| Digital Leadership Divide: Without Visionary Leadership, Disparities In School Technology Budgets Increase (PDF) |  |
| A new survey of key decision makers in K-12 public schools reveals large and growing disparities in funding for school technology. These disturbing disparities signal a widening digital divide between the technology haves and have-nots in 21st century. Stagnant or declining technology budgets in many school districts threaten the real progress that schools have made over the past decade to improve their technology infrastructure, access and effectiveness for administrators, teachers and students. |  |
| Funding Your Technology Plan | |
| This chapter includes recommendations and resources for you to use in the funding process: 1) Funding Your Technology Plan--Presented in graphical form, Funding Your Technology Plan shows how your strategic technology plan acts as an organizing engine for taking funds from a variety of different sources and applying them to the goals and activities that comprise your technology implementation effort. Consider this before determining where you will seek technology funding; 2) Strategies for Finding Financial Resources--Strategies for Finding Financial Resources is a discussion of the various themes we have discovered when examining how districts around our region have acquired technology funding; 3) Ten Tips for Educational Technology Proposal Writers--The list of tips covers key concepts and strategies to consider when creating technology proposals; and 4) Resources for Proposal Writers. The resources listed will help you locate funding sources, develop proposal ideas, and fine-tune your technology funding proposal. | |
| Unkindest Cut Of All | |
| Article about technology budgets with eight questions that will help to determine where to start cutting back. | |
| Using Technology To Raise The Achievement Of All Students | |
| The goal of this initiative is increased achievement and success for all students through the unlimited and effective use of accessible technologies. It is our core belief that accessible technologies and the close collaboration of assistive technology (AT) and instructional technology (IT) services at the school district level will enhance and facilitate learning for all students -- those with disabilities and those without disabilities. | |
| Power Strategy Toolkit For Tech Leaders, Part 3: Managing The Operations (PDF) | |
| Third and final part of a series on educational leadership for CIOs focusing on operations. | |
| The Model Of A Modern Technology Classroom | |
| Article about a Model Technology Classroom that teachers would be able to implement | |
| Smart Budgeting With Total Cost Of Ownership (PDF) | |
| At the advent of the 21st century, schools are devoting more and more financial and staff resources to incorporating technology into the classroom to support teaching, learning and the management of school business. But as schools purchase computers and link them together in local and wide-area networks, totaling the dollars spent on hardware is merely the beginning of the total dollars needed for the effective use of the technology purchases. And it is but one small part of the expenses schools can expect in subsequent years if they are going to effectively use those technology-based resources. | |
| Seven Steps To A Highly Effective Mobile Strategy | |
| This article cites research which indicates that a relatively small number of enterprises (less than 25 percent) have a specific mobile strategy in place. Most struggle with individual mobile projects or try to link mobility to a broader IT strategy. This article is written for a corporate audience; however, its message can apply to education administrators. | |
| EduTools Course Management System Comparisons-Reborn | |
| EduTools is a place to find and share information about Course Management Systems and emerging products that support instruction and learning. The offer feature-by-feature product comparisons and decision-making supports. | |
| Planning And Conducting Professional Development That Makes A Difference (PDF) | |
| This document outlines a step-by-step approach to planning and conducting effective professional development. The guidelines cover planning, coordination, implementation, and follow-up of professional development. | |
| Successful Online Professional Development (PDF) | |
| An article that shares the key lessons learned from developing EdTech Leaders Online - an online PD program that helps schools incorporate technology into their educational programs. The article also gives examples of school districts that have built successful local online PD models. | |
| The Total Cost Of Ownership (A CoSN-Gartner Resource) | |
| The website includes a toolset for determining technology costs and a year set of case studies (2004-2007) to illustrate how the tools can help in technology employment. The 2007 case study results from CoSN's Value of Investment Initiative developed to help district level technology decision makers assess the costs and evaluate the benefits of proposed technology investments before making costly, time intensive decisions and commitments. The case studies are intended to provide school technology administrators and other educators with insight on best practices for making sound choices about education technology projects, and to better articulate the costs and benefits of these proposed projects. The site includes a document (pdf): A Report and Estimating Tool for K-12 School Districts called Why Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Matters, April 2003 | |