ICT POLICY STATEMENT CHEAT SHEET FOR SCHOOL OWNERS

If you’re a 21^st century school owner and you’re yet to draw a policy statement for your school on ICT integration, you’re not likely going to meet up with the demands of 21^st century educational paradigm.

It’s no longer news that technology has taken over the driver’s seat of today’s education. What used to be the norm some years ago are now becoming extinct in the face of the current technological advancement in every area of human lives and leanings. Education remains the hard hit.

The biggest challenge now is how to integrate technology fully into the administrative, teaching and learning processes of today’s schools, considering the enormous challenges every average school would face in doing that. Think of the technicalities and cost of deploying technology! So many other challenges, of course!

The key solution lies in drawing up a standard policy statement for a tech-driven school system. Expectedly, this is the hardest part of the game- drawing up a policy statement on a novel phenomenon like tech-driven education is not a child’s play.

What we usually see among many schools today are some disjointed programmes and arrangement on how to integrate technology in schools. Many school owners only give verbal instructions with the attendant threats- none of which has been able to bring lasting solution to the issue of tech-driven education in schools.

Every school owner or manager must understand that, like in every other corporate organization, no directive or idea gets the right nod from the employees, until it becomes a policy statement. In the same vein, 21^st century ICT integration in schools can never be effective until it get structured as a policy statement.

In doing this, you need an expert in the field. Doing a haphazard work here cannot work.

In this post, I am going to show you 15 recommended ICT policy statements for an effective technology integration in today’s school.

I am going to divide this into 4 main headings:

Management Decisions

There are initial key decisions that must be made by the school management, when it comes to drawing up ICT policy statement for schools. Mind you, decision making in these areas is for serious thought leaders- intuitive and intelligent managers.

#1. Decision on level of technology integration

Tech-driven education is quite multi-faced- it would be very difficult for schools to embrace it all at the beginning. So, one of the most important policy statements to make at this initial stage is to determine the level of technology integration the school should adopt.

At this earliest stage, some schools adopt a blended e-learning structure, where they combine both the offline and the online tools to drive a tech-driven education. But it does not stop there. Limiting the number of tech tools and platforms is another side of this decision.

As a school owner or administrator, you would be planning to fail the moment you want to bring in every tech tool out there into your school technology integration.

I recommend you start with either of Microsoft packages or Google tools, and then add video creation. Good enough, each of these two platforms have everything you need to kick-start a full e-learning experience for your school.

Microsoft OneNote plus Sway can give you all you need to run a complete e-learning experience at this level. But if you choose to run with Google tools, then it is very simple- enroll your school for the G-Suite for Education and access all the tools for your school e-learning experience. You can check out these newest tools on the G-Suite for Education.

Recommended Post: 40 Edutech Solutions with free Google tools.

#2. Decision on the estimated initial and recurrent cost

The next policy statement at the start up point is the initial and recurrent cost estimation. Having known the level of tech integration your school needs at this stage, the management team should be able to have a good estimate of what the initial cost of tech integration plus the periodic cost of maintaining it.

For instance, if your school decides to run with only Google tools and video creation, depending on the quality of videos you wish to produce, part of the initial costs should be data costs, computer system, other computer accessories and gadgets, and possibly some video equipment (in case of high quality video production). But I don’t think you need those equipment to produce the normal classroom videos. In that case, all you might need are some of these free online tools for classroom video creation.

Then think of the recurrent costs of maintaining it. Do you have any idea of how to foot these bills?

#3. Decision on stages of integration

Here, you have to draw a policy statement on the stages of tech integration in your school.

Let me guide you. If your school combines Nursery, Primary and Secondary stages together, your policy statement here could be that you start first with the Secondary section and run it for one session, before extending it to the next section and so forth.

Another thing here is deciding whether to integrate tech for classroom works at start, maybe for the first term. Then from there, it forms part of the assessment processes, and then to the administration etc.

Because you’re drawing a policy statement, you must come up with terms that are workable, not just paper fantasies.

IF YOU’RE STILL FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO GET IT RIGHT HERE, PLEASE CONSULT US TO ASSIST YOU.

#4. Decision on projected long-term goals

Where you started from must be different from where you’re going- that’s the act of a progressive mindset. Are you starting up with a blended structure, but having a bigger picture for a full world class tech-driven system? This is the time to draw up the policy.

Don’t just think it or speak it; write it down. Simply put, make it a policy statement. If you fail to do this, your school e-learning structure would retrogress in the long run, for lack of strategic planning.

Manpower Deployment/Development

This is where many schools get it wrong. Many school owners assume that by merely having a computer room with a computer teacher, they have settled it all about a tech-driven process.

It doesn’t work that way. There is need for a very strong structural formation about how to drive an e-learning experience in your school. This is what will form part of the ICT policy statement for your school.

Let’s look at the areas to cover under this heading.

#5. ICT qualification of new recruits

This should now matter to you since your school is going tech. You must draw up a policy statement that defines the level of tech and digital literacy skill every applicant must possess to qualify for employment in your school. There should be no sentiment here. The level of qualification here must be in line with the level of tech integration your school is currently starting off with.

