Build Communication into Your Comprehensive Technology Plan
In HolonIQ’s 2023 survey results on digital transformation in K–12, 65 percent of K–12 school leaders saw the integration of digital resources as critical to the future of K–12 education. At Mt. Diablo USD, we agreed, which is why we knew we had to get in front of technological changes and anticipate how those changes would impact our end users. That meant we needed to take an enterprise approach to shoring up our IT infrastructure.
First, we built a comprehensive, long-range technology plan. I often hear that people don’t like change. That’s not been my experience. People just don’t like when changes are done to them. So, before we even created a technology plan, we involved teachers, principals, students and other partners in critical conversations ahead of those changes.
DIG DEEPER: Strategic communication can support technology investments.
Make Room for Digital Equity and Standardization
Because we were really focused on serving the needs of all of our students, it was important to use an equity lens when making technology decisions. So, we often asked, “Why is this tool or resource right for some students and not others?”
With audiovisual technology, in particular, schools previously funded and selected their own devices, which meant district IT would have to support a variety of technologies.
By standardizing on one piece of instructional tech such as a Promethean board or one type of Chromebook for all students, we could address digital equity, streamline our purchases across schools and create a sustainable model that could continue into the future.