Once the needs have been assessed, and the infrastructure confirmed. I must obtain bids according to district policy, and submit appropriate paperwork in a timely manner. Then, comes implementation. Once that iPad cart arrives, it must be introduced to the teachers who will use it, along with appropriate training. Finally a system must be in place to ensure maintenance of new and existing technology, including a plan for replacement. Those projectors that were installed several years ago were great, but did we reserve adequate funds to replace the bulbs at over $200 each when they all began to fail at the same time?

All these scenarios represent dilemmas I have faced during recent months as I planned and budgeted for the best way to spend our technology budget.

Resources:

Prensky, M. (2005/2006). Listen to the natives. //Educational Leadership//, 63(4), 8-13.

Williamson, J. & Redish, T. (2009). //ISTE’s technology facilitation and leadership standards: What every K-12 leader should know and be able to do//. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.