This deck can be used as a template for your digital learning business case, process planning, staff development, all the good stuff. Courtesy of my colleagues at Intrepid by Vital Source.
[NOTE: To learn more and watch a recording of this webinar, visit: https://www.watershedlrs.com/webinar-how-to-build-a-learning-tech-stack]
If you want to build and scale your learning programs for the future, you must start with a solid technology foundation. It's easy to get excited about the desired end product, and gloss over the most important details—the blueprint. To help you plan for a good program foundation, Watershed and Training Orchestra cover the needs of a good program blueprint.
This deck can be used as a template for your digital learning business case, process planning, staff development, all the good stuff. Courtesy of my colleagues at Intrepid by Vital Source.
[NOTE: To learn more and watch a recording of this webinar, visit: https://www.watershedlrs.com/webinar-how-to-build-a-learning-tech-stack]
If you want to build and scale your learning programs for the future, you must start with a solid technology foundation. It's easy to get excited about the desired end product, and gloss over the most important details—the blueprint. To help you plan for a good program foundation, Watershed and Training Orchestra cover the needs of a good program blueprint.
Pursuit of relevance in higher educationLisa Qualls
How can higher education institutions alter their strategy to achieve student success? How can emerging technology such as cognitive analytics, cloud, connectivity, and omni channel engagement accelerate higher education efforts? Review tactical steps to develop an effective game plan.
Why xAPI? A Business Leader's Getting Started GuideMargaret Roth
For many L&D teams, getting started with xAPI is all about finding the balance between meeting strategic organization-wide data transformation goals and defining an achievable, feasible, and valuable team-level proof of concept. Getting to this happy medium requires not only an understanding of technical functionality, but more importantly the ability to help your stakeholders understand how they will benefit from an xAPI-powered learning ecosystem and data strategy.
In this webinar, you'll gain an understanding of the foundational conceptual and technical components of xAPI, see examples of xAPI-powered learning ecosystem pilot projects, and learn the necessary first steps to get your team xAPI ready for 2019!
This content was originally shared as part of the Why xAPI? webinar on December 13, 2018.
Yet LXi — Learning Experience Interface Overview Margaret Roth
Yet’s Learning Experience Interface (LXi) enables the collection and tagging of resources across any source on the internet, providing a unified discovery and experience platform for informal, self-directed learning. Related content suggestions and a fully xAPI instrumented interface make the Yet LXi the best way to unify both your learner experience and your learning analytics.
This presentation was originally shared as part of the eThink Partner Webinar series on April 25, 2018. View the webinar recording at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgxSEO-x2co&feature=youtu.be.
Modern Learning Ecosystem Design with xAPIMargaret Roth
While the L&D community is increasingly familiar with the Experience API (xAPI) and its value for data collection and interoperability, few examples exist to clarify the value of xAPI as applied within different existing learning infrastructures. This session focused on sharing the ways xAPI can connect and provide value in any eLearning environment.
These slides present a series of different learning ecosystem configurations and the ways xAPI and a learning record store (LRS) can provide value in each case. The three main learning ecosystem configurations examined range from the simplest (LMS and LRS) to three systems connected (LMS, LRS, and CMS) to the fully modular (LRS, LMS, simulations, microlearning, performance assessment, and other tools). For each of these configurations, the presentation shares specific values and practical applications gained by connecting an xAPI LRS to the existing system.
This presentation was originally shared as part of the eLearning Guild's 2018 Learning Solutions conference on March 28, 2018.
How to Plan for an xAPI Pilot at xAPI Camp DevLearn 2018 - Yet AnalyticsAllie Tscheulin
From an organization-wide executive directive to become more data-driven, a retail corporate L&D team took an internal look at their own data practices. Realizing that they had an overwhelming lack of transparency into their learning initiatives and a great amount of data that had gone unused, the team developed a transformation vision to create a single system of record for learning to enable observability, granularity, and accountability for all team members. The team was committed to the vision of xAPI; however, the data and information they needed in order to make actionable change for their learners was locked away in non-interoperable formats, and they recognized the need to develop a data strategy and implementation plan.
