Conclusion

__Conclusion__

Overall, implementing a Course Management System will greatly affect the students in the Potterville Schools. Ensuring this plan will allow students to develop 21st century skills which will allow them to succeed in our diverse and technologically complex society. By developing a relevant learning environment, student's potential will be enhanced, teacher's abilities will be strengthened, parents and teachers will connect more, community members will be more aware of in school activities, and global citizenship will be supported.

Potterville will achieve this by implementing core values and individual technology goals. These core values are respecting diversity, working collaboratively, promoting a relevant learning environment, and allowing for equal opportunities for all students. Fullen and Stiegelbauer state that "Effective educational change and effective education overlap in significant ways" (1991, p.190). These core values will set the stage for the Course Managment System and allow students to feel comfortable around their peers and teachers. By doing this, learning will be enhanced and the technology goals can be reached.

According to Ely (1990), "Resources are broadly defined as those tools and other relevant materials that are accessible to assist the learner to acquire learner objectives" (p.300). By implementing the CMS, Potterville Schools are aligning with the State of Ohio's Technology Standards. These standards help form the curriculum that make the program successful. In order for the CMS implementation to be successful, a number of conditions should be met:


 * IT needs to be involved and supporting the project.
 * The entire budget should be allocated for the project.
 * Ample time is dedicated for installation and testing.
 * Timelines need to be realistic.
 * Needs for the CMS should be clear.
 * Use a phased approach
 * Train the trainers and users
 * Support the Users” (Belton and Caul).

To make this change a success, several actions need to be taken in the correct order. These may take months to implement, but the overall success of the CMS depends on these going smoothly. A complete list of the actions needed is under the tab marked Actions. Implementation involves Administration, Technology Representitives, and and teachers. According to Fullan & Stiegelbauer "Educational change depends on what teachers do and think" (1991, p.117). If these groups can work together and "buy in", the program will be an ultimate success.

Although the budget is always an issue, by implementing a free Course Management System, financial woes are less prevalent. Already in place are staff members with training to assist others with problems so no new staff would be needed to implement this change. Some light training for a test group of teachers may be needed, but it should not exceed building budgets. Overall, the budget isn't a concern as long as the technology team chooses a CMS that is free or at a low cost for the district.


 * __References__**

Belton, Martin and Caul, Rob. (2005). Implementing an LMS: A 12 Point Plan to make your LMS Implementation Painless. Retrieved from []

Ely, D.P. (1990) Conditions That Facilitate the Implementation of Educational Technology Innovations. //Journal of Research on Computing in Education,// 23 (2), 298-305.

Fullen, M. and Stiegelbraun, S. (1991)**.** The New Meaning of Educational Change, Second Edition.//Teachers College Press.// p. 117-190.

Executive Summary Analysis Major Goals and Objectives Actions Budget Classroom and Computer Lab Management