Thought for the day:
Educational backbone
- Posted:
- 16:16 18 May 2004
- Topics:
- Data Management | IT Training & Qualifications | IT Management | IT Strategic Planning
The education sector needs to exploit funds to integrate IT, says John Deaville.
The further education sector currently receives £8bn
in public funding a year, but it needs more. The Association of
Colleges is calling for a package of £20m for upgrades in
college IT equipment before 2007/2008.
IT in colleges must be swiftly improved via upgraded infrastructure
and new services to meet the expectations of tomorrow's students.
Colleges increasingly realise that integrated, effective IT systems
are no longer "nice to have", but prerequisites for continued
success.
The amount of funding might seem impressive, but the money will
have to be spent carefully. It must accommodate the technological
and process changes to attract new students and, of equal
importance, to retain them.
There are a multitude of changes being enforced in further
education and IT underpins them all. These include plan-led
funding, improved accountability and audit, better inspection
results and new skill requirements.
However, in the face of public sector skills shortages, these
changes put pressure on colleges to keep up with the demand for
knowledge, skills and IT investment to achieve these reforms with
only a relatively small amount of additional funding.
Colleges must operate a tight financial ship and it is crucial to
their success to have superlative management and support systems.
System interoperability is key - integrating management information
systems and virtual learning environments can help streamline
administration and information transfer.
Making sure that principals are fully aware of the benefits of
integrating IT will help set aside funds for IT systems. Improved
management data, learner experience and cost reduction are key
issues and powerful arguments for implementation of new technology.
One college estimated that its new managed learning environment
will save £750,000 a year if the system stops just one learner
leaving each course.
Working collaboratively with teaching staff and students is of
major importance. This can improve data management to create
confidence in the IT function, satisfy external auditors and
provide robust data for strategic planning. Treating curriculum
staff as internal customers and learners as external customers will
also help improve communication.
Senior management support is vital for IT project funding, but also
to engender top-down enthusiasm. It is essential to work closely
with staff and students to ensure that the new technology, when
rolled out, is just what the customer ordered.
John Deaville is managing director of Tribal
Managed Services