*Originally presented on 10/ 23/2018 at xAPI Camp during DevLearn 2018 by Allie Tscheulin
THE IMPERATIVE TO BUILD A RESILIENT AND AGILE ORGANIZATION—ONE MINDSET AT A TIMEHuman Capital Media
“Resiliency” and “Agility” are so often discussed yet rarely understood in the context of implementing these skills within organizations. Companies increasingly recognize the need to evolve the organization in order to grow or at least keep pace in a climate where innovation is critical to success—or even survival. But your people don’t know how to unlock their potential.
Why? Human brains aren’t naturally wired to deal with or initiate change. Our cognitive biases hold us back from adapting to the most common disruptions thrust upon us. They also stop us from inciting the kind of innovative thought that ultimately benefits our organizations and ourselves.
These facts of nature are in direct conflict with the realities of your business needs, aren't they?
Fortunately, research has proven we can retrain our brains to be more Resilient and Agile at any age and stage in our career. Join Dr. Casey Mulqueen and David Collins, two behavioral learning experts who’ve helped people develop Adaptive Mindsets all around the world, as they share with you:
What it means to be Resilient and Agile and why it’s critical to develop these skills
Strategies to change individuals’ behavior to positively impact the entire organization
How other companies have employed successful Resiliency and Agility training
Data Visualization and Learning Analytics with xAPIMargaret Roth
With the Experience API we are able to collect more granular, high-resolution data from our learning tools and platforms. But once we have that data, how do we present it in ways that easily communicate the right insights to our stakeholders?
In this presentation from the xAPI Cohort's Spring 2018 session, you'll find a brief historical survey of data visualizations, three keys to designing good data visualizations, and case studies of xAPI specific data visualizations and the insights they provided to organizations.
Lessons From The Explosive Growth of Online Learning During Covid-19VWO
COVID-19 has created unprecedented opportunities for online learning companies. Although traffic and new learner registrations have peaked during the lockdown, the only enduring competitive advantage for e-learning companies lies in being able to engage these learners in the long term.
Join VWO along with growth leaders at MasterClass & Springboard in a freewheeling conversation around what successful online learning companies must do to grow.
In this webinar, Cushing Anderson, IDC’s IT Education and Certification Research Program Vice President, and the author of our recent report, will help organizations understand how to strategically align learning programs with organizational goals to impact the business. Cushing will walk attendees through the metrics that learning can impact, the levers to maximize impact, and the outcome of a successful framework. Alongside our President of Udemy for Business Darren Shimkus, Cushing will dive into:
- How to link learning initiatives to strategic issues
- How to create a framework that maximizes the impact of learning, through intention, relevance, - consumption and reinforcement
- The types of value that can be witnessed through learning, including time savings, increased productivity, and faster onboarding
- How the L&D team at Udemy for Business maximizes learning impact across the organization
An Insider's Look at Udemy for Business Product WebinarUdemy for Business
60% of employees think their companies don’t offer adequate opportunities for them to develop professionally.
See first-hand how Udemy for Business partners with high-performing companies like PayPal, Lyft, Booking.com, Adidas, and Pinterest to fuel a culture of learning and elevate the perception of L&D.
- 2,500+ of the top rated, freshest courses for professional development
- Social learning tools that extend the role and impact of L&D
- Reporting that delivers actionable insights for effective learning
- Mobile technology to learn on the go
- 24/7 customer success dedicated to supporting your company every step of the way
Publicis Sapient, a business and engineering consulting firm, upskilled their workforce in the latest Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data science skills to help redefine their business and capture revenue growth.
In this webinar, Ian Stevens, North America Learning and Development Lead at Publicis Sapient, shares how his L&D team created learning programs at the speed of business to upskill their consultants to become digital transformation leaders.
