Technical Coordination
Focus
Developing strategies for review and adoption of new and emerging technologies.
Explanation
The role of technology in a LCO is to support the education activity within the cluster. No single technology should dominate the way a cluster operates. As a cluster matures, the scope and range of technologies, including synchronous and asynchronous technologies will expand.
Emerging opportunities for schools to move their internal systems off-site and into “the cloud” will become increasingly attractive – both for financial reasons, and for reasons of access. Schools/clusters will require robust systems and strategies for reviewing what technologies to support and invest in. This will include decisions to discontinue using some technologies once their original purpose or usefulness has expired.
Action
- Establish internal systems for reviewing and exploring the technologies used. This process and planning should take into account:
- the extent to which the technology supports the desired pedagogical practices of the school/cluster
- system-wide interoperability – ensuring that
- ubiquitous access – allowing for staff and students to access these learning environments at any time, from anywhere and by any device
- shared services models, cloud-based application use and shared data storage services – moving hosting and maintenance issues from inside an individual school to a shared space for the cluster. - Ensure that there are shared policies regarding online safety and acceptable use of these technologies by staff and students in place for the cluster, and that these are adhered to and supported by all schools in the cluster.
