The Question.
The question shouldn’t be “why should we do this?” it should be “why shouldn’t we do this?”
It feels like I have made my impact. It feels like we have all taken a huge step backwards.
It’s not an individual school thing, it’s a mentality of education at the moment. And probably the NHS, social care and more.
These professions are being cut to within an inch of their lives. Yet the demands for them are still increasing.
I can only really talk about my sector, and how it is affecting my role. From being someone who was able to make impacts and introduce new and exciting technology (which has gone on to be considered crucial in schools and adopted by others) to not even being able to roll out a new piece of software or idea. And it’s not to do with me suddenly losing my skill set, my drive or my ability.
Overworked, underpaid users are fearful of the impact change may have. Even if changes are being done to support them, to streamline and reduce workloads.
The ability and the appetite to introduce new and exciting solutions that move away from tradition has long gone. Not just because the budgets have gone, but the time and the general ability to think past the current crisis has gone.
I’ve made a real try following on from BETT to introduce solutions that save cash, save time, improve workflows and engage pupils and support their learning outcomes.
Products that use existing infrastructure in new and exciting ways. Services that users can rely and depend on.
I want my team and I to be more than people who just answer support tickets. Because that is boring. We want to be getting excited with staff on the great things they can do with IT.
We can and should be taking our share of cuts. But you don’t need money in the schools where wise investments in the infrastructure have left a solidly working network – you need the will and the want to introduce, and demand that we move forward.
Do not settle for something that works when it comes to IT in a school. Because in a few years time it will be outdated and then you will be getting angry and frustrated that your IT hasn’t moved forward. But ask yourself this: do you let it move forward? Do you encourage staff to be motivated for change, or do you all simply ask – why should we change – instead of why shouldn’t we?