Technology-Driven Decisions

School Administrator, April, 1999 by K. David Weidner

AASA's partnership with Compaq offers starting points for identifying effective uses of technology in schools

Ask just about any educational leader today what commodity they hold most precious and most will offer a variation on the same theme: They need more time.

Do more with less, they are told. And at the same time, school leaders are expected to apply ever-evolving technology to improve student instruction and to make their school districts operate more effectively and efficiently.

Today's educational leaders need informational resources with which to make decisions, especially in the area of information technology. These decisions carry enormous financial implications. Further, these school leaders need help with technology planning and consensus building and in justifying investments in new technology that will lead to better student achievement.

Can improved academic achievement be directly linked to improved efficiency? Can the use of information technology raise the effectiveness of the instructional process? These questions need to be answered. Yet the education field to date has not collected much useful data about the impact of technology on student learning to bolster such cost-benefit analyses. To help answer these questions, AASA has launched initiatives intended to address this need.

A Compaq Partnership

Enter the relationship between AASA and the world's second-largest computer manufacturer, the Compaq Computer Corp. In an effort to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of school districts across the country, Compaq and AASA formed a strategic partnership in February 1998. That partnership is known as the TED-TAC (Technology Efficient District-Technical Assistance Center) program.

During its first year, TED-TAC formed a task force of 14 school districts that have made significant strides in their uses of technology; provided technical assistance to these school districts; conducted a series of technology forums for school superintendents and technology directors; developed criteria for recognizing promising models; and established the Superintendent's Office of Tomorrow at AASA headquarters in Arlington, Va.

The collaboration between one of the largest technology companies in the world with the sole association representing school district executives has created a great opportunity to share talents and resources between the two parties and among the constituents each represents.

Showcasing Models

To showcase efficient and effective technology use, AASA created a recognition program for the task force school districts. These districts applied for recognition for projects or initiatives that are under way in their schools.

An established set of criteria was applied to the districts that sought recognition as a promising technology model. These criteria were: integration with other technology systems; provision for adequate ongoing management support services; innovation; potential for sustainability; potential for replicability; an Identified need; provision for staff development; and a plan for evaluation.

During 1999, the Promising Model Recognition program has expanded beyond the original 14 school districts in an attempt to gain wider exposure (see article, page 29).

Office of Tomorrow

One of the greatest challenges a school superintendent has to deal with is the ability to process large amounts of information in a variety of formats in a minimal amount of time. This challenge is not new. What is relatively new is the need to use technology to make data-driven decisions.

One element of the Compaq-AASA charter is to improve efficiency and effectiveness through the use of enhanced technologies. Toward that end, we created the Superintendent's Office of Tomorrow. We used the word "tomorrow" instead of "the future" because we know that school superintendents are dealing with these issues now.

Tomorrow speaks to a relevant use of technology. Superintendents of education need to be able to access large amounts of data, consult with peers and subordinates, make quick decisions and keep ahead of the changing political factors that face them each day.

At first glance, the Superintendent's Office of Tomorrow looks like your basic executive office: a large rectangular conference table, comfortable chairs, pictures on the wall. What is different are the tools housed in the office and the way they are used by forward-looking school superintendents.

The Superintendent's Office of Tomorrow is equipped with interactive data displays connected to the World Wide Web. Also resident is the group decision-support system application, Group Systems for Windows. This tool uses a collaborative decision-making model in a computer environment. School superintendents can gain collaborative, anonymous input from their constituents on key strategies, which allow these decisions to be made with data.

In addition to group decision making, the SOT has an enhanced infrastructure (voice and data) wiring to make video conferencing and computer networking a breeze. Compaq generously provided their most up-to-date and fully equipped workstations. As Compaq develops new technologies, these workstations are rotated twice a year to keep up with technological changes. We believe that the SOT serves as a model for what a school superintendent's office should look like.