Gary’s Blog

The decisions that past technology teams made and the hardware, software, and network infrastructure they installed affect the decisions that can be made in the future. Especially in schools, the IT system tends to be a kluge; new features and functions were added piecemeal, and each was made to operate with extant systems. In many cases those integrations depended on custom programming and configurations.  School budgets rarely allow for wholesale replacement of technology. The total cost of replacing technology infrastructure includes the cost Read More

In most aspects of school function, school leaders have experience and preparation. A leader probably started their career as a faculty member, then studied school administration and progressed through positions that gave them more experience and in which they gained increasing knowledge of school operations.  Most school leaders freely admit they are not “technology people.” While they use technology Read More

Schols are organizations that have similar organizational and business needs as other organizations of similar size. People need to be hired, bills need to be paid, forms need to be completed to ensure business activities proceed as efficiently and effectively as possible.  

Standards are collections of actions that are undertaken by organizations to ensure they are aligned with the actions that should be taken by similar organizations. Many who work in information technology in the United Stated are familiar with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) which defines the Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) to help organizations manage and reduce cybersecurity risks. In education, there Read More

169: Key Performance Indicators and School IT | RSS.com Key performance indicators (KPIs) are measurable values that help organizations track and assess their progress toward achieving specific business objectives. They provide a framework and structure for monitoring performance, making informed decisions, and driving improvements. Information technology leaders who work in schools are well-served to have key performance indicators identified. These are goals that are specific Read More

168: Open Source Software Licenses | RSS.com Open-source software is also free to use, but “free” can be applied to its use in two ways. First, it can be used at no cost for the user. We download open-source software, just as well do any software, but installation proceeds without entering account information. Second, users are free to use the software in that they Read More