Becoming Future Proof
Cell phones, tablets, and computers have transformed today's classroom and the way that students learn and collaborate. These new technologies bring about a need for a change in schools infrastructure and the need to future proof. According to Whitehead, Jensen, and Boshee (2013), "future proofing means that a facility anticipates and supports educational change without expensive remodeling." Technology is forever changing and with these new changes, brings new demands on current infrastructure. Maintaining the appropriate infrastructure is a strategic issue that requires lots of thought and support from knowledgeable leadership (Whitehead et al., 2013).
Traveling along the path to future proofing involves several steps. According to Dessoff (2010), The first step involves schools examining existing technologies then considering the potential for upgrades. Schools should be prepared to answer the question of how realistic would upgrading be? Secondly, the life cycle of current technology should be examined. Determining the length of time remaining before current technologies are obsolete is important because it helps to plan for what happens after they are no longer effective. The third step would be to look at the infrastructure to determine if current wiring, networks, and facilities would hold up to changes in the years to come. Lastly, we must look at our support staff. Do you have the necessary support in place to remain effective (Dessoff, 2010)?
Keeping up with the times also means keeping faculty and staff up to date on current professional development. Ensuring that teacher are not only knowledgeable about new technologies, but they must also be confident enough to incorporate the use of the new devices into their teaching and learning. "Teacher training is being recognized as one of the main reason that schools have difficulty implementing technology (Whitehead et al., 2013)." This is very true at the school I work at. We have many of the latest technologies, but when new teacher's come in, they are fearful of using them due to lack of training. When an untrained teacher is asked to incorporate new technology into their lessons, the look on their faces reminds me of the picture below.
via GIPHY
It does should not matter where a school is on their journey to future proofing, starting with the end in mind is the key to success. " Schools of the future will not only be considered processors of knowledge, they will also become connectors of knowledge (Whitehead et al., 2013)." Ensuring that your school is future proofed will help you along your journey to becoming a connector of knowledge.
References
Dessoff, A. (2010). Making your schools future-proof. District Administration. Retrieved
from https://www.districtadministration.com/article/making-your-schools-future-proof.
from https://www.districtadministration.com/article/making-your-schools-future-proof.
Whitehead, B., Jensen, D., & Boshee, F. (2013). Planning for technology: A guide for
school administrators, technology coordinators, and curriculum leaders. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
school administrators, technology coordinators, and curriculum leaders. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
First of all, I love the cat gif. As you know from our discussions, we are a cat family.
ReplyDeleteI agree that future proofing is a solid concern for school districts. Your point regarding the importance of ongoing professional development is also an important one. Districts need to consider professional development in the scheme of a long-term and strategic plan. Professional development does not just need to appear when new technology is purchased by the system, it needs to be consistent and strategic based on the needs of the school and the emerging needs of the world. Whitehead, Jensen and Boschee (2013) write, “it is the responsibility of the school to provide the infrastructure to aid in teacher growth” (p. 60). This infrastructure should include the training of the teachers. Without effective and ongoing teacher training it does not matter at all what kinds of devices are introduced to the teachers to use-- they will not be as effective in their implementation. Future proofing requires consistent attention to training.
References
Whitehead, B.M., Jensen, D., Boschee, F. (2013). Planning for Technology:
A guide for school administrators, technology coordinators, and
curriculum leaders. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.