Advocacy Plan
Technology is Your Friend
My advocacy plan is to provide technology and support for the entire area. This plan, in a nutshell will be to provide access to as much technology to anyone in the community that so desires to learn. Technology is our friend. Technology can be your best friend. How, you might ask, can we provide technology to all. This is not a simple task. Actually, it is, but one must be willing to put aside their apprehensions and embrace the technology that is readily available to all. One only need to open their hearts and minds to the idea of using technology in their daily lives. It is the goal of this plan to provide a learning environment to anyone that wants to learn to use technology in whatever form or fashion they choose. That’s it in a nutshell. Provide access and learning to all who enter our doors, free of charge, I might add. It is my belief that people would be more open to learning if the least number of obstacles are in their way. And the biggest obstacle routinely, is cost. Therefore, this technology center will be free of charge and all staff and support will be unpaid volunteers.
Description of the Advocacy Plan
It was my dream several years ago to start a business that would cater to out of warranty technology products. I had hoped to provide free repairs to various computer types and other technologies at the time. Of course, that was before the smartphone age. I would fix or repair and even provide upgrades to customer computers free of charge, they only need to pay for the parts, whether it be a new hard drive, CPU, RAM, etc. They would bring me the new part and I would install it for free. I was even going to provide free operating system upgrades. The customer just needed to pay for the license. You can buy a license without actually purchasing the software and in some instances, it is actually cheaper to do this. Since then, smartphones have become the new portable computer and I have taken that into account and will now provide free repairs, upgrades, etc. to all technologies. We will also provide free training on how to use different technologies.
Descriptive summary of Brainstorming
We will teach users how to use their own technologies. You want to learn how to use Word, we will teach you. You want to learn how to send email, we will teach you. You want to build your own computer, we will teach you. Want to learn it in the comfort of your own home, we will create video tutorials and post them online and provide dvds upon request. We will provide instruction manuals for the needing or wanting to work on their own. We will provide remote support for those that are incapable of leaving their homes (internet connection at home required). We will provide individual tutoring upon request and we will also have classes for those wanting to have a class on a particular topic (Technology related). Most learning will be received in our facility, but there will be circumstances where this will not be the case, as pointed out previously. This will be judged on a case by case basis. The goal is to have a central location in the community for all to have access to. To provide a safe place for students to be after school instead of a school. We will have big screen televisions and gaming systems (no outside games, please). We will provide a lounge and a salad bar for food. We will provide a tech library for those who like to read. Audio books will also be provided. Only audiobooks can be checked out. All hard copies will remain onsite. For the safety of our customers, metal detectors will be required at each entrance and exit. We will also have security guards throughout the day, in plain clothes and these security guards will be required to have a CCDW permit and a thorough background check. The goal will begin on a local level, but I see no reason that this could not expand to state or even national level. Although, that depends on the success on the local level. I am looking at a five (5) year plan for initialization and we will look at it again in three (3) years and evaluate our progress. If we have had a steady flow of customers, but have not grown a customer base, we will look at it again in a year. If we are busting at the seams, we will investigate expanding to other communities in the region. If we continue to grow we will look at expanding state wide. After ten (10) years, if we are growing, we will start the process of expanding to other states. However, I do not foresee expanding to other states as a viable or realistic option, as I am sure, there are probably other communities and states with this type of program already in place. Unlike others, I do not see the benefit of expansion for expansions sake. After all, this will be a nonprofit endeavor. This is my way sharing my passion and love of technology with others. Most in the IT field, do not look at technology in the same way that I do. Although expansion of my passions would be a wonderful dream, I do not see this a realistic option. I will be retiring in 15 to 20 years and I do not see my legacy be carried on; although I can pass on my knowledge to others, I cannot pass on my love and passion to others. Each person has their own personality.
As I stated previously, I had this dream years ago. But I couldn’t bring it to life because the bank balked at a loan for a business that would not be making a profit. So now, for my dream to become a reality, I would need to seek some donors and get help from those that would be willing volunteer their time and energy for a dream that is not their own. I am sure that I could find a few volunteers, especially former students, that wouldn’t mind, but the donors would be much more difficult. Especially this being a non-money-making plan or idea. Most, when they invest, want a return on their investment. All I could offer would be the rewards of people learning a trade or skill.
In addition, the cost for this project would be great. We would need a building in a central location. We would need to hire contractors to get it customized to my specifications. We would need no less than 4 computer labs. We would need a library area, metal detectors, trained security guards, lunchroom and lounge with salad bar, gaming room with big screen televisions, a daycare, and all the computers, both Mac and PC’s. Not to mention the volunteer area and a repair shop with all the tools needed to complete the repairs and upgrades.
Reflections
I went into this plan with high ideas and optimism. I thought long and hard about the different aspects and how I would approach this. I was excited about the prospects of actually putting my dream on to paper. I had never actually done that. But the more I typed and the more I considered the possibilities, the more I realized that my dream would have to remain a dream. The ideas that I have in my head will just have to stay in my head. I still love the idea of teaching and want to continue to do so, some day. I truly enjoy teaching and interacting with the students, but I will have to settle for teaching in a college classroom. I wouldn’t really call in settling. After all, the classroom is where I fell in love with teaching.
References
Krueger, N, (3/6/2014), Have you created your ed tech plan yet?, Retrieved from https://www.iste.org/explore/articleDetail?articleid=60&category=ISTE-blog&article=