作者：Meris Stansbury
编译自：How to make higher education technology investments that pay off
http://www.ecampusnews.com/it-newsletter/higher-ed-technology-investments/
近期，多位高校教育主管及行业CEO表示，进行靠谱有效的技术采购决策，调研、规划和预见需先行。同时，选择最能促进协作的技术方法始终是英明的选择。
事前多做研究，便于所购技术推广使用
——德州理工大学健康科学中心总务常务董事 Arthur Paré
上世纪90年代我们一个学院采用了立时飞讯（Laserfiche）企业内容管理技术，如今全校都在用该技术简化一系列流程。初次投资三年之内已见成效。但我们看重的绝不仅是经济上的回报，时间成本节约、用户体验改善以及操作的便利性都是很重要的指标。
为使技术投资产生长远的效益，需要综合考量这些指标。在采购立时飞讯技术设备之前，我们同采购部进行了密切合作，对产品进行了细致的评估研究，从而能向领导和用户清楚传达产品益处，而这最终将使得产品更快更容易被采用。
购买可促进协作的技术产品
——加州州立大学弗雷斯诺分校技术和资源中心主任、名誉副教授 Otto Benavides
“现代”高等教育院校不仅提供课程，还教学生如何进行团队协作、领导项目并使用将来工作要用到的技术。
我协助加州州立大学弗雷斯诺分校成立了“合作课堂”项目，确保学生而非老师才是课堂的核心，可以自主掌控学习。
关于如何进行最佳技术投资，我有以下建议：
1. 选择灵活的技术；
2. 在采购之前同已购买的学校进行沟通咨询
3. 提供合适的员工培训；
4. 选择维护成本较低的技术设备；
5. 选择简单易用的设备；
6. 考虑最能促进当前目标的技术设施。
先考虑广泛收益或其中缺陷，再做投资
——学生门户软件myday开发公司Collabco CEO Mark Francis
高校进行技术投资，需考虑所选技术方案的互通性，确保所购技术产品可按需进行功能扩充。 这样所做的选择可能和通常考虑结果大不相同，但有助于满足一些列需要，为更多的人带来益处。
投资灵活、“动态”的未来课堂
——Classroom Technology Support公司场地筹划及支持部副主任Kurt Shirkey
“现代”院校都拥有灵活、动态、无线连接的学习空间。我们在盐湖社区学院建立了“灵动教室”，里面配备了可移动家具、最新的网络、电力供应以及互动投影仪，再配以学生自带设备综合运用。
在进行技术投资时我们重点考虑了如下几点：
1. 用户支持。我们选择的是爱普生投影仪，以确保遇到技术问题时可以得到帮助。
2. “无线”环境。我们不想在教室中间弄一堆网线、电线，所以我们的投影设备都是无线连接。
3. 灵活空间。“现代”院校需要“动态”空间，方便老师学生按需挪动。我们用的都是带有滚动滑轮的桌椅和讲台。
4. 视觉享受。我们在教室里铺上了地毯，墙面涂刷精美，屋顶灯光灿烂。
5. 支持创新。我们的“灵动教室”是新技术实验室。教师可以尝试使用任何自己喜欢的教学工具。让课堂适应师生的需求，而非本末倒置，这才是我们真正追求的。
6. 从“小”做起。 我们先在一间教室进行尝试，根据反馈情况更改设计，然后才大规模投资落实。所有负责设备的人员、室内设计师和IT部门都必须从头参与其中。
7. 反馈改进。新技术设备投入第一年，要和使用的教师进行沟通，获取关于技术设计的相关反馈，并倾听他们关于未来模式的奇思妙想。
投资方便数据收集、分析、融合的技术
——乔治王子社区学院规划、评估和院系研究事务代理院长W. Allen Richman博士
数据是高等教育的一大关键元素，从毕业率到学位认证哪项都离不开它。“现代”高等院校需依赖数据分析进行有计划的改革，从而提升学生留存率和毕业率。因此，我建议院校购买那些方便获取、管理、分析数据的技术，最好还能融入到日常工作中。
乔治王子社区学院5年前启动了一项数据行动，目标是打造可以联系课程和教学成果的综合评估系统。如今从中获得的数据帮助我们发现确定教学的哪些方面需要调整。最终，我们希望可以由此提升课程质量和学生毕业率。
不管选择哪种技术，有一点很重要，那就是可以将它融入到日常课堂教学之中，而不仅限于收发、评阅学期论文。带着这个目标购买的技术产品会帮助学生取得成功。
选择简便、通用的技术
——约翰布朗大学技术与信息技术服务主任Jeremiah Proctor
高校投资首选应是那些无需大量培训准备就能最大满足老师需求并提升师生体验的技术。同时，我建议技术投资应能促进相互协作和团队合作。在约翰布朗大学，课堂协作以及远程展示已成为师生首要关注点。
购买通用、简便的技术产品，营造团结协作的环境氛围，这对当今教育至关重要，也会为大学的未来发展打下坚实基础。
确保技术产品结实耐用、用户广泛
——北卡罗来纳大学威明顿学院科学、技术、工程、数学教育中心（CESTEM）副主任Christopher Gordon
进行CESTEM技术投资的时候，我决心选择简便、耐用的技术产品，同时要求能够满足不同用户在不同情况下的需求。老师试用两周后将产品带到课堂让学生亲身体验，学生有时也会独立使用。因此，结实耐用十分重要。
另外，还应考虑技术产品供应商是否有良好的业务记录、是否关注客户的未来需求。新购产品如能和先前已购产品实现无缝衔接也将帮助实现高校任务目标。
从最简单细微处入手
——立时飞讯高级教育战略家Linda Ding
高等教育院校选择技术投资项目，关键要从简单细微处入手。企业项目一般规模很大，也很复杂，而高校往往低估了采用这些项目所需的后续研发、资源以及培训。
为避免失败并早日见到项目成效，高校应找出每个院系的首要业务难题，将大项目分解成易消化的小模块逐个解决。一旦某项技术初次使用颇有成效，便可以用它来解决其他问题。
How to make higher education technology investments that pay off
By Meris Stansbury
Technology decision-makers and purchasers give advice on how to ensure fiscal responsibility when making tech investments for colleges and universities.
It’s a blessing and a curse: As more needs and services are required by colleges and universities, more technology solutions are entering the market. But with so many options available for practically every type of implementation, how can purchasers make the best decision possible?
According to higher education directors and deans, and industry CEOs, making the fiscally responsible, effective decision on technology purchases requires a combination of research, planning and foresight. Also, choosing the technology that allows for the most collaboration possible is always a wise choice.
Do the Research for Easier Adoption
