STRATEGIC PLANNING

(THINKING)

FOR THE DIGITAL ERA
 

Volume 6, Number 10                                                                     May 2000

 

TECH-SAVVY: EDUCATING GIRLS IN THE NEW COMPUTER AGE

Girls are critical for the computer culture.  "Tech-Savvy" is the culmination of two years of work by the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation.

http://www.aauw.org/2000/techsavvybd.html

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION (ATE)

The National Science Foundation ATE "Program Solicitation" anticipates funding about 75 awards beginning in April 2001 in Project, Center, and Articulation Partnership grants.  Preliminary Proposals: May 25 Formal Proposals: Oct. 19.

http://www.nsf.gov/pub/2000/nsfOO62/start.htm

Biometric, card, speech or voice, and wireless are bold and exciting technologies that are being applied in many ways.  Cybiko allows children to chat and play games with one another wirelessly (Time, 155(10), March 13, 2000, 95).

http://www.cybiko.com/

These and other similar technologies could be introduced in early childhood years in culturally and developmentally appropriate learning units for schools and community-based programs such as Boy Scouts, Y-Indian Guides, and libraries.  How can CIOs and Knowledge Managers (KMs) be prepared for various levels and specializations in education or training?  How, can Electronic Newsletters (ENs) be part of curriculum?

High Schools That Work is a project by the Southern Regional Educational Board (SREB) that produces excellent results.  SREB has launched a "Middle Grades Education Initiative." 

http://www.sreb.org/Programs/MiddleGrades/middlegrades.html

How can results from these projects be applied elsewhere?

Curriculum content could be delivered in an AAL format based on categories of information and posted on Bulletin Boards.  Highway Construction 101, Net Repair 102 and Global Messages 103 could be used as labels.  Highway Construction 101 could include advances in research and development -- biometric, card, speech or voice, and wireless and other technologies.  E-mail could begin the process until video conferencing can be accessed in Community Learning Centers, libraries, etc.  Impact of science and technology could focus on behavioral aspects, including ethics, anti portability, wireless issues.  Implications for HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT are critical, ranging from policy, ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY, to ROI issues.

DIGITAL 4 + 4 + 4 LIGHTHOUSE 24 X 7 X 365 MODELS NEEDED

Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) is implementing a strategic plan with clear goals and major action areas:

(a) Leadership Development Academy,
(b) Decentralization and Management
(c) Neighborhood Schools
(d) Technology.

Also, 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CLCS) have opened via a three year $4.3 million grant; MPS has received a second grant to open additional CLCs to link schools to community.  A new Technology Plan will lead to wiring 5,000 classrooms for data, video, and voice by the end of the 2000-2001 year.  The Leadership Development Academy must address all areas.

Washington High School (WHS) is one of 12 sites selected for an Academy of Information Technology.  A Computer Specialty Program was started at WHS in 1976.  For the past 24 years, WHS has prepared students with the CSP to meet techforce needs in this critical economy sector.  A competent staff of eight professionals and a Technical Advisory Committee guide CSP that will now also benefit from expertise by the Center for Occupational Research and Development (CORD) and the National Academy Foundation (NAF).  Can WHS and MPS become a model 21st Century Learning Paradigm for inner city learners?

CAREER PATHS AT THE SPEED OF INNOVATION

Research exists about demand and supply for traditional IT occupations and roles such as database managers, network administrators, programmers, system analysts and other jobs.  A great deal of the demand research is based on a Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) in the U.S. that is being replaced by a North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) with Canada and Mexico

http://www.census.gov/@ics

Much of the supply research is based on program approved classification systems of states.  Education is essentially a state function in the U.S. Each state approves programs and a classification system along with licensing protocols.  Thus, supply data vary considerably in terms of graduates.  Is a database manager graduating from a liberal arts program with a few IT courses comparable to MIS grads from business?

A primary difficulty in career path development at the speed of innovation Is finding a "home" for emerging roles in degree programs.  Electronic Commerce (EC) emerged in the early 1990s; the first courses in higher education appeared in the mid 1990s.. EC online courses appeared in late 1990s.  Chief Information Officer (CIO) positions emerged in the early 1990s in the private sector and mid through late 1990s in the public sector.  But, higher education is only now beginning to offer courses and programs to prepare CIOs.  Sensitivity to techforce needs often depends on discipline loyal faculty to embrace ideas and administrators to promote program development with resource reallocation and then to mediate a new program proposal through a political process.

Computing and Information Technologies (CIT) are engaging and warm terms, combining brain and cognitive functions with an unrelenting wave of increasingly exciting technologies.  Biometric, card, speech or voice, and wireless technologies are bold and exciting, not cold that is often IT associated.  How do we raise awareness about applications of the new and exciting occupational roles?  How do we create good quality high school programs in site-based formats and complement them with community-based programs like in the Boy Scouts?  How can Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) evolve to 4+4+4 high quality career paths with specializations in emerging roles in beginning high school and concentrations in upper high school to assist in making a better career choice?  And, how do we convert high quality programs to AAL formats?

ClOs are needed in education and training for accessing and analyzing data and information and then redistributing that which could be used by service providers at various levels.  CIOs could assist the service providers in critiquing that which was redistributed to determine Return On Investment (ROI), perhaps for meeting standards by students, by entrepreneurs in developing marketing strategies in a business plan, etc.

 
Warren H. Groff, 3408 N. 49th St., Milwaukee, WI, 53216-3208