One of the first steps to creating a usable technology use plan is to create a vision for where you want your school to be in the future--for unless you have a vision, it will be hard for people to follow your lead. But this vision is not created in isolation. Instead it requires a "buy in" from all of those people who will be concerned as to the direction of the school: the students, parents, teachers, administrators, staff, local businesses, and community. And the best way to achieve a buy in is to involve those stakeholders in the creation of the vision.

Your first assignment will be composed of four parts.

1. Identify a specific stakeholder
2. Generate at least six questions for the stakeholder to answer
3. Have the stakeholder respond to your questions
4. Analyze the answers and synthesize a conclusion

Now let's look at each of these components individually. These steps are also described in the Apply section of Session 4.

You will be assigned a team member to serve as your stakeholder (you may also solicit a community member as well if you like).

Generate six, appropriate questions (again, refer to Session 4 to identify what is appropriate) to ask this stakeholder pertaining to their vision for your school. Your questions are not to be emailed to the stakeholder, but instead posted to the Vision Statement of our course's Newsgroup.

Once you have posted the questions, let the stakeholder know of their availability. The stakeholder is to go your your questions, then respond on-line with their answers within one week.

After their response is posted, analyze what they have stated. From their answers you are to synthesize a conclusion as to how this stakeholder's view of your school and its use of technology.

Your results are to be turned in by Session 9 (Week 9). You will be graded on the following components:

• An introduction which identifies the school for who you will be helping created a vision, the stakeholder who contributed to the vision, and an overview of the vision.
• At least six questions are appropriate and relevant to the stakeholder, are designed to probe and solicit relevant information, and are oriented towards the future of the school.
• A conclusion that synthesizes the thoughts of the stakeholder.
• The clarity of your writing.
• Turning in the report on time.

Further explanation of the grading is shown in the assignment rubric. You can also see an example of this assignment. This link will take you to the vision assignments by students in the fall of 2000.

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