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 So many schools today are receiving grants, start up funds, or donations to embrace new technology for their students. They can be earmarked for new laptops, Chromebooks, interactive white boards, IPads, etc. Now what? Below you will find the steps to take that ensures you are utilizing the funds appropriately and effectively for your students and teachers.

Image courtesy of http://skycentral.com/skyresources/the-growth-of-technology-expenses-in-education/


Create a Team

When deciding what new technology to purchase, it is important to create a team. It is vital to have more than one opinion when purchasing such a large component of a school.  Frazier and Hearrington (2024) state, “Before preparing the specifications, it is usual to convene a hardware/software/service evaluation committee to identify needed features, help prepare the specifications documentation, and ensure that the identified needs are met.” (p. 31). The key to these committees is that they are large enough to have varying opinions on the purchase, but also small enough to ensure that voices are not being drowned out. An ideal team would consist of technical-minded individuals who have a vested interest in the purchase of this new technology. Included could be the technology director for your school, technology teacher, school president, school principal, STEM teacher, and a faculty member from both the middle school and elementary school. This range of team members would give a variety of input from both the administration and faculty level. This allows for all levels to be represented and to ensure that the technology purchased would be appropriate for our school classrooms. 


Determine Needs

It is so important for the planning team to first consider the needs of the school before deciding where to spend the money. In the article, How to Choose and Integrate New Technology, Omar Valerio was quoted as saying, “I have a very close relationship with our curriculum director. My belief has always been that instructional technology and information technology need to work together.” (Torchia, 2024, para. 3). This is where the technology team comes into play. The faculty on the team will help provide information and input on what is needed in their classrooms and what they would love to have purchased. Surveys of parents and faculty could also be conducted to determine what areas need the most attention. No one wants to make a large purchase of something that is not actually needed! 

Acquire Funding

Once the school’s technology needs have been determined, it is time to decide how to pay for it! Acquiring funding can be the most challenging aspect of this purchase depending on the type of school involved. In public schools, oftentimes schools are given government funds, while in private schools funds must be secured through donations or tuition. However your school intends to pay for the new technology, it is vitally important to ensure that the funds are adequate for the purchase of the desired technology and that they are earmarked for that specific need. Schools cannot purchase new technology equipment from funds donated to the PE department, etc. 

Video courtesy of Beyond Academics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2eysRci0v4

Provide Professional Development

So now you have acquired funding and purchased the desired technology equipment for your school. Hooray! Now you need your school to actually use it. Schools MUST provide professional development for teachers to learn to use the new technology effectively. For many, technology has been used for years and teachers are quite comfortable with the integration of it into their classrooms. But there are many teachers who may still need professional development and direction on how to use it effectively in their own classrooms. For this, schools should provide both directive and indirective coaching for their professional development. A great start would be to offer a full day of training for teachers and staff before school begins in August. This is considered directive coaching and often led by the technology coordinator to help guide the implementation of the new technology into classrooms. Teachers should be trained on problem solving and troubleshooting if a small hardware problem occurs, and extensive training should be provided for any new software purchased. After the initial training, directive coaching should be provided for those who need more explicit instruction on how to use the new products. 

Purchasing new technology can be a daunting task for administrators and technology coordinators, but is so important as the world changes daily for classrooms. As a team, schools should focus on the training that is put in place to ensure the effectiveness of this new technology and how teachers are ready to adopt the new advances in their school system. Taking the time to address any concerns stakeholders may have in regards to the purchase of this new technology and providing a list of uses in the classroom is integral to the success of the purchase. Schools can showcase students’ work that present projects and activities that students were able to complete due to the new technology. By showing that schools are providing support for teachers, allowing for real world applications and enhanced educational opportunities for students, and that the new purchases were to be used often and effectively, parents and students will be more inclined to accept the concept of new technology in your school. 



References


Frazier, M. & Hearrington, D. (2024). The technology coordinator’s handbook (4th ed.).

Portland, Oregon: International Society for Technology in Education. 


Mondays with Matt. (2025, January 13). Value vs. price: What's the difference during 

technology purchase decisions[Video]. YouTube. Beyond Academics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2eysRci0v4


Torchia, R. (2024, Mar 14). How to choose and integrate new technology vendors in 


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