You’ll walk away with:
- A proven push-pull blended learning program that quickly upskilled employees
- How to tie learning with hiring & staffing priorities to motivate learners
- Ways to build shared accountability with both employees and leaders
- Tips to align learning with performance and revenue
- Lessons learned on how L&D can play a pivotal role in driving revenue and transforming your business
IEEE TAG xAPI Webinar Series: Improving the Learner Experience Through an xAP...Margaret Roth
As part of the xAPI Case Studies Webinar Series hosted by the IEEE LTSC TAG xAPI, this presentation gives an overview of the creation of the Learning Commons. The Learning Commons is a shared space for connecting and accelerating educator learning created in partnership by the Learning Accelerator and Yet Analytics with support from innovative education organizations. The Learning Commons is an xAPI-enabled, multi-source content portal designed from the ground up with xAPI as part of the data model, powering a unified learner experience interface that allows learners to see how the informal learning content they work with aligns to competencies and skills they are working to build. As learners utilize content through curated playlists, skill and competency development is automatically tracked and presented back to learners, cohort leaders, and content providers through xAPI data.
The Google Slides version can be accessed at http://goog.gl/HfuscA. This presentation was presented in the xAPI Case Studies Webinar Series hosted by the IEEE LTSC TAG xAPI group on April 17, 2018.
Pursuit of relevance in higher educationLisa Qualls
How can higher education institutions alter their strategy to achieve student success? How can emerging technology such as cognitive analytics, cloud, connectivity, and omni channel engagement accelerate higher education efforts? Review tactical steps to develop an effective game plan.
Why xAPI? A Business Leader's Getting Started GuideMargaret Roth
For many L&D teams, getting started with xAPI is all about finding the balance between meeting strategic organization-wide data transformation goals and defining an achievable, feasible, and valuable team-level proof of concept. Getting to this happy medium requires not only an understanding of technical functionality, but more importantly the ability to help your stakeholders understand how they will benefit from an xAPI-powered learning ecosystem and data strategy.
In this webinar, you'll gain an understanding of the foundational conceptual and technical components of xAPI, see examples of xAPI-powered learning ecosystem pilot projects, and learn the necessary first steps to get your team xAPI ready for 2019!
This content was originally shared as part of the Why xAPI? webinar on December 13, 2018.
Yet LXi — Learning Experience Interface Overview Margaret Roth
Yet’s Learning Experience Interface (LXi) enables the collection and tagging of resources across any source on the internet, providing a unified discovery and experience platform for informal, self-directed learning. Related content suggestions and a fully xAPI instrumented interface make the Yet LXi the best way to unify both your learner experience and your learning analytics.
This presentation was originally shared as part of the eThink Partner Webinar series on April 25, 2018. View the webinar recording at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgxSEO-x2co&feature=youtu.be.
Modern Learning Ecosystem Design with xAPIMargaret Roth
While the L&D community is increasingly familiar with the Experience API (xAPI) and its value for data collection and interoperability, few examples exist to clarify the value of xAPI as applied within different existing learning infrastructures. This session focused on sharing the ways xAPI can connect and provide value in any eLearning environment.
These slides present a series of different learning ecosystem configurations and the ways xAPI and a learning record store (LRS) can provide value in each case. The three main learning ecosystem configurations examined range from the simplest (LMS and LRS) to three systems connected (LMS, LRS, and CMS) to the fully modular (LRS, LMS, simulations, microlearning, performance assessment, and other tools). For each of these configurations, the presentation shares specific values and practical applications gained by connecting an xAPI LRS to the existing system.
This presentation was originally shared as part of the eLearning Guild's 2018 Learning Solutions conference on March 28, 2018.
How to Plan for an xAPI Pilot at xAPI Camp DevLearn 2018 - Yet AnalyticsAllie Tscheulin
From an organization-wide executive directive to become more data-driven, a retail corporate L&D team took an internal look at their own data practices. Realizing that they had an overwhelming lack of transparency into their learning initiatives and a great amount of data that had gone unused, the team developed a transformation vision to create a single system of record for learning to enable observability, granularity, and accountability for all team members. The team was committed to the vision of xAPI; however, the data and information they needed in order to make actionable change for their learners was locked away in non-interoperable formats, and they recognized the need to develop a data strategy and implementation plan.