By Arthur Paré, associate managing director, General Services at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
We implemented Laserfiche enterprise content management in one department at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in the 1990s, and now the software is used to streamline a variety of processes campus-wide. The investment has paid off financially—we saw a return on the initial investment in Laserfiche within three years. In our organization, however, we look beyond dollars and cents to factors including time savings, improved user experience and convenience.
In order to make technology investments that provide long-term return, it’s critical to examine and quantify all of these factors holistically. Before purchasing Laserfiche, we worked closely with the purchasing department in order to conduct detailed assessment research so that we could clearly communicate the benefits to leadership and users—which would ultimately make adoption easier and faster.
Then we started with a business process that had a clearly defined problem. For TTUHSC, it was the purchase order process in the finance and administration department, which was time-intensive and inefficient due to a reliance on paper documents. Thanks to this anchor department and process, we had a proven example of how it worked and the measurable benefits. It also helped that the first process and department we worked with was highly visible across the organization—departments across TTUHSC used it and therefore were able to see the improvements.
From there, other departments are more likely to embrace the technology and create new ways to use it. We in higher education have a real advantage when implementing technology because our operators and users are all thinkers and innovators. We constantly have great ideas about how to do things differently at our disposal. We just need to make sure we provide our organizations with the right technology to bridge the gap between creative ideas and practical solutions.
Invest in Technology that Fosters Collaboration
By Otto Benavides, director of the Instructional Technology and Resource Center and Emeritus Associate Professor, Kremen School of Education and Human Development at California State University, Fresno.
The “modern” higher education institution doesn’t just offer courses, it teaches students how to work as a team, lead projects, be creative, and exposes them to the technology they will be using once they join the workforce.
I helped California State University, Fresno launch a “collaborative classrooms” initiative to ensure students, not professors, are the focus of instruction. Instead of the instructor standing at the front of the room and the students sitting in rows of desks, the collaborative classroom is structured to allow the instructor to act as a coach and puts students in charge of their learning.
Our desks are arranged in pods, each with their own Epson interactive projector, power ports and Mac Mini with MacBook Screen Share software so students can access and project content directly from their own devices during group work. Students can also annotate and edit their work on the projector, and then save and email their notes and annotations to their group members. The classrooms also have video cameras, green screens and cinema lights for video projects.
