12 Steps to Creating a Comprehensive Approach to #EdTech Integration - Consideration 6

Effective technology integration doesn’t happen organically. It takes intentional planning. There are twelve steps schools can take to get the ball rolling. It starts by looking at the district’s overall approach and seeing how your school can build upon what is in place and customize to the needs of your community.

In New York City we have a “Strategic Technology Plan” which is designed to help readers:

• Understand connections between technology and the strategic goals of the NYCDOE
• Discover opportunities for expanded technology programming and investment
• Learn about the priorities for the next five years

The plan addresses three areas:

1. Integrate Tech Into Instruction
2. Invest in Infrastructure and Devices
3. Focus on the User

The plan is an important starting point as it helps schools understand the services currently available, those that are being planned, goals for the future, and who is responsible for driving the work being conducted in each part of the plan. The knowledge of current and future services and goals across a district provides a foundation and starting point for schools to create their own approach to tech integration.

Here 12 steps that schools can take to create a comprehensive approach to ed tech integration for staff, students, and families.

1. Create an advisory group with key stakeholders i.e. students, staff, parents
2. Assess and identify the current state
3. Discuss the desired state i.e. what would this look like on your best day
4. Provide models that resemble the desired state and visit / connect with those working in such situations to identify challenges and successes
5. Determine desired state
6. Discuss and address hopes and fears
7. Create a vision
8. Share with key stakeholders and include their feedback
9. Determine requirements for implementation
10. Understand what it takes to manage complex change
11. Share and celebrate with stakeholders
12. Implement, revise, repeat

These steps will tend to overlap and are unlikely to occur in a chronological order, but each is important to ensure your school or district includes a comprehensive approach to tech integration.

What do you think? Do you have a comprehensive approach to tech integration where you work? Did you include each of these steps? What worked? What is missing? Please share in the comments.   

Read more at: Managing Complex Change and NYC Schools Strategic Tech Plan.

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This is part of a series in my conversation with author and professor Liz Kolb, who is teaching a course at the University of Michigan that addresses ways technology supports modern teaching and learning. Stay tuned on The Innovative Educator blog for the additional considerations in future posts. For a recap of all ten considerations visit https://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2016/10/essential-guide-to-modern-learning-10.html