*Originally presented on 10/ 23/2018 at xAPI Camp during DevLearn 2018 by Allie Tscheulin
THE IMPERATIVE TO BUILD A RESILIENT AND AGILE ORGANIZATION—ONE MINDSET AT A TIMEHuman Capital Media
“Resiliency” and “Agility” are so often discussed yet rarely understood in the context of implementing these skills within organizations. Companies increasingly recognize the need to evolve the organization in order to grow or at least keep pace in a climate where innovation is critical to success—or even survival. But your people don’t know how to unlock their potential.
Why? Human brains aren’t naturally wired to deal with or initiate change. Our cognitive biases hold us back from adapting to the most common disruptions thrust upon us. They also stop us from inciting the kind of innovative thought that ultimately benefits our organizations and ourselves.
These facts of nature are in direct conflict with the realities of your business needs, aren't they?
Fortunately, research has proven we can retrain our brains to be more Resilient and Agile at any age and stage in our career. Join Dr. Casey Mulqueen and David Collins, two behavioral learning experts who’ve helped people develop Adaptive Mindsets all around the world, as they share with you:
What it means to be Resilient and Agile and why it’s critical to develop these skills
Strategies to change individuals’ behavior to positively impact the entire organization
How other companies have employed successful Resiliency and Agility training
Data Visualization and Learning Analytics with xAPIMargaret Roth
With the Experience API we are able to collect more granular, high-resolution data from our learning tools and platforms. But once we have that data, how do we present it in ways that easily communicate the right insights to our stakeholders?
In this presentation from the xAPI Cohort's Spring 2018 session, you'll find a brief historical survey of data visualizations, three keys to designing good data visualizations, and case studies of xAPI specific data visualizations and the insights they provided to organizations.
Lessons From The Explosive Growth of Online Learning During Covid-19VWO
COVID-19 has created unprecedented opportunities for online learning companies. Although traffic and new learner registrations have peaked during the lockdown, the only enduring competitive advantage for e-learning companies lies in being able to engage these learners in the long term.
Join VWO along with growth leaders at MasterClass & Springboard in a freewheeling conversation around what successful online learning companies must do to grow.
In this webinar, Cushing Anderson, IDC’s IT Education and Certification Research Program Vice President, and the author of our recent report, will help organizations understand how to strategically align learning programs with organizational goals to impact the business. Cushing will walk attendees through the metrics that learning can impact, the levers to maximize impact, and the outcome of a successful framework. Alongside our President of Udemy for Business Darren Shimkus, Cushing will dive into:
- How to link learning initiatives to strategic issues
- How to create a framework that maximizes the impact of learning, through intention, relevance, - consumption and reinforcement
- The types of value that can be witnessed through learning, including time savings, increased productivity, and faster onboarding
- How the L&D team at Udemy for Business maximizes learning impact across the organization
An Insider's Look at Udemy for Business Product WebinarUdemy for Business
60% of employees think their companies don’t offer adequate opportunities for them to develop professionally.
See first-hand how Udemy for Business partners with high-performing companies like PayPal, Lyft, Booking.com, Adidas, and Pinterest to fuel a culture of learning and elevate the perception of L&D.
- 2,500+ of the top rated, freshest courses for professional development
- Social learning tools that extend the role and impact of L&D
- Reporting that delivers actionable insights for effective learning
- Mobile technology to learn on the go
- 24/7 customer success dedicated to supporting your company every step of the way
Publicis Sapient, a business and engineering consulting firm, upskilled their workforce in the latest Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data science skills to help redefine their business and capture revenue growth.
In this webinar, Ian Stevens, North America Learning and Development Lead at Publicis Sapient, shares how his L&D team created learning programs at the speed of business to upskill their consultants to become digital transformation leaders.