My advice for choosing the best tech investment is: 1) Choose technology that is flexible. You want tools that work for various instruction styles such as flipped instruction or BYOD. 2) Interact with other schools that have the technology you are considering via videoconference. Take tours, ask questions. 3) Provide appropriate staff training. 4) Choose technology that will be affordable to maintain. 5) Choose equipment that is simple and easy to use. I recommend Epson and Apple for these reasons. 6) Consider what will provide the best value for what you are trying to do. We initially considered flat panel screens for the pods but they were too expensive. We saw Epson’s short-throw interactive projectors at a conference and fell in love. They did exactly what we wanted.
Consider the Broader Benefits, or Lack Thereof, Before You Invest
By Mark Francis, CEO of Collabco
When selecting technology investments, higher education Institutions should consider the interoperability of their chosen technology solution. For example, they may have been looking to solve an immediate “specific” problem or need, but they need to make sure the solution they select is not too “specific” and is able to provide wider benefits to the institution. Understanding if a solution will connect or integrate with other platforms or systems is imperative to make sure the investment was not a waste. Institutions need to purchase technology that can have its functionality widened as needed. Spending time considering the core functionality and the wider capabilities possible in a technology may result in the institution ultimately choosing a different solution, but it will pay off if it is a solution that will help to address a number of needs and provide a greater level of value to a wider audience.
For example it may be better to select a student system that helps to address not just current student technology needs, but also the needs of staff, alumni and pre-applicants. By taking a look at the broader benefits a solution can provide, higher education institutions will ensure they are choosing tech investments that will pay off in the long run.
Collabco is the creator of myday, a student dashboard used to drive student engagement, participation and retention.
Invest in Flexible, Dynamic Spaces for the Future
By Kurt Shirkey, assistant director of Classroom Technology Support in the Site Planning & Support department at Salt Lake Community College
Higher education institutions are moving toward active learning environments that promote engagement and collaboration. The “modern’ institution has learning spaces that are flexible, dynamic and wireless. At Salt Lake Community College, we created “Flex Classrooms,” which use a combination of student-brought devices, mobile furniture, updated cabling and power ports, and interactive projectors. There is no “front” or “back” to the classroom. Instructors are implementing the flipped classroom model. Here is how we chose our tech investments:
1) Customer support. We chose Epson projectors because we wanted a solid partner that will help us if we run into technical problems. 2) Go wireless. We didn’t want a lot of wires and cables in the middle of the room. Our interactive projectors offer wireless connectivity and annotation features, which was exactly what we needed. 3) Flexible spaces. Fixed podiums and desks are relics of the past. The “modern” institution needs dynamic spaces where students and instructors can move things around to fit their needs. We replaced tablet armchairs and anchored workstations with wheeled chairs and tables and movable podiums. 4) Make it visually appealing. We replaced the tile floors of our classrooms with carpet, painted the walls bright colors and added lighting. 5) Support innovation. Our Flex Classrooms are laboratories new technology. If an instructor likes a tool, they can bring it to test out. It’s another way to make the classroom fit their needs, not the other way around. 6) Start small. Convert one classroom first and use feedback to tweak the design before incorporating it on a broader scale. Have your facilities staff, interior designers and IT department involved from the start. 7) Revise your model. In the first year, meet with faculty teaching in your rooms to get feedback on your technology design .Incorporate their best ideas into future models.
Kurt Shirkey heads SLCC’s “Flex Classrooms” initiative.
Invest in Technology that Makes Data Easy to Collect, Analyze, and Integrate
By Dr. W. Allen Richman, interim dean of Planning, Assessment and Institutional Research at Prince George’s Community College
In higher education, data is a key component of everything from graduation rates to accreditation. The “modern” higher education institution relies on data analysis to assist it in making programmatic changes that lead to better retention and graduation rates. Therefore I recommend higher education institutions invest in technology that allows them to easily access, manage and analyze their data – particularly assessment data. This technology must also allow institutions to integrate this data into the regular operations of the institution, rather than having it be, or appear to be, a separate set of work.
Prince George’s Community College launched a data initiative five years ago. The goal was to create a comprehensive assessment program that would tie courses to learning outcomes. It reorganized the Office of Planning, Assessment and Institutional Research to head this task. We spent 18 months mapping courses and aligning them to learning outcomes. We also adopted software called DataLink Connect, from Apperson, that allowed us to develop assessments and answer keys tied to each outcome. Also, make sure data collected integrates with the learning management system so educators don’t have to go into multiple places to review data. The data now helps us determine where we need to adjust instruction and how best to revise courses. Ultimately we hope this initiative will improve courses and graduation rates.
