A hierarchy of technology in schools

A little learning is a dangerous thing
                                     - Alexander Pope

I start the first new job I've had in 23 years on Monday. While my title of Technology Director will not change, nearly everything else will. I will have a new staff, a new boss, a new office, and new job priorities. I will need to learn the location of over 15 school buildings and the names of over 30 administrators. Budgeting processes, communications, and decision-making groups will all need decoding. Sacred cows will need discovering.

There will be a great deal I must come up to speed on very, very rapidly.

As these details come at me hard and fast, I'll be using a system of categorizing technology tasks in schools that has served me well since I started doing technology planning: the Mankato Hierarchy of Technology Needs. It fits my brain and world-view. YMMV.

1. Established Infrastructure The district will have a reliable, adequate, cost-effective, and secure technology infrastructure that supports the learning, teaching, and administrative goals of the district.
2. Effective Administration The district will use technology to improve its administrative effectiveness through efficient business practices, communication, planning and record keeping.
3. Extensive Resources Technology will be used to provide the most current, accurate and extensive information resources and tools possible to all learners in the district and community in a cost effective and reliable manner at maximum convenience to the user.
4. Enhanced Teaching All district teachers will have the technology training, skills and resources needed to assure students will meet local and state learning objectives and have the technological means to assess and record student progress.
5. Empowered Learners All students will demonstrate the mastered use of technology to access, process, organize, communicate and evaluate information in order to answer questions and solve problems and practice safe and ethical technology use.

Whether so categorized or not, technology serves the same purposes in all schools. The details and differences betwen my old job and new will fall into place if I can so identify them. If I have a place to put them.

Oh, besides my title, I know one other thing that will not change - my professional mission. I will be working every day to empower kids with the skillful use of information and technology.

Comments

[Barb Blahoski]

Doug,
So glad I finally have time to read and ENJOY your blog!
Your tech hierarchy should be adopted by all districts.. It's great!
Can't wait to hear about your new job adventures, as you discover the sacred cows there!
Barb

[Mary Johnson]

Here's a sacred cow that I've only recently had brought to my attention:
When teachers model good questions, students learn how to ask their own good questions.
By analogy, I wonder if another sacred cow might be this:
When teachers model use of technology for learning, students learn how to use technology for learning.

Best wishes as you begin your new job, Doug!

-Mary

[Nathan Mielke]

The problems I have seen occur when folks try to jump to the top right away with out the infrastructure. That stops anything truly innovative from happening.

[Doug Johnson]

Thanks, Barb. Enjoy your retirement. Great hiking in AZ. I am jealous.

Doug

Hi Mary,

I'd go one further - good teachers need administrators and PD faciliators who model good tech use too!

Thanks for the good wishes. It will be interesting.

Doug

Hi Nathan,

This tech model was inspired by Maslow's hierarchy which says the lower needs must be met before the upper needs can be fulfilled. But it's a balance - we can't afford to wait until all the infrastructure is in place before working on PD or student skills either. We usually have annual objectives in each category.

Doug

[Mary Mehsikomer]

Congratulations on your new job Doug! I'm looking forward to working with you (again)!

Mary

[Doug Johnson]

Thank you, Mary. I'll like working with TIES. I hope TIES likes working with me!

Doug

[Alicia Duell]

Hi Doug,

Great hierarchy. I think the idea that technology adoption/integration/etc. should meet specifically-identified needs is one of those things that seems so obvious and right, but in actual practice gets completely overlooked. I will be using this in the future, as I think it provides excellent guidelines-- that can be understood by *everyone* (Board of Ed, parents, students, admin, faculty etc.). Best wishes in your new role!

Alicia

[Doug Johnson]

Thanks, Alicia. Not being a formally trained "technologist," I find I need to create structures like this to keep myself cognitively organized when it comes to the gizmos. If it helps others do the same, so much the better.

Enjoying your suggestions on GoodReads. I just can't keep up, however!

Doug