You’ll walk away with:
- A proven push-pull blended learning program that quickly upskilled employees
- How to tie learning with hiring & staffing priorities to motivate learners
- Ways to build shared accountability with both employees and leaders
- Tips to align learning with performance and revenue
- Lessons learned on how L&D can play a pivotal role in driving revenue and transforming your business
IEEE TAG xAPI Webinar Series: Improving the Learner Experience Through an xAP...Margaret Roth
As part of the xAPI Case Studies Webinar Series hosted by the IEEE LTSC TAG xAPI, this presentation gives an overview of the creation of the Learning Commons. The Learning Commons is a shared space for connecting and accelerating educator learning created in partnership by the Learning Accelerator and Yet Analytics with support from innovative education organizations. The Learning Commons is an xAPI-enabled, multi-source content portal designed from the ground up with xAPI as part of the data model, powering a unified learner experience interface that allows learners to see how the informal learning content they work with aligns to competencies and skills they are working to build. As learners utilize content through curated playlists, skill and competency development is automatically tracked and presented back to learners, cohort leaders, and content providers through xAPI data.
The Google Slides version can be accessed at http://goog.gl/HfuscA. This presentation was presented in the xAPI Case Studies Webinar Series hosted by the IEEE LTSC TAG xAPI group on April 17, 2018.
Branding is evolving, after the 20th century dominated by corporate branding and Lovemarks a new kind of brand has risen: Superhero brands.
Enhanced by a more connected world where individuals have more power to communicate than ever before, the old way to create identities is declining. After studying 250 brands we have the pleasure to share where we are in this new way to create brands shaped for the 21st century
For many schools, enabling 1-to-1 learning is an important next step. This involves equipping every student with a suitable device. In doing so, many strategic decisions come into play – everything from device choice to who should supply devices in the absence of centralised funding models.
6 Things to Consider Before Choosing EdTech Solutions for Your InstitutionKavika Roy
Through customized functionality, new educational technology has transformed learning and saved educators' and students' time. It also improves efficiency and, like other technologies, offers convenience.
We've compiled a list of 6 things to think about before choosing EdTech Solutions for your institution.
Succeeding With Education Transformation – A Guide to Effective Technology In...Samsung Business USA
It would be difficult to find a school district today not preoccupied with technology tools and digital learning. However, despite their best efforts, many school districts have fallen victim to botched rollouts and ineffective strategies that have wasted time and money — and hurt their reputations with students and parents. This guide from the Center for Digital Education looks at the key elements of a successful digital education transformation, focusing on the 3 Cs of conversion, curriculum and collaboration.
Tips for Successful eLearning App Development for 2024.pdfJPLoft Solutions
Entrepreneurs seeking transformative solutions for educational apps are considering custom eLearning app development. This is evident in universities' administrative and academic offices, making it essential for principals who navigate the ever-changing educational landscape. With the growth of the EdTech business, the requirement for bespoke eLearning has grown.
In learning and development there is often talk about the need to be more strategically focused. ELearning holds the promise of being flexible, faster and more effective than face to face learning. Without a strategic, quality-focused approach, however, employees are left dis-engaged, learning effectiveness is reduced and quality issues ensue.
It doesn’t have to be like this.
This interactive webinar will explore:
- what a strategic approach to eLearning looks like
- how digital learning technologies can be used to embed 70:20:10 blended learning approaches
- the stages of developing an eLearning strategy
- the different approaches that are required when getting starting with eLearning compared to when growing and expanding
some guidelines about when in-house development works and when you should outsource development
BUILD YOUR BLUEPRINT FOR DIGITAL LEARNING: HOW TO TRANSFORM YOUR LEARNING ORG...Human Capital Media
According to Willis Towers Watson, 90 percent of maturing companies expect digital disruption, but only 44 percent are adequately preparing for it. In this webinar hosted by Manjit Sekhon, Director of Learning Experience Design at Intrepid by VitalSource, you will learn how to help your organization prepare for the challenges of digital disruption through next-generation digital learning. The webinar will cover the topics you need to think through before making a digital move and will include a downloadable blueprint template to get you started on your own digital learning transformation journey.
