Activity 1: a] Assessing the Current Environment activity &
b] Identifying Strategic Opportunities activity
 Module 4: Strategic Planning & Vision Statements

Overview & Instructor Notes

These are really two separate activities but are best done together. Typically the participants will have already completed the activities "Where do We Stand" and "The Impact of ICT". It is important for the participants to understand the status quo before they begin to develop policy goals or write strategic action plans. The first activity asks them to think about all the variables in their environment that are influencing their need/desire to use ICT in education. Some of the influences will be positive and others will be negative.

It will also be very beneficial to understand these variables when it is time to develop the communications plan. This knowledge will help focus that work and make it more effective.

The second activity is to consider the gaps between what they have now and what will be needed to implement ICT in education. This knowledge will assist them when they establish short and long term strategic goals later in this module.

This activity takes between 30 to 45 minutes to complete.

Activity
1a. Assessing the Current Environment

Objective

To document a description and do an assessment of the current ICT environment.

Instructions

1. In each of your groups answer the questions:
- What do you have now?
- How is it organized?
- How is it working?

2. Remember:

• at this stage of the strategic planning process 'How is it working?' is in relationship to current capabilities and current objectives.
  
• IT is OK to identify manual applications, but don't focus on them. In a later step a "gap analysis" will be done to determine the suitability of the current environment for meeting the new goals and objectives.

3. Think in broad terms. A detailed assessment of the current environment is not possible in this seminar. Use your knowledge of the state of affairs to do this exercise.

4. Come back together in the large group to share the findings and to present a summary and an assessment of the area (curriculum, learning resources or non instructional uses) in which you worked.

Assessment Matrix

Computer and Communications Hardware
- Servers, desktop devices, peripheral equipment, and networks

Applications
- Software applications such as library automation, CD ROM resources, word-processing

People
- Type and number of people supporting and using the applications

Activity
1b. Identifying Strategic Opportunities

Objective

To gain an understanding of the current status of ICT, the opportunities to apply ICT in each area, and the gap between these two.

Instructions

1. Examine the results of assessing the current environment and determine if ICT could be used to improve them/ to make them better meet you educational goal. Is there a strategic opportunity ?

2. Reconvene in the large group to share your findings for one opportunity in each of curriculum and instruction, learning resources and non-instructional uses.