11 Criteria For Evaluating a School’s Education Technology – See more at: http://www.techlearning.com/Default.aspx?tabid=67&entryid=8457#sthash.gVjf9lOc.dpuf

11 Criteria For Evaluating a School’s Education Technology

See more at: http://www.techlearning.com/Default.aspx?tabid=67&entryid=8457#sthash.gVjf9lOc.dpuf

“The following criteria are not inspection criteria or anything like that. They are simply a “quick and dirty” checklist of aspects to look at.

• Is education technology being used a lot by pupils in a wide range of lessons?
• Is the technology exciting, innovative, attractive?
• Is it being used well, ie in the service of learning, as opposed to being used as a means of keeping pupils occupied?
• Is it making a difference to pupils’ attainment? This is a difficult one, because how will you find out? The easiest way would be to ask colleagues who are using it well what difference they think it makes, and why. Ask pupils too – and their parents.
• What does the technology look like? Let me give you an idea why this is important. There are lots of internet cafés in London, and I almost never go into any of them. Why not? Most of them look seedy, dirty and dingy. They may not be those things, but they look like they are, and I for one have no inclination to find out from personal experience where the truth lies. So take a look at your technology facilities. If you have a computer room, if you have one. Does it look like a battle zone? Are the keyboards on your laptops filthy? Are the rooms and other facilities welcoming? For example, is there plenty of guidance available for “newbies”?
• How many subject leaders are using technology? If the answer is “not many”, it may be that there is a cultural resistance that you will need to address.
• How many members of the senior leadership team are using technology? If the answer is “not many” then even if they are very supportive this is something you will need to try to address, because ideally the senior leadership team should lead by example.
• What’s going on beyond the school gates, but within the school community? Are the Governors supportive, for example? What are parents’ expectations? Is there a digital divide which needs to be addressed?
• What’s the Computing scheme of work like? Interesting? Challenging? Broad and balanced?
• Where the subject is optional, how many students choose it? What’s that as a proportion of the entire cohort?
• Finally, what does it actually feel like? To use a 1960s hippy vernacular, what#s the vibe?

If you found this article useful, do check out a longer, and earlier, version of the same sort of thing:

31 Days to Become a Better Ed Tech Leader — Day 1: Carry Out a SWOT ”

See more at: http://www.techlearning.com/Default.aspx?tabid=67&entryid=8457#sthash.gVjf9lOc.dpuf

Stephen