Recommendations+and+Action+Items

1. **__ Network Maintenence & Growth __** - rationale: Technology infrastructure is a hidden component of school technology programs. Too often schools have grand pedagogical plans that are impossible to support with current infrastructure. Continuing to use resources to grow (note: "growth" may actually mean shrink in this case - think virtualization) and expand the FWCDCN will provide necessary structure to support educational goals.

Recommendations and Action Items: A. FWCD will increase students' access to computers and associated peripheral devices. (suhr) B. FWCD will prepare for the EOL and reduced support for Novell products. C. FWCD will maintain appropriate repair and replacement policies for all network and end-user devices. D. The members of the FWCD Technology Department will reflect the highest levels of professionalism.
 * An "open lab" environment will be created in the US allowing students access to appropriate hardware and software.
 * Additional classroom computer labs will be implemented in the US.
 * The FIT Program will be expanded to encourage additional interactive whiteboard usage in all divisions.
 * An appropriate replacement for Novel Groupwise will be implemented for both students and staff.
 * An appropriate replacement for Novel Zenworks will be implemented for both students and staff.
 * All hardware and software will be maintained and inventoried in a centralized DB.
 * All hardware (end user and network infrastructure) will be incorporated into a replacement plan.
 * Bandwidth needs will be evaluated every year.
 * The FWCD wireless network will be updated annually to meet or exceed current standards and expectations for performance
 * Virtualization technology will be considered to reduce the load in the FWCD server environment.
 * Emergency plans will be developed and tested to ensure that all departmental responsibilities can be met in the event that one or more members of the department are unavailable.
 * Job descriptions will be modified to include Performance Objectives and will be updated annually.
 * A review process will be implemented to evaluate each member of the Technology Department.

2. **__ Curricular Integration and Professional Support __** - rationale: Support for teachers who are integrating technology into their curriculum has many components. Delineating traditional help desk support (for both hardware and software) from curricular support places emphasis on the importance of collaboration between technology and teaching. Teachers who are seeking opportunities for non-traditional delivery of content, technology oriented assessment techniques and student-centered learning should be supported. Technical integration should be considered on many levels and it should use many models as there are countless mechanisms of innovation.

Recommendations and Action Items:

A. FWCD will develop professional development strategies that encourage faculty innovation as well as provide support for institutional software and hardware devices.
 * FWCD will offer professional development opportunities suitable for individuals, small groups and larger audiences.
 * FWCD will offer asynchronous learning opportunies.
 * FWCD should explore the feasibility of divisional "mentors."
 * FWCD should consider additional Help Desk support.
 * A technology training facility will be established for small groups and individual training.

B. FWCD will encourage faculty to use the resources offered by the Technology Department and the Technology Group to integrate authentic technology into their teaching strategies.
 * The Curriculum Integration Specialist will play a more prominent role in supporting teacher-led innitiatives.
 * The Technology Department will rely on pedagogic experiences to better facilitate faculty and staff.

3. **__Software Acquisition__** - rationale: Software costs; from front-loaded purchases and after-market maintenance represent an increasing percentage of the technology budget. Alternatives to traditional software are becoming more obtainable and affordable. Web based software and social media also offer opportunities for expansion. Alternatives to current "official" software should allow faculty and staff to use products which meet their needs while also ensuring a consistency of end-product desired by the institution. These avenues must be explored carefully and implemented centrally to ensure that licensing compliance is maintained. Thorough documentation and support of all software products endorsed by the institution should be available to faculty and staff to ensure that they make knowledgeable decisions regarding software for both professional and pedagogical use. Additional emphasis should be placed on developing educational goals for educational software implementations rather than less formalized experiments.

Recommendations and Action Items: A. FWCD will identify alternatives to traditional software licensing.
 * FWCD will consider consortium licensing for Microsoft products.
 * FWCD will consider "open-source" products in liue of traditionally licensed products.
 * FWCD will support appropriate web-based sources for academic communication (while recognizing the importance of integration into a centralized student information system.)

B. FWCD will seek and support alternatives to end-user software packages currently used.
 * Alternatives to institutional software packages will be considered for individuals and divisions (based upon recommendations by appropriate divisional leaders.)

C. FWCD will emphasize appropriate technology integration.
 * Individual or departmental software implementations will be supported by an Action Plan which details time frame, goals of the teacher and students, assessment, etc. and is endorsed by the appropriate administrator.

4. __**Technology Diversity & Accountability and Process**__- rationale: FWCD currently has the strongest infrastructure and the strongest commitment of resources for technology amongst its local peers. Technology integration occurs at all divisions and in all subject areas. There are programs with clear goals and expectations such as the FIT Program and there are individualized programs developed and implemented by innovative teachers all over campus. In order to be viewed as a school that uses broad, effective technologies to enhance student learning and better prepare our students for their lives as citizens, our faculty should view technology as the norm rather than an "extra." While many teachers certainly do this already, they are thought of as innovators, experimenters and fast-horses. We need to make them the norm and develop mechanisms to move others along. Technology should be considered on many levels in an educational organization. Many models exist which describe and quantify educators along a continuum of technological progress, yet most do not take into account the particular environment in which a specific school exists. Educators use technology personally, professionally and pedagogically. It is important to an institution that its constituents have input to, and an awareness of, decisions that will have an effect on their technical processes.

Recommendations and Action Items: A. FWCD will celebrate the diversity of technological innovations used by faculty and staff.
 * A mechanism that will highlight new technologies, creative projects, and everyday technology integration at FWCD will be developed and published to the community.
 * Faculty and staff will be encouraged to share their technology skills and experiences with their peers.

B. FWCD will seek to evaluate the effect of individual and institutional technology initiatives in an effort to identify consistent standards and expectations and recognize the wide array of technology integration occuring in all divisions.
 * A mechanism for compiling information related to individual faculty innovations will be developed.
 * A mechanism to facilitate the continued implementation of interactive whiteboard technologies will be developed.

C. FWCD will seek broad input for technological decisions. (suhr
 * The annual technology budget will be presented publically in order to make spending policies transparent.
 * A faculty-led technology group will be encouraged to participate in broad trials that may effect future implementations.

D. FWCD will place additional emphasis on supporting current faculty, staff and administrators, while seeking those professionals, who are most able to use technology in authentic manners. (suhr)
 * FWCD will identify the technical skills relevant to each faculty and staff position, and will consider those skills in candidates seeking employment.
 * Budget resources will be allocated to a faculty-led technology group for distribution to faculty pursuing innovative technologies