Improving professional organizations with technology

We know that our website needs major work--but we don't even know what's possible, much less what's optimal! Any suggestions about how to start a dialog? Any probing questions you could throw our way? - Director of an educational organization

The expectations members have of the online resources their organizations provide seem to be growing every year. I jotted down a few things I find of value provided online by my professional organizations -  and perhaps a way to think about how to plan for change...

Here are my two cents on how you might approach creating a plan to maximize your website.

I have always thought Zuboff's observations are a good place to start in looking at how any organization uses technology. She observed that technology can be used to automate processes (do what has always been done but more efficiently) or informate processes (take advantage of the intelligence and speed to do what may have been impossible without technology).

I am not sure what all services your organization currently offers its members - the schools or the individuals in them. The distribution of current information, curriculum planning/evaluation, surveys, collaborative projects, and staff development opportunities can all be done or supplemented online efficiently and effectively. A good place to start would be looking at what you are currently doing and seeing if any of these tasks can be "automated" with your website, making them more current, easily revised, and efficient. Hosting online learning environments, webcasting services, or even supporting cloud-based email/calendaring applications for your member schools, especially the smaller ones, might all be services that would be used and appreciated.

As for "informating," the primary thing I've seen websites begin to offer are more personalized, interactive services. This could take several possible shapes on your website:

• Member schools (and individuals) could have individual log ons and portals. ISTE does this very effectively on its website. One can easily change contact information, renew memberships, join mailing lists, change Special Interest Divisions, etc. The upfront cost of programming is offset by less in house time spent doing this FOR members. Members can customize the look and feel of the website, creating their own "experience."
• Your website could help facilitate ongoing personal learning networks for its educators by creating and supporting professional networking environments modeled on social networking sites. Nings, wikis, blogs. threaded discussions, and even microblogging sites can be used to promote ongoing conversations, information sharing and problem solving among individuals with common needs and interests. (Library media specialists, for example.)
• A good website can extend the power of your face-to-face conferences. Again, ISTE has been a pioneer in these efforts, creating pre-conference and post-conference support for both those members who attend and those who can't, as well as encouraging "back channel" communications during the conference itself by organizing live-blogging, chat and other means of reporting out what is happening in sessions in real time. Many sessions are also recorded for later audio or video streaming, making them accessible to members after the conference from a central repository.

This might get you started in your thinking. You've got some great local tech talent in your member schools. A website advisory group could prove beneficial, especially if you hold it someplace warm this winter and invite me to facilitate! (No hidden agenda here.)

So, what in terms of online services should we all be expecting from our professional organizations? What delights you and makes you glad you paid those dues?

Image from: brentsuniverse.com/?p=264

Comments

[teacherninja]

This reminds me: how is your "living in the cloud" experiment going?

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Ninja,

I'd say my cloud experience is mixed. I've been using using Gmail and Gapps for most of my personal stuff without a problem. But I still need the harddrive-based apps and docs for work and my speaking stuff. It might be easier if I did not have such a bunch of legacy materials and was just starting out fresh.

The netbook experience is also mixed. I am frustrated mostly with the screen size and resolution - I find it hard to read and write with the darned thing and the MacBook is so convenient.

Partly it's the old dog, new tricks thing, but I will keep at it!

Doug

[Mary]

I see an awful lot of school district websites that are well, dismal. It is either impossible to find information, there is no information, or the layout is so awkward it isn't even funny. Any suggestions for books or resources on effective school websites?

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Mary,

I agree that too many school webpages are bad. I find it frustrating not being able to determine even where the district is, let alone a mailing address or phone number.

My favorite webpage/website design books (not school specific) are:

Krug, Don't Make Me Think (good for organization)
and
Williams, The Non-Designer's Web Book. (good for design and apperance)

I advocate that districts do usability studies with parents and kids. We did this a couple years ago and got some useful information from it.

Also, commercial webhosting providers like rSchoolsToday help districts with design and organization as well.

Hope this helps. Get them straightened out up nort' there.

Doug