Regardless what technology an institution chooses, what is essential is that collecting, analyzing and acting on data become as much a part of the classroom as collecting, grading and providing feedback on term papers. If universities and colleges look for technology that will accomplish this, it will help to ensure student success.
Dr. Richman oversees academic assessment including the implementation of an institution-wide assessment system for the continuous improvement of courses, programs and the institution as a whole.
Pick Tech that’s Easy to Use and Versatile
By Jeremiah Proctor, director of Technical Services and Information Technology Services for John Brown University in Arkansas
The best tech to invest in is the technology that best fits the needs of your faculty and improves the faculty and student experience without requiring extensive training or preparation. You must find tech to excite and engage the faculty and students. I would also recommend investing in technology that promotes collaboration and group work. At John Brown University, collaboration and remote presentation in the classrooms have become primary focuses for both faculty and students.
In our classrooms at John Brown University, we chose Epson interactive projectors with Crestron DMPS control systems along with Dell OptiPlex 7440 AIO touchscreen computers and document cameras. We selected Epson’s interactive projectors because they are simple to use and versatile. I refer to them as a wall-sized iPad. Also, we can create a wonderful interactive whiteboard experience just by placing a piece of dry erase vinyl on the presentation decks of the document cameras. John Brown University has a theater space that we are able to still use as a traditional classroom by adopting this solution.
In addition to adding the technology, we equipped our classrooms with standard meeting chairs and small round tables around the room to make it easier to create groups for collaborative exercises. The groups use products like Crestron’s Air Media and Epson’s collaboration software which make sharing projects with the class easy.
We are pleased with our tech investments at John Brown University. By investing in technology that is versatile, easy to use and that promotes the collaborative atmosphere that is so critical in education today, you will set your university up for success well into the future.
Make Sure it’s Durable and Valuable to a Diversity of Users
By Christopher Gordon, assistant director of the Center for Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (CESTEM), University of North Carolina Wilmington
The University of North Carolina’s Center for Education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (CESTEM) provides professional development opportunities for regional K-16 instructors and educational opportunities for regional K-12 students to improve the quality of pre-college STEM education. One way we do this is through our technology loan program, which allows teachers from 13 counties in the region to borrow various technologies, lab books, and more to use with their students.
When selecting technology for CESTEM and our institution, I am committed to choosing equipment that is easy to use, durable, and useful in a variety of settings by our diverse stakeholders. With CESTEM, teachers check out the equipment for two weeks—or longer if no one else has the equipment reserved after them—and then brings the equipment to their classrooms to engage students in hands-on, technology-enabled learning. Oftentimes, students also use the technology independently for their own science and engineering fair projects. Given this, it is important that the technology we loan out, such as Vernier sensors or Lego robotics kits, supports heavy use.
In choosing technology, it is also important to partner with companies that have an established record of success and that are focused on anticipating the future needs of its customers. Other key considerations of technology purchases include choosing technology that connects and works seamlessly with the other technology you already own or plan to own in the future; that is a good value; and, most importantly, that will enable you to accomplish your organization’s mission.
Start Small and Simple
By Linda Ding, Senior Education Program Strategist at Laserfiche
For institutions of higher education, the key to positioning a technology project for success is starting small and simple. Enterprise-level initiatives are, by nature, huge and complicated projects, and colleges and universities often find that they’ve underestimated the amount of research, resources, development and training necessary to complete them.
To prevent the premature death of a project and see results sooner, institutions should identify one clear business challenge in one department. Break down large undertakings into digestible processes—for instance, rather than using a new enterprise content management system to improve admissions as a whole, start by implementing electronic forms to automate application review.
Choose a key component that has clearly defined issues. If potential users of your new technology initiative are aware of and frustrated by a broken process, they are more likely to embrace change and help others to follow suit. This is a good way to build institutional knowledge as your initiative affects more and more departments or schools. Organizations see significant returns on technology investments once they build a community of practice—to share information, experiences and ideas—that often start with just a few champions.
Once an organization successfully deploys a technology initiative, it has proof of concept and can begin looking for other challenges that can be addressed by the same technology. This highlights another important factor: When purchasing technology, institutions should choose products that are flexible enough to address a variety of business problems—not just one. This will maximize the investment and enable organizations to scale up without requiring them to hire more IT specialists to support the products. Additionally, colleges and universities that are on the leading edge of technology and efficiency maintain strong relationships with their vendors to stay apprised of upgrades, new features and advancements.
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