tkt8763-01: FW: Class Notes - 27 Oct 99

[Christopher & Raydene Wolney <wolney@ebicom.net>]

Hi all,

I must have forgot to send this.

Chris Wolney

Shoot, Move, and Communicate
Armor, The Combat Arm of Decision!

-----Original Message-----
From:	Christopher & Raydene Wolney [SMTP:wolney@ebicom.net]
Sent:	Thursday, 28 October, 1999 12:21 PM
To:	'tkt8763-01@msstate.edu'
Cc:	'jan.vandam@oakland.k12.mi.us'
Subject:	Class Notes - 27 Oct 99

Hi all,

If I forget to remind Dr. Anderson later, we are not having class next 
week(3 Nov 99). (Dr. Anderson confirm please)

We talked with Dr. Jan Van Dam. She is a TechnoEagle that Dr. Anderson has 
told us about.

I will attempt to capture some of the great questions asked and responses 
given.

Q: List some key issues with technology planning.
A: While we can plan for every eventuality (Professional Development, 
Support, Connectivity, Software, Replacement Costs, and Retrofitting), one 
of the difficult issues is the funding which will pay for the 
implementation of the technology plan. We may need 7.5 million to outfit a 
school/district but we only get 2 million. We need to be exacting in our 
cost analysis. We need to prioritize our purchase and implementation of 
technology. The plan needs to include why all items are important and how 
they interrelate to each other. We need to understand that if we do not 
purchase a specific piece of technology, how this reduction may result in 
unintended consequences. This is why a plan is so important.

Q: Is the actual achievement being made in purchasing technology the 
resultant technology or can we actually see benefits to the users?
A: We are starting to see data which shows technology is aiding education. 
We need to look at three areas.
1. Organization design change
2. Cognitive development
3. Developmental Technology (I think, I may have got this one wrong)

Q: What is TCO
A: A structured approach to categorize all associated costs with 
implementing technology to the goals and vision in the technology plan.

Q: What are the legal cost and opportunity cost when you begin to implement 
technology.
A: Legal Costs: Allot of these costs have to do with having good legal 
advice on bond issues. Legal requirements in working through an initiative. 
Two attorneys on staff with Dr. Jan Van Dam. Consultants are also used. 
Consultants can be held accountable for the services rendered. Contractual 
obligations are important for attorneys to track. On staff attorneys 
actually work individual school legal issues. One of the keys to legality 
issues is brainstorming question. The planning committee needs to come 
together and ask questions in all areas. These areas always need to be 
related back to legal issues. Opportunity Costs: Opportunity costs are not 
as much of a trade off as people think. Keep technical planning different 
from functional planning. We must first design the concept and then once we 
know what we want, then we ask the technical questions to reach the 
conceptual goals. The application of technology will enable other 
opportunity costs instead of being a trade off. Ensure all parties 
understand the vision and goals of the plan and then ensure the technical 
aspects of the plan move towards the goals and visions of the plan. Vision 
is not tied to dollars.

Q: Direct and indirect cost of a technology plan.
A: Direct cost are those cost that make the technology plan work. Indirect 
cost are the implementation efficiencies. Direct cost are under the major 
categories of the TCO article. We must examine all the items associated 
with these direct cost to evaluate the indirect cost. Truly the indirect 
costs may not become visible until one is beginning the plan. No examples 
of direct and indirect costs available on the internet. Political 
considerations could also increase indirect costs. In the initial planning 
stage is where all these indirect cost can be identified. The first part of 
any plan is getting together all stakeholders and analyzing the plan. The 
brainstorming idea. Look at a horizon and see things above the horizon 
(Direct Cost) and below the horizon (Indirect Costs). Some aspects of 
Direct and Indirect cost are at 
http://gartner5.gartnerweb.com/public/static/consulting/tco/tcochart.html.