For schools who are already on advanced level of tech integration, this post can be very helpful in determining whom a 21st century digital literate is.

#6. ICT improvement of old recruits      
 

If you’re just waking up to the reality of integrating technology in your school administrative and academic processes, the possibility is there that majority of your older workers are not tech compliant. So, what do you do in that case?

This is going to form part of your ICT policy statement. Set a deadline for each and every one of them in that category to upgrade or bow out. Sentiment should not rule here please. This is 21^st century- your workers should appreciate you for waking them up to reality and not the other way round.

#7. Dedicated ICT team

While you have to involve every member of staff in this school edu-tech project, for an effective running of the tech project, you need to form a dedicated team, which main assignment is to drive the full implementation of the ICT project.

Here, you need experts and committed personnel. Equip them with necessary tools and support to deliver. If possible (depending on the level of your school tech integration, though), let this team be completely free from classroom engagements and face the ICT job squarely. You may want to check this post on: The ICT Team of 21st century school: 11 basic functions.

You must define what and what qualifies one to be part of this dedicated ICT team. Be sure, it is not about clique or family ties. Be professional about this.

#8. Training schedules

The next in line here is formulating a policy about how to organize training for an effective tech integration in your school. This training schedule must be well-detailed, and every new and old member of staff needs to know about it.

It’s very important for newly-employed workers to appreciate the fact that there is a periodic tech training that is compulsory for every member of staff or certain section of the school.

Another thing here is about the mode of training. There are times training can hold online or via videoconferencing. In any case, there must be a policy statement stating where your school stands. Don’t just fix training programs haphazardly.

Managing Difficulties

Tech integration in the administrative, teaching and learning processes is very good and enticing. But be sure of this: it has its own challenges. Hence, when drawing up an ICT policy statement for your school, you must be ready to capture the aspect of managing the challenges that would inevitably arise.

Let’s look at the most common among these challenges.

Recommended Post: Tech integration in the classroom: 8 major areas ofchallenge.

#9. Students’ involvement and safety

Schools who fail to capture this aspect of tech integration in schools, would eventually run into a big risk.

Right from the word, ‘GO’, you must define the level of students’ involvement in the school tech programs. Are they permitted to create digital contents or are they only limited to access the ones created by their teachers and the ICT team?

Parameters must be set, considering the various key stages.

The most important concern here is making sure students maintain online safety both for themselves and others. Imagine the damaging effect of students watching adult videos in the course of accessing digital contents! This is why the ICT team must be true to their duty.

I had once encountered such challenge with my pupils. We are dealing with 21^st century children who seem to know more than we do. So, we need to be at the top of the game by formulating a policy statement that sets limit to their involvement in order to guarantee the safety of every member of the school community.

#10. Cost burdens

The question here is: who bears the cost of deploying these tech tools and training for a tech-driven education? Try to get this right from the beginning.

Should every teacher spend for their personal computer and tablet? The same goes for the students. Or is the school going to carry the entire burden? I know of many big schools who provide every tech gadget for their teachers and students. While there are others too who insist that every teacher and student gets his/her own.

When it comes to training, who also bears the training cost burden- teachers, school or partly for each party?

You must be ready to decide on this terms as a policy document before driving a full tech integration in your school.

#11. Parents’ involvement

Think about this: do your parents need to be ICT-compliant for you to run an effective tech-driven school system? If your answer is in the affirmative, then it should form part of your policy statement on ICT.

This would help your parents appreciate their own part of the bargain in ensuring that you have a smooth running of a tech-driven education.

In that case, your parents might likely need training. They would also be mandated to have updated email accounts as many communications to parents would go digital.

As an edutech consultant, I have seen many schools suffer in the area of tech integration as a result of bad attitude of parents. And the reason why it’s this way is because parents’ involvement was never part of the ICT policy statement.

#12. Ministry challenges

When I say Ministry, many schools in Africa, especially Nigeria, can easily relate to this. I mean the Ministry of Education in most of these African countries- they are not tech-friendly.

School owners are going through tough times in the hands of these officials, who insist on the conventional lesson notes (in a book form).

And we understand the difficulties in writing lesson note while at the same time using technology for an automated school system. So what do you do?

The solution lies in drawing a policy statement that defines the operation of the school as tech-driven. The moment it forms part of your school policy statement, no official can query it, and no court of law can indict you.

At worst, whenever they insist on the hard copy (as many of them usually do- complaining of having difficulties reading from the system), print out some from the system and hand it over to them. Never compromise on this. The policy statement is what helps you in this case.

Monetary Dividends

What your school should gain deploying tech in the school educational system should not be limited to providing tech knowledge to the members of the school community. It's not out of place to project about how to make more money from this tech project. And if you think it's necessary, then it must form part of your school ICT policy statement right from the beginning.

And in my opinion, you need to monetize your school edtech program. How do you do it?

#13. ICT fees

If you're going to deploy technology at this level in your school, try to let your parents understand what their wards stand to gain in defining their future. And then, they should know that if the tech project must be maintained, it would need to attract an additional fee outside the regular tuition.

