Technology Type and Costs

Overview

The ever-changing technology landscape, with its increased requests for student assessment data from stakeholders and its need to maintain a dynamic teaching and learning environment, dictates that district leaders create a long-term strategic technology plan that is flexible toward new technologies and funding models. Selecting technologies that are cost-effective and provide measurable impact on teaching and learning is a challenge, and the process doesn't stop after the technology has been placed in the hands of students, teachers and support staff. In order to successfully meet this challenge, it is crucial that school leaders understand the total cost of placing technologies into classrooms. In an effort to maximize investment in technology, many districts are rallying around the School Interoperability Framework (SIF), an industry-standard blueprint for K-12 software that acts to ensure that instructional and administrative software applications work together effectively. Understanding and incorporating SIF concepts can help school leaders successfully identify the kinds of technology to consider in system-wide planning and thus navigate the complete implementation cycle.

Strategies for Addressing Local Technology Applications and Plans

Recent reports on the use of technology in K-12 education provide evidence that computers are in widespread use in schools. Over 77% of instructional rooms and 98% of schools have access to the Internet (National Center for Education Statistics, 2001).

For planning purposes, technology should not be exclusively considered as being the realm of computers. While not an exhaustive list, the following types of technology should also be considered: desktop and portable computers, computer software, CD-ROMs, networking hardware and connectivity (including wireless), local area and wide area networks, server computers, printers, scanners, projectors, and other peripherals, probeware, calculators, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable word processors (e.g., AlphaSmart), and assistive technologies (e.g., special keyboards, input devices).

While a major portion of funding for school technology is focused on hardware and software (MDR), a closer calculation of the "Total Cost of Ownership" (TCO) of technology advises administrators that, "technology will impact more than your hardware and software budget, it will affect the entire school." (IAETE) The Total Cost of Ownership model identifies the following areas for which administrators need to prepare in their long-term planning:

• Professional Development
• Support
• Connectivity
• Software
• Replacement Costs
• Retrofitting

Many Internet resources around the Total Cost of Ownership of technology provide administrators with tools for planning and budgeting costs of technology. One such tool is the Texas STaR Chart. (Texas Education Agency, 2001) This valuable resource provides an extensive rubric for evaluating a district's technology readiness in four key areas: Teaching and Learning, Educator Preparation and Development, Administration and Support Services, and Infrastructure for Technology. The rubric defines Administrator and Support Services in a "Target Tech" district as follows:

Vision and Planning

• The technology plan is actively supported by the board
• The plan is collaboratively developed, guiding policy and practice, and is updated at least annually
• The campus plan is focused on student success and based on needs, research, proven teaching and learning principles
• Administrators use technology for planning and decision making

Technical Support

• At least one technical staff to 350 computers
• Staff are centrally-deployed and campus-based
• Technical support is on-site and response time is less than four hours

Instructional and Administrative Staffing

• Full-time district level Technology Coordinator/Assistant Superintendent for Technology
• Dedicated campus-based instructional technology support staff: one per campus plus one for every 1,000 students, with additional staff as needed

Budget

• Campus budget for hardware and software purchases, sufficient staffing support, costs for professional development, incentives for professional development, facilities, and other ongoing costs
• Appropriate budget to support the campus technology plan

Funding

• Technology allotment, TIF, other competitive grants, E-Rate discounts, locally supplemented through tax dollars
• Other state and federal programs directed to support technology funding, bond funds, business partnerships, donations, foundations, and other local funds designated for technology

"Schools should not focus on technology, but their individual education challenges and then match their technology solutions to those needs."
(John Bailey)

© 2002 Education Development Center, Inc. All rights reserved.

Permission to copy is granted for educational use.
 
 

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Extended Resources

Building the 21st Century School
http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/IDT/
This site is dedicated to helping you and your schools save money and time by coordinating your technology and facilities infrastructure needs.

Network Primer
http://www.edc.org/LNT/news/Issue14/feature2.htm
This resource provides a handbook of best practices for educational technology managers who do not have technical backgrounds.

The Texas STaR Chart
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/technology/etac/
Modeled after the CEO Forum STaR Chart, the Texas STaR Chart provides districts with planning, budgeting, and evaluating tools.

Taking the TCO to the Classroom
http://www.classroomtco.org/
This resource provides resources to school leaders on total cost of ownership of technology.

Technology at Your Fingertips
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs98/tech/index.asp
This publication describes a process for getting the best possible technology solution for your organization.

References

Northeast & Islands Regional Educational Laboratory at Brown University (2000). Technology Leadership. Retrieved June 12, 2002. Available online at http://knowledgeloom.org/tech/index.shtml.

National Center for Supercomputing Applications (2001). Building the 21st century school. Retrieved Available online at http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/IDT/.

The Doyle Report (2002). ED's John Bailey reviews NCLB technology opportunities. Retrieved June 12, 2002. Available online at http://www.thedoylereport.com/spotlight/interview.

Institute for the Advancement of Emerging Technologies in Education (2002). K-12 total cost of ownership calculator. Retrieved June 12, 2002. Available online at http://www.iaete.org/tco/.

Digest of Education Statistics 2001 (2002). Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics.

Market Data Retrieval (MDR) (2002). Selected Highlights From Technology in Education 2001. Retrieved June 12, 2002. Available online at http://www.schooldata.com/publications3.html.

Institute for the Advancement of Emerging Technologies in Education Development Center (IAETE) (2002). K-12 Educational Technology System Total Cost of Ownership Calculator. Retrieved June 12, 2002. Available online at http://www.iaete.org/tco/bkgnd.cfm.

Texas Education Agency (Fall 2001). Texas STaR Chart: a Tool for Planning and Assessing School Technology Readiness. Retrieved June 12, 2002. Available online at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/technology/etac/.