I found it interesting that the guidelines currently in place for establishing a technology plan are extremely thorough and detailed. The first guideline is to research the district's data, specifically the school report card, before moving forward with any other steps in the planning process. I believe this is the most important step in the process, because each district has vastly different needs for their students, teachers, and communities. It is vital for the Tech Plan Committee to have a clear understanding of the gaps in the current learning environment before they can begin to decide what types of technologies can address those gaps.
Another important factor in any Tech Plan is to consistently reevaluate the effectiveness of the plan. Technology changes so quickly that it only makes sense to change the Tech Plan in order to adapt. This requires a considerable amount of flexibility on the part of the principal because the Tech Plan will never feel "set in stone", but if the principal models this flexibility with ease I believe the students, teachers, and community will follow suit.
Once a Tech Plan is in place the school must provide professional development to ensure that staff knows how to use the new technology to improve education. This is why it is important for a principal to be well-versed in the different grade levels and content areas within their building, and how different technologies apply to those demographics. Setting up effective professional development is a priority, and it cannot be done without background knowledge on the part of the principal.
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