A lot of schools I have consulted for have made some real time profits from the ICT fees. While you should be very moderate in charging these fees, you need to include them anyway. But it must be put down as a policy statement for it to work.

#14. Content monetization

At whatever level of tech integration your school is currently operating, you can monetize your contents if you know what to do.

Do you create videos for classroom engagement? These videos can be monetized either by recording them on CDs or selling them as special video tutorials.

What of your blog contents?

With tech knowledge, your ICT team can produce ebooks on behalf of the school, for money.

The options here are not exhaustible.

#15. Extended financial gains

Have a bigger picture of how to create maximum wealth for your school through tech integration. It can't happen overnight of course! But, remember, it can't work if you never dreamt and planned it.

So, what are these extended financial gains for running a tech-driven educational project?

• Your school can become a well-known training centre for other schools going into edtech.

• Your team can be part of Google for Education partners.

• You can have a student tech club where students from other schools learn digital literacy and other tech skills.

• Your school can as well build an online course for wider market reach, having in your team, experts who can handle every aspect of the online course.

The list is endless. 

Here you're creating wealth for bringing in technology into the system.

A lot of school owners only see the initial costs and the technicalities involved in pursuing a tech-driven education, and then quit even before they dream it.

But if only they could see the potentials in deploying tech in their school system!  It's workable! And it's worth trying!

You can’t go wrong with this guide, if properly applied.

For African schools, you can consult us to assist in the drawing and implementation of the best ICT policy statement for your edutech practices and processes.

Our contacts:

CHIMA EZUO S. (Lead Coach, Teacher-Teach-Tech)

Email: chimaeducator@gmail.com

Whatsapp: +2347066894406

Twitter/Instagram/Linkedin: @chimaeducator

If you’re a 21^st century school owner or you have an ICT section in your organization, one of your key assignments is to make sure you have an ICT team that meets the demands of 21^st century.

Some few decades back, all that was required of an ICT team was just a basic knowledge of the computer system and the ability to teach others how to use the keyboard and all those other Microsoft stuffs. And that was quite alright then. But not now any longer!

Today, we are dealing with a more sophisticated student group- the people we call digital natives- they are born for a time as this. It would be very difficult to impart such bunch of digital minds by running ICT the way we have run it all these years.

Simply put, the job description of the ICT team has totally changed from the conventional. And until you understand this as well as apply it as a business or school manager, you can’t possibly have a functioning ICT department in your organization.

To start with, set up a formidable ICT team. This team must be a 21^st century ICT team in true sense of the word- a team that will be saddled with the responsibility of carrying out the following duties:

#1. Students’ online safety

We have talked so much about the gains of digital literacy and a tech-driven education. But the critics of edtech still have a point, only when we fail to solve the problem of students’ online safety. Hence, a 21^st century ICT team must be experts in putting up measures that guarantee students’ online safety.

#2. Database creation for staff and students

One of the major gains of digital literacy integration in the administrative processes of the school is the ease of automation of all areas of administration. If you don’t have an ICT team that can create permanent database for staff and students, then you don’t have one.

#3. Maintenance of the school blogging platform

Schools that are not blogging today are losing out from a big income funnel. Schools have what it takes to create unlimited wealth through blogging. But then, you need a team who can do it. Your ICT team is not doing enough if they don’t have the capacity to create and maintain a paying blog.

#4. Improving tech in the school

Tech integration in schools is always an ongoing project. Do you have an innovative team that is in with current trends? You need a team that works to improve the technology project of the school. Every aspect of edtech and digital integration must be taken care of.

#5. Social media administration and marketing

Every 21^st century school needs a social media presence today. This is one of the major functions of a 21^st century ICT team- managing the school social media handles and promoting it.

#6. Planning tech training

Your teaching staff, administrative staff and students need constant tech developmental programmes to be in tune with current realities. It is the duty of the ICT team to advice the management of the timing and template for such training.

#7. Creating and monetizing school digital contents

There are so many digital contents to be created and monetized. Think of online graphics, video tutorials, online courses, ebooks etc. The ICT team should be able to create such contents and monetize them for the school.

#8. In charge of the school tech gadgets and equipment

The maintenance and custody of the school tech gadgets and equipment should be one of the functions of your ICT team. If you can’t trust your ICT team in this area, then there is no need involving them in the edtech project of your school.

#9. Examination and periodic assessment using digital tools

Running a tech-driven education should not be limited to classroom engagement. Periodic and final examinations should be administered via digital tools. Your school ICT team must be conversant with the necessary tools for this assignment.

#10. Cloud storing school docs and files

Cloud storage is part of the bargain for running with tech. it helps schools to have a permanent and more secure files and documents- students reports, staff information, administrative files and other confidential files of the school. Your ICT team should see to this.

#11. In charge of intra and inter digital communication

Every intra and inter digital communication of the school should go through the ICT team. In doing this, they must understand certain rules of engagement expected of every digital citizen, otherwise they might hurt the chances of the school.

Make sure you have such a formidable team that can do it.

There are so many gains in running with tech, but you can only profit from tech as a school only when you have a formidable team with the expertise to make it happen.

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