Team Leader

Microsoft in Education (1996) discusses the importance of choosing a team leader to head the technology planning team:

"There's no single best answer to the question of who should lead your planning. It depends on your available resources and on your goals. When choosing a leader, consider the following:

• If you're creating a districtwide technology plan, the superintendent should choose the leader. If the technology plan is school-based, then the principal may appoint the leader. Appointing the leader at a high level is important because it elevates technology planning to a high level as well. It ensures that districtwide or schoolwide interests and needs will be met. And it gives your plan the best chance to be endorsed, funded and implemented.

• Your technology plan must span administrative and instructional departments. Find a leader with credentials in each area or one who has respect and influence that spans both areas. If you don't have such a person, consider a joint-leadership appointment of two people, one from each area. That's important because interdepartmental politics can derail a planning process.

• If an existing committee is to implement the technology plan, consider having that committee identify the leader, based in part on input from people within and outside of the committee. Endorsements from approving bodies (e.g., the school board) will increase the chances of plan approval.

• Don't expect everyone to be an expert in computer and networking technologies. If your designated planning leader is an expert, that's great; consider yourself lucky. If not, be prepared to support your leader with appropriate outside expertise.

• Give your leader the time and resources for the job. If your leader is told to complete the planning process along with all of his or her regular duties, you're establishing a lower priority that may translate into a poor plan. Make sure the leader has sufficient time assigned to this project (e.g., provide release time).

• If you can't provide release time for an appropriate leader, consider hiring an outside consultant on a limited-time basis. In this case, the role of the technology committee will be especially crucial to ensure the teachers, administrators, the school board, and the community accept the plan." (pp. 7-8)

References