Diocese of Brooklyn

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Starting a Technology Committee

Often the first questions that plague an administrator when it comes to establishing a Technology Committee are: Who should be on the committee? What is the actual task / focus / mission of the committee?

Who

Essentially, one of the reasons for the existence of a tech committee is to engender the support of "stake holders" that are effected by technology, curriculum, purchasing and leadership in the computer area. Often this includes: a school administrator, a pastor (or the person who controls the finances), school education commission members, faculty members, school secretary, community members (folks who work in the technology field or who could become business partners with the school), parents, university education professors, and in some cases, a student or two.

Some of those groups can overlap. The parents might also be working in the technology field. Don't over-look business community in your local area. Real estate folks, insurance people and banking people are often VERY techno-savvy. And, having the local real estate person being impressed w/ your school can only help with enrollment.

Leadership of the committee belongs in the hands of an educator. Often technologists can get caught in the web of wires and hubs and miss the educational / curricular components. The focus is learning.

Focus

While the immediate focus might seem to be to get this lovely Technology Plan written it is really more than that. The committee's focus should be curricular integration of technology into the day-to-day teaching of the faculty so that student's learning improves. The focus is the kids and their learning. The group will need to assess, plan, suggest, and evaluate decisions. The committee is consultative, not deliberative. Their purpose is to ASSIST the principal with direction, suggestions, finances and staff development. Hopefully, someone on the committee can take on the role of E-Rate coordinator. Think broad strokes first....Where are you now in terms of curricular integration? Hardware? Software? Who uses what? What are the success stories? Where does the school community want your students to be in 3 years when it comes to technology? What do you all need to do in order to get there from where you are now? Notice that question is LAST. Often, planners want to jump right in and start buying hardware and stringing wires. That is the cart before the horse thing. Don't get caught.

Schools that have formed a Technology Committee already have reported great success. Hopefully, it lifts the "burden" of running the whole technology show from the backs of the principal and technology coordinator and spreads the wealth. The many hands, light work idea.