Q: What has been most gratifying for you as a Technology Leader.
A: Working with the schools and helping them reach their vision and goals. 
Being a technology director is difficult in that you must be a leader. You 
need to help people with their vision. You need to bring together all the 
elements which affect a technology plan and ensure they are accounted for. 
Not only do we analyze the plan, but we then synthesize all its parts to 
create the technology plan and act on the plan. Initially technology 
directors were school teachers, then with the explosion of technology we 
gravitated towards
computer knowledgeable directors. We are now in the third stage where we 
look for educators who are technologists. They understand the educational 
issues and can bring those issues together with technology and a plan to 
have a positive outcome.

A note here I will call Kueffer's Paradox. There are three factors in any 
project: Cost, Quickness, Value. You can have only two of the three in any 
project. If it has to be quick, then in order to be good (value) it is 
going to cost. If you want it cheap and good, it isn't going to be quick. 
If you are not watching you will get a bad item really quick at a large 
cost.

Q: Do you buy or lease computers/
A: Primarily buy but some are trying to lease. Legal issue regarding the 
bond initiatives.

Required components of a technology plan in Oakland County, Michigan. See 
http://www.oakland.k12.mi.us/pubs.htm for further information.

NETS is an important site for technology planning it is at 
http://cnets.iste.org/

Q:  In rural area how do you get technology illiterate administrators to 
accept technology?
A:  Point out what education is like without technology. Lead the 
administrator to understand how technology not only aids in education but 
also how its absence lessens the value of education.

Q: What is the role in ethics in technology planning especially in dealing 
with vendors.
A: What we access and how we use what we access is important. Part of MI 
curriculum is Critical TV. It teaches kids how not to be manipulated by 
marketing. It teaches how to use data and how to interpret it. Integrity is 
important. It is not situational. It is the same no matter the situation.

Q: How can we stay abreast of the ever changing technology and technology 
planning.
A: You can't but you can have a Master Mind group. People who know what 
needs to be known.

The keys to technology planning or having a successful life in general:
Do whatever gives you passion
Always know what you value
Keep an open perspective
----------------------------
I don't get headaches, I don't pull pony-tails that tight. Don't ask but I 
thought it was extremely amusing.
--------------------------
We watched The Making of a Leader by Jim Rohn.

The best kept of secret of the rich is Time Management. The management of 
time.

The wise use of resources. The wise use of time. The wise use of money. The 
wise use of knowledge. The wise use of resources is a lifetime challange.

Four approaches to time management

1. Ignore: Don't let somebody tell you how to design your life. Success is 
the steady progress in reaching your own personal goals.
Let people give you a view but then design your own life. Be an individual. 
Be what you are. March at the beat of your own drum. March at your own 
pace.

2. Step down to something easier: You may be doing too much so stop doing 
so much. Ok, well that will just reduce the pay, the compensation. If you 
have other priorities, you may need to step down to something easier. Reel 
back a goal. You may have a goal of a millionaire and that is good because 
it will be interesting to see the person you will have to become to be a 
millionaire. Have to become is a two-edge sword. Always count the cost.

3. You can always work longer and harder: Watch doing this. You can go 
overboard. But if you are not working very long or very hard, you may try 
to work longer and harder. Harder is not only on the job but on yourself.

4. Develop yourself. Develop skills to conserve time. Develop efficiency. 
Increase efficiency. Increase effectiveness.
You run the day or it runs you.
Stay in charge of the day.
A normal day committed to labor is enough time.
Its not the hours you put in but what you put in the hours.

Time Management Essentials
1. Written goals.Constantly review goals.Prioritize goals.
2. Plan to achieve goals.



Chris Wolney

Shoot, Move, and Communicate
Armor, The Combat Arm of Decision!

******* TKT 8763 Seminar in Planning for Instructional Technology  *******
   To subscribe or unsubscribe, e-mail to "majordomo@msstate.edu"
   with the message "subscribe tkt8763-01" or "unsubscribe tkt8763-01".
       Subscribers may post messages to "tkt8763-01@msstate.edu".