The pace of technology continues to accelerate making it tough for many schools to keep up. Your school can’t grab every innovation. There is neither the budget nor the trained staff. So you must set priorities to maximize the gifts and challenges that technology brings in its wake. Here are 6 of those priorities. How do you measure up?
1 – Provide timely and expert support
We all know that the Internet experience is only as good as the staff assigned to troubleshoot problems and solve them efficiently and effectively. As more functionality in the school becomes integrated into the cyber world, it cannot be overemphasized how critical it is to eliminate or at least minimize the technical problems that could threaten the success of an entire school day.
2 – Assure necessary investment in the right equipment
Schools that are tech-savvy make it a priority to acquire quality equipment to serve their needs. Don’t think that you can avoid the investment required to provide your school with what it needs to bring you “up to speed.” This may include anything from tablets for every student, whiteboards for every classroom, and the essential IT services to assure smooth functioning.
3 – Take the time to create a vision and develop a plan
Maximizing the benefits of technology is the same as any other component of a school’s success. Those schools that want to be genuinely tech-savvy begin with a vision that defines their goals, objectives, and an incremental plan (if necessary) as to how to implement the technology. This must account for variables such as enrollment, infrastructure, and budget.
4 – Maximizing Speech Therapy and other online therapies when required
Technology has brought innovation across the broad. But perhaps of the most exciting developments for schools is the option of online therapy, such as online speech therapy. Schools are no longer constrained by face-to-face resources. Now they can provide quality speech therapy and other therapies as well unencumbered by limited local resources.
5 – Maintaining an updated internet presence
Among the significant benefits afforded by the web is the opportunity for teachers to create and continuously refresh websites for their students. The regular updates serve not only the students but the parents as well. What is more, schools can now establish and maximize their presence on social media to educate and connect with parents and the entire community.
6 – Collaborative opportunities for teachers continuing education
With the wonders of the web, teachers no longer need to sacrifice valuable class time to attend a seminar or conference out of town. Social Media groups and other such options provide ample opportunities for educators to continue to grow and develop themselves outside the classroom without downtime for the students due to their absence or substitutes.
To put it simply, tech-savvy schools have opportunities never before dreamed of from teaching to providing online speech therapy to minimizing downtime for their staff. But this all comes with a price. The schools interested in capitalizing on these gifts need to well-thought-out plans and to pay attention to detail in order to assure that the new tech experience is both uplifting and beneficial.
