mguhlin

Encouraging Agility in a Time of Fragility

A recent reflection via email about the cordial exchange my esteemed colleague, Tim Holt, and I have been having about free software in schools gave me the idea for this blog entry. One free software advocate pointed out the importance of being “agile” in light of the wide variety of technologies that are available in the real world compared to those in school districts. Focusing on ONE particular set of tools would result in narrow-thinking and inexperience.

This is not a new argument, as I’m sure none of mine are (smile). The truth is, we’ve all heard the importance of teaching strategies and skills, building capacity regardless of the technology. “Jack can’t read,” as opposed to Johnny, might be seen in a different way: Jack be nimble!

Being nimble and agile means an increasing flexibility of a variety of tools. As society pushes more technology “out there,” the small world of basic standards in districts begins to feel the pressure. As technology becomes ubiquitous through mobile computers–such as iPhones, Androids–it becomes harder to justify ONE choice, especially one that is expensive.

Consider these points shared at TexasISD.com web site:

  • Comptroller cautious about budget shortfall predictions
    AUSTIN – Comptroller Susan Combs said Wednesday that she’s not buying into predictions of a state fiscal meltdown – yet. Forecasts by some that next session’s budget shortfall could be as much as $20 billion are too gloomy, “way out there,” she said. [ View Article ] Feb 4, 2010, 08:32
  • FBISD: Focus Is On Reducing Budget, Not Jobs
    Despite a recent study by the Texas Association of School Boards that recommends the Fort Bend Independent School District eliminate more than 400 positions in an effort to save $23 million in the upcoming budget, district officials are stressing that the main focus right now is to ensure “quality instructional programs” and to do so without loss of jobs. The district is facing an $18 million deficit, the third deficit budget in a row.
And, the news isn’t over about budgets. Read Education News publication and budgets are on the front page. Districts are facing financial exigency. At a time when science and technology are critical, you can define the experience of my 10 year old child in using technology as working on an Alphasmart in school.

Agility in a time of fragility. As we move into the future, agile school districts will be those able to rapidly adapt and use technologies that empower their users without adding on extra financial costs. The savings can be, of course, diverted to provide implementation support, but more importantly, increased access and professional learning for end users. Agility means expecting everyone to commit to learning something new.

But that doesn’t mean that we forget the old stuff either. In free software, it does not mean we stop buying Apples and Dell Computers and instead focus on lower cost hardware. It does mean that we replace the software that costs licensing and more and use that funding to increase technology access to our under-served students.


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Everything posted on Miguel Guhlin’s blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure

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