Topic: So far we've discussed technology budgeting, funding and purchasing. What are the most important things you want to convey to future technology directors? What was hardest for you to understand? Maybe that will be hardest to make clear to a reader. What should be covered in depth and what should not be covered in depth? What knowledge would most help you in a Technology Director position?
Response: In synopsis of these 3 separate yet very intertwined topics I believe there are a number of individual concepts and general ideas that I would wish to emphasize to future technology directors. I think most importantly would be to provide new tech directors with concrete resources for them to reference as they actually budget, fund, and purchase technology. It can be difficult to understand much of this information because of its shear volume and the numerous complicated procedures needed to successfully navigate budgeting, funding and purchasing technology. Much of this information is best learned in context and application. New tech directors would benefit from being provided with reliable grant evaluation, e-rate, and purchasing sites. In addition to reliable resources they should be provided with overviews and history of each topic as well as highlights of pitfalls, bureaucratic idiosyncrasies, and process steps. A significant emphasis should be placed on the long range planning steps associated with these three areas of a tech director’s job.
I believe out of the topics of budgeting, funding, and purchasing technology the hardest concept to grasp relates to finding funding options for technology. I find funding especially grants, establishment of grant opportunities, and grant writing to be very difficult to understand. I also believe it to be the most difficult concept of the three to present and for all levels of technology directors (not just novice) to understand. The topic is so diverse and overwhelming especially for new directors. To combat this difficult topic, funding resources should focus on providing tech directors with funding opportunities they can achieve without immense backgrounds in grant writing. Examples of this would be funding resources like non-competitive grant, popular grants (ex: classroom of the future), e-rate, funding foundations, etc…
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3 comments:
“…providing tech directors with...funding resources like non-competitive grant, popular grants (ex: classroom of the future), e-rate, funding foundations, etc…
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I like your idea on this point. :) A technology director may make efforts to establish a good plan for technology use in the school/district. But finding grants or other outside funding will be the other burden when grant application needs his/her too much time and intense work. If there is “reliable grant evaluation”, the technology leader will save more time and energy to deal with technology-related works (e.g. network operation, desktop support and stuff training…).
Tim,
I can tell you first hand, these topics can be daunting for someone that has not been involved in the process previously. Reliable resources would be a step in the right direction. I think each organization should have some responsibility in documenting how they follow the rules of budgeting and funding.
Budgeting, funding, and purchasing are concrete type functions and the director should be able to find reference to these topics (at least as separate topics and as they are performed in other business environments). The Technology Director is a fairly new concept as it applies to K-12 school districts, but budgeting, funding, and purchasing are not. The new Technology Director does have an overwhelming amount of information to process in order to do his job.
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