Takeaways:
How to shift your mindset when it comes to effective digital learning strategies
Methods for thinking about utilizing your current resources differently
Receive a template PowerPoint ready for you to build out and immediately use for your own organization’s specific objectives and opportunities
Another common pitfall we see is the treatment of blended learning as a standalone education program instead of integrated into the costs associated with day-to-day instruction.
Assessing cost trade offs within the ongoing instructional budget will allow blended learning to be both scalable and sustainable.
Read the latest Product Deck for the SkillsLive LMS. SkillsLive is a learner-centric Learning Management System (LMS) and Learning Record Store (LRS) that is designed to help organisations increase learning engagement while enhancing an individual’s learning outcomes and improved organisational performance.
Skillslive is a learner-centric Learning Management System (LMS) and Learning Record Store (LRS) that is designed to help organisations increase learning engagement while enhancing an individual’s learning outcomes and improved organisational performance.
Skillslive enables on-demand education and contextual learning, collecting data and presenting analytics and insights to provide a 360° view within an organisation's learning ecosystem. Skillslive contributes to creating visibility across an organisation, its employees and contractors, plus aligning learning pathways with professional development, competencies, compliance, certification and accreditation.
Skillslive remains innovative and at the forefront of education technologies. Focusing on corporate learning ecosystems and the benefits that big data will contribute to creating visibility across an entire organisation at a local and global level. Additionally, the utilisation of cognitive systems that are able to exhibit adaptive, proactive and emotive behaviour. When implemented in support of educational activities a connection between communities and the process of learning, content delivery, assessment and collaboration can all be individualised, measured and presented in an enterprise dashboard. What drives this process is a common cognitive framework that humans use to inform their decisions: Observe, Interpret, Evaluate, and Decide.
The Skillslive Digital Learning Solution has identified with the need for a software application upon which an individual can engage with content through self-organised educational models, benefit from proven social collaboration and be encouraged through the sharing of their efforts with industry professional mentors and peer groups. The purpose of this tool is to assemble the large concepts of education and make them more accessible and consumable by the individual.
Skillslive Pty Ltd was recently acquired by Loft Ventures Pty Ltd. Loft Ventures has a portfolio of technology companies focused on global opportunities though cloud infrastructure and scalable technology. Skillslive was formed to execute a global commercialisation strategy for the Loft Group Digital Education Platform.
1. Developing an ICT strategy which empowers teachers and
learners, creates tangible improvements and fuels innovation
both in and out of the classroom needn’t cost the earth.
Here are some top tips for getting the most value from your school’s
ICT budget...
7 steps to keep
your ICT spend
under control
2. “We had considered recruiting an in-house network manager,
but this was not a cost-effective solution, so we opted instead
for a technician two days a week, complemented by RM Flex
remote support with experts on call when needed. The Flex
service provides us with considerable cost savings compared
to directly employing a full-time network manager.”
Owain Johns Principal, UTC Oxfordshire
Together we
designed a service
solution that
helped us to realise
immediate savings.
3. 7 steps to keep your ICT spend under control
So how many of these steps
are in place in your school?
As a strategic partner, RM Education has 40 years of experience in delivering all
these areas to a high standard.
We are trusted to deliver complete ICT support for over 700 schools and are part of the ICT support picture for
thousands more.
If you are developing an ICT strategy for your school and would like to discuss your plans with a partner who really
understands ICT in education, is completely technology and device agnostic, and can offer advice and experience on
what may (or may not) work best for you.
To book your free, no obligation ICT Support Consultancy to help you
plan the future of ICT investment for your school in more detail, call us
on 0808 172 9534 or visit www.rm.com/flex.
3.
4. 7 steps to keep your ICT spend under control
The easiest way to overspend on your ICT is to buy unnecessary solutions to
problems you don’t have, so start with looking at the big picture.
What is your strategic ICT plan and how does it support the priorities identified in your school development plan?
