Planning, implementing and managing the use of technology has become the standard fare for most, if not all school administrators. This includes the development of strategic plans for the deployment of computer and other modern technologies; the purchase and installation of computer and networking equipment; installation and configuration of server and workstation software; staff training; network management and problem resolution; and finally, operations support to handle the questions and problems encountered by your staff on a day-to-day basis.

This is the cornerstone of any plan for the deployment of technology throughout your school. It answers the questions, "What are we going to do?" and "How are we going to do it?" Without a global plan for the implementation of technology, the net result may very well be an overpriced and underutilized technology environment. To be effective, a good strategic plan must include:

• Curriculum Plan
  
  This defines the skills and knowledge base that is desired for each student.
  
  
  
• Technology Assessment
  
  What currently available technologies will support the curriculum plan? What are the alternatives? What are the cost/performance tradeoffs? What emerging technologies should we plan for? These are some of the questions a good technology assessment should answer.
  
  
  
• Technology Plan
  
  Selection of the operating environment, any server and workstation software, development of a local and wide area networking plan, along with cost estimates.