Efficacious Technology Management: a guide for School Leaders
Chapter 6: Technology Support Systems
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- Logistic Goal
- Context for the Logistic Goal
- Effective IT Systems
Chapter 6: Technology Support SystemsSufficient devices, reliable and robust networks, and effective web services all depend on a systems being in place and functioning to ensure the hardware and software is maintained, updated, and repaired so it works for teachers and learners. Efficacious IT managers ensure systems are in place to keep IT infrastructure in good repair. Computers break; they break frequently. Operational computers, laptops, notebooks, and tablets (that connect to reliable and robust networks through which access to effective web services) exist only where there exist systems in place to quickly repair malfunctioning devices (and networks and services). Effective and efficient systems of technology support are multi-dimensional. IT infrastructure must be selected and designed to facilitate effective planning and repair, procedures for communicating when systems need to be repaired as well as communicating what and how repairs are done must be in place, and the proper personnel must be retained to effect the repairs and those personnel have the necessary training and budgets sufficient to meet their needs. Logistic GoalSchool IT managers will define a logistic goal that is similar to “Malfunctioning IT systems are repaired quickly.” Implicit in this goal is that malfunctioning devices or networks do not interfere with teachers’ ability to plan for technology-rich lessons or with students’ ability to experience those lessons. Also implicit in this goal is that these systems are supported by the financial resources to supply the people doing this work. Context for the Logistic GoalComputers and the information stored on them have become mission-critical (excuse the business jargon) to schools. Without these devices, neither teachers nor students can accomplish what they must to achieve strategic goals, nor can administrative staff ensure the smooth operation of the organization. Whereas “the network going down” or “the computers being updated” represented a minor disruption to previous generations of educators, either of these situation can cause a major disruption today. Just as planning for purchases and installation of devices can no longer be entrusted to IT professionals alone, the design and implementation of support systems ensuring appropriate, proper, and reasonable IT must be a collaborative effort among all school IT managers. Effective IT SystemsOne of the often overlooked aspects of technology support systems is ensuring that systems are effectively repaired. Effective repairs will result in the system better meeting the needs of teachers and students and the systems being more responsive to their needs. It has been established that IT users in schools are different from the IT users in other organizations, so IT professionals who rely on the clear planning that leads to the effective design of single-purpose systems for business users will find they are less effective for school users. Just like all aspects of managing school IT, selecting the correct systems and designing them for school users is a collaborative endeavor. In schools where technology support systems are organized into a planning cycle (see figure 6.1) in which technicians affect changes and upgrades to reflect those identified as necessary by teachers, repairs and upgrades appear to be more effective (Ackerman, 2017). In general, IT managers react to situations to increase their efficiency, but they are proactive to ensure changes to systems are more effective. For technology support to be improved by following this planning cycle, technicians and IT professional must be given responsibility for building solutions in a manner that is secure and compatible with existing technology, and teachers must use the systems in the way the technicians designed them, but decisions regarding the sufficiency of the solutions depend on teachers’ perceptions of the solutions, especially when interpreted in light of technology acceptance. 
Figure 6.1 Technology planning cycle (adapted from Ackerman, 2017) The planning cycle provides efficacious IT managers with a procedure to follow to ensure support decisions and actions are fully implemented before they are deemed a success or a failure. When the planning cycle is combined with the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) (Venktesh et al., 2003), and feedback is given in terms of effort expectancy and performance expectancy, then systems and the repairs made to them are more likely to be judged effective by users. Download 1.99 Mb. Share with your friends:
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