If you don’t have a strategic ICT plan yet, or you think it needs fine-tuning, start by asking yourself these questions:
What educational challenges do you have?
• What do you want to deliver?
• What can you deliver now?
• What can you make better use of?
Let’s take a look at these questions in more detail…
See the bigger picture1
5. 7 steps to keep your ICT spend under control
5.
i. What educational challenges do you have?
This could be an in-house assessment of your needs, or as a result of an Ofsted
or independent assessment and could include items such as:
• Ensuring your teachers and learners and school reputation are safe online
• Building teacher confidence in new technologies
• Empowering students to become more independent in their learning
ii. What do you want to deliver?
This comes from your strategic plan and could include things like providing more dynamic media-rich lessons,
or providing access to ICT to all learners.
iii. What can you deliver now?
This question helps you to understand what you can achieve with your current
ICT provision, so list out all the resources at your disposal and you’ll start to build
a picture of where you are now.
iv. What can you make better use of?
Take your list of resources and identify any that are underutilised. Can you use these assets differently to help
deliver solutions to your current challenges?
Also take a look at the resources that you are currently keeping running, but
that you don’t actually need (like an old server). Can you save time and money
by using free online (cloud-based) services instead?
By understanding your current situation, knowing your goals and
reallocating resources more effectively you can easily increase your
ICT provision without any additional spend.
6. 7 steps to keep your ICT spend under control
Before you embark on an exciting new ICT project, consider whether another
school has already done something similar before you.
Can you identify and liaise with this school and ask them how it went? Benchmarking is a great (and free) way to see
how your project might work; what were the lessons learnt by other schools? What worked? What didn’t and why?
What would they change if they had the chance to start over?
You can use other local and national schools to help guide your plans, but don’t be limited to your existing
contacts. RM Education, as an example of a strategic partner, will share their experiences learned from hundreds
of other schools with you too. Make the most of their expertise at events and seminars they host as well as through
relationships you build with them. Some partners will also offer online forums where you can share scenarios and
swap ideas with like-minded peers such as www.rm.com/community
Don’t underestimate the power of social media to help here too… There are numerous LinkedIn groups on the topic
of ICT strategy in schools and many experienced professionals to get in touch with on Twitter. You could also use
team working tools like RM Collaborate to share insights and drive school improvement in your local area, or leverage
the knowledge within a federation or multi-academy trust group you may be involved in.
Learn from others
6.
2
Use the full extent of your network of contacts to learn as much as you can
from the successes and failures seen at other schools before you make any
decisions that might cost you in the long run.
7. 7 steps to keep your ICT spend under control
7.
Before you spend any of your precious budget on software, take a moment to look
at the thousands of free web-hosted resources that are available.
Use web-based Microsoft Office 365 or Google Apps for Education for free email, contacts, calendars, word-processing
and spreadsheets. These tools help you and your students to create quality content. They also help to promote
independent study, and your students are learning the standard tools needed for their future careers too.
With some basic internet searches you can also find a host of free guides, white papers and practical ideas like the
ones around the new computing curriculum at www.rm.com/computing
Use free online resources3
As well as your curriculum apps, make good use of any free/cheap
applications that can help improve communication, productivity and
collaboration in the classroom.
8. 7 steps to keep your ICT spend under control
A simple way to de-risk your purchases is to test their suitability for your school on
a trial basis. Many schools we work with have set up small-scale pilot projects that
enable you to explore the use of technology in practice, in the classroom with your
teachers and students.
A trial with some well-defined, SMART objectives, led by your school leadership team will help you determine the key
technologies to test, the staff who should participate, the best fit with curriculum requirements and objectives and
the CPD/support requirements and timescales. There is also potential for students to become ‘Digital Leaders’ by
participating in these projects to help shape the future of technology in their school, and evaluate the effectiveness of
proposed solutions.
At the end of the trial you can then review the strengths and weaknesses of each solution, and consider how they
support your strategic goals for sustainable development. If you decide to go ahead, you can then work out a
timeline for investment decisions, considering any training requirements, affordability and value for money over time.
