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#edtech for #edleaders: Reasonable Implementation

School boards hire superintendents and other high-level administrators to make the ultimate decisions about what happens in the school. These leaders are charged with ensuring all decisions, including those related to appropriate design and proper configuration of IT systems are reasonable. Reasonableness is defined by:  Budgets—All decisions must fall within the available budgets and the Read More

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#edtech for #edleaders: Acceptable Use Policies

The leaders of all organizations take steps to protect them from liabilities and damage resulting from the inappropriate use of IT systems.  At the highest levels, the organization’s governing body (school board are generally responsible for adopting policy) will adopt policies to protect the organization by ensuring they comply with relevant laws and regulations, and Read More

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#edtech for #edleaders: Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act

The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) has been law in the United States since 1998. The intent of the law is to protect the privacy and the personal information of children, thus is requires the publishers of web sites that collect user information to have parental consent for those under 13 years of age. Read More

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Another Take on Wicked and Tame Problems

In the 1970’s two professors of planning from California published ana important paper in which they defined “tame” and “wicked” problems. While each can be challenging, the two are differentiated by the how we approach problem and judge if they have been solved. Technology problems are typically tame problems, while teaching is a wicked one.  Read More

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On Supporting Teachers

Computers intruded into the world of education starting in the 1970’s. Sure, “intrusion” may not be the appropriate verb, but the arrival of the devices meant educators, administrators, staff, and students were forced into new ways of teaching and learning and managing the institution’s operations. New infrastructure was added to buildings, new personnel had to Read More

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IT System Requirements in Schools

IT professionals are familiar with system requirements, and they are comfortable helping to define them, exceed them in budgets and design specifications, test them, and confirm them. We write them when planning IT installation in schools as well. The reality, however, is that system requirements (the nature of the hardware, software, and connections) do not Read More

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What Matters in #edtech Professional Development

Three dimensions appear to be relevant in determining how to organize and deliver professional development. First, the primacy of the technology. If participants in the professional development are expected to (and they themselves expect to) leave with the ability to operate hardware or software, then technology of the prime purpose, and organizers approach the activity Read More