As I write this, my internet access at home is down. I am sitting in the dark because the lights in my office are controlled by a smart device that does not work if it cannot connect to the internet. I could turn the lights on manually but this means moving some furniture to get at the plug. Most of the other things I would do right now need internet access to some degree. TV is also out because it relies on the internet, most games now need to be able to either connect to servers for multiplayer options or on a mobile device they need to access video servers to play adverts to strike the balance between affordable and profitable. The hobbies I have either require being outside (and it is just too cold) or some element that requires the internet, and I live in a place that has only a casual relationship with 4G.
IT is no longer a single box in the corner you use and then walk away from, it is embedded in every element of what we do.
This makes the job of developing an IT Strategy overwhelming when you take into account all these areas. As schools digital estate is now as complex and wide reaching as the physical one and so it is important to find ways to break it down into smaller elements.
These are the five areas I recommend segmenting your planning around:
eAdmin – business functions of the school, generally covered by statutory requirements: taking registers, school lunches, HR, Finance and census returns.
eTeaching – staff using technology to help deliver learning: using presentations, recording assessment, creating resources, recording behaviour.
eLearning – students using technology to support learning.
Customer Service – areas where you are providing a service: parents, students, staff, the wider community etc.
Communication – everything in school is about communication so it needs to be a consideration on its own.
Once you break down IT like this it becomes easier to measure success and look to bring about improvements. There is not a huge cross over between them and so it is easy to implement changes to just one area without impacting another.
eAdmin might be about looking at whether you are duplicating entries of data, or whether there is too much paper involved. eTeaching is generally about making tools available and ensuring staff are trained and enthused.
eTeaching is the most expensive as it usually involves the most devices and a complex infrastructure.
Customer service is about making things easy for people to deal with you, providing information and keeping your audience is informed.
Communication is about getting a balance – it should be easy to communicate, but without overloading people with too much.
Remember – IT Strategy is about improvement in the same way your School Development Plan is. So it does not need to be a hugely complex document – just some bullet point aims and objectives that you can then work together to achieve.
