The last 50 years within educational technology have witnessed some of the greatest challenges in the strategic importance of technology to the overall administrative or educational initiatives.
Schools and universities first began utilizing technology in the 1960s with the adoption of monolithic mainframes to conduct back-office data processing functions. In the ensuing years, IT has migrated away from being a pure cost-center into a central function to the successful execution of educational strategic objectives. Today, technology operationalizes the majority of every business unit within a school or university. Leading educational institutions across all industries have used information technology to help advance their corporate objectives as well as public relation branding, financial efficiency and customer service.
Despite some of the rapid changes observed in the role of information technology within education, IT managers and business managers often find themselves at odds with each other. Business managers need IT to support business initiatives within the organization; yet, IT is often unable to provide the necessary systems to support these initiatives in a meaningful manner. This can also occur within faculties. Faculties rely upon technology for the delivery of instructional curriculum, learning opportunities and educational achievement; however, IT is often unable to provide the necessary systems to support these initiatives. The result usually includes spiraling costs in gross organizational inefficiencies.
As information technology infrastructure increases in size and complexity, educational institutions are recognizing the need for better mechanisms for accessing technology’s role in alignment to the key educational initiatives developed by schools and universities.
What began as only a series of best practices has evolved into a niche field known as IT Governance.
Over the next several weeks, I’ll be introducing concepts (16 posts) from my point of view of IT Governance and educational institutions.