Try before you buy
8.
4
A free or low-cost trial will enable you to develop effective pedagogies and
to choose the most appropriate devices for your specific context without
costly investments.
9. 7 steps to keep your ICT spend under control
9.
Having trialled a range of traditional and transformational technologies you should
now be in a strong position to purchase exactly the right ICT kit for your school, but
there are still some minefields to negotiate. Do you…
• Update your infrastructure and upgrade your current devices?
If your infrastructure can support the traffic that your teachers and learners will generate with greater media-rich
content in lessons, you could simply look to upgrade your existing devices. Can you upgrade the hard drive to a solid
state drive? Can you add more RAM? Can you turn an old desktop into a thin-client device?
• Update your infrastructure and replace your current devices?
This is a like-for-like solution and is the most traditional route. It delivers less transformation and innovation in the
classroom and could have a higher price tag. It is however the most well understood and safest of your options.
• Update your infrastructure and introduce a mobile or BYOD (bring your own
device) scheme?
By enabling your staff and students to bring in a device they own to connect to your schools infrastructure
you can dramatically reduce the cost of overhauling your ICT provision. You are likely to still need to
purchase traditional ICT suites for specific tasks such as design.
You’ll need to invest in CPD to support a transformation of pedagogy, solutions to standardise access
regardless of device or platform, and look to migrate your software and storage to the cloud to make all
vyour services accessible via a browser.
Making informed purchases5
Regardless of the path you choose, be sure to request exactly the same
quotations from your short-list of suppliers to allow you to make a direct
comparison so ask for ‘school-wide wireless with 80 access points’, rather
than letting the vendor decide on the quantity; these finite questions allow
you to make direct comparisons to identify the best purchase price and
ongoing support costs.
10. 7 steps to keep your ICT spend under control
Making best use of your time
10.
Does your School Business Manager spend a good proportion of their week
managing the complex and time-consuming relationships with the 20 or more
vendors that your school works with?
You may find that working with a strategic partner who can manage these relationships for you would be a
better use of time for an already stretched SLT team.
How much focus are you able to give to your ICT strategy and plan, and how it provides a foundation for
learning and excellence in your school? How much value do your existing multiple suppliers bring to the
development of this ICT strategy?
If you’re really honest with yourself, do you know enough about the future trends in ICT to be able to create
an effective plan for the next 3 years? Should your ICT strategy be limited by your network managers own
knowledge and what they think they can deliver for you?
If ICT is really important to you, then consider working with a partner who has expertise in the development
of school ICT to help you shape your strategy and aspirations.
6
Effective ICT management isn’t just about getting the best prices for
your purchases, it also includes utilising the skills of your ICT team to best
effect. If you want to expand your ICT horizons beyond the knowledge and
experience in your school, then find a good partner who can do this with you
and work with them to develop a great strategy and vision.
11. 7 steps to keep your ICT spend under control
11.
Getting the most from
your resources
7
CPD is a vital part of any ICT strategy, you could say it’s the most important part.
You need to ensure that any devices, solutions or software you commit to will be
used to their full extent in the classroom.
Everyone should have the same expectations of what can be achieved with
this technology:
Senior leaders need to steer the use of the new solutions so that it’s clear where they add value in your
toolkit for inspiring and engaging with your learners.
Teachers need to be confident in their use of the new solutions so that they can deliver amazing lessons and
provide the learners with opportunities for independent learning. Will they need any support or training in
the use of the new technology to be confident in its use?
Technicians in your ICT support team need to be able to provide an additional level of troubleshooting for
the solution, and be able to support teaching staff both technically and in its effective use in the classroom.
Can they provide training to your less confident teachers?
Make sure you allocate time and budget to training your school team on any
new technologies you implement. If you follow steps 1-6 and forget step 7
then you’ll end up with a host of shiny new devices that don’t deliver to their
full potential or worse still sit unused in cupboard because no-one knows
what to do with them.
