Conducting the Technology Maturity Survey was a very interesting process for me. As an online teacher, I expected my school to meet most of the criteria to quality as an Intelligent organization. And while my assumptions were correct, this survey made me more aware of where we need to focus our attention in order to continue to positively develop and grow.
One such area requiring attention is establishing a concrete policy for technology use. Recently, I had a learning coach ask me if our school could re-image her student's laptop and install a filter to block various websites. After much discussion and deliberation with our administration, the decision was made to not install the filter for liability reasons but to leave that as a parental responsibility. While we have agreed on that policy as a result of the issue arising, incorporating it into a formal document which could be made available to students and parents would help us to become more intelligent in our policy maturity.
Link to Evaluation Survey
Link to Evaluation Summary
You mention that developing and formalizing policies is a way for TOA to grow. I think that intentionality is important for all types of organizations, and I wonder how your school succeeds without some of the formal policies and planning structures other organizations have. My experience is that when there is a lack of structure, organizational progress depends heavily on the skill and diligence of staff in collaborative decision-making and communication.
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