Statement of objectives
The clarion is a school for boys who have had a difficult past. They are typically teenagers from foster care who have had a problem with society. The clarion is supposed to instill discipline and give the students important skills that will help them improve the outlook of their future. The implementation of the information system should assist the school in meeting these objectives. The new system will help to keep important records of each of the students in the institution, present and past. The system will also allow the students to access more learning material stored in digital form.
Analysis of current and future environment (business, IT, user)
The institution operates in a specialized environment. Many learning institutions are adopting new technologies to assist in their work. Most importantly, the traditional paper based records and learning material are being replaced by digital form. This is because it is easier to maintain digital records over paper based records. When it comes to learning material, digital content is cheaper than physical material. Digitalization also increases accessibility. For example, traditional teaching required a teacher and students to be physically present in a classroom. Use of information systems removes the need for physical presence in a physical classroom. The teaching can be done online with the students accessing the learning material and instruction through computers. This is the future of education and adoption of the technology required to fulfill it has already began. Users of the technology are also changing. Young people nowadays are more receptive to new technology and are likely to use it. Old ways of teaching are slowly being abandoned in favor of new methods. The institution has to change with the times to continue achieving its objectives in the changing environment.
Proposed IT action plan (hardware, applications, personnel, network and facilities)
The IT action plan requires the building of the new system. The new system will comprise various elements, key of which are record keeping and a teaching module. The record keeping will allow the administration to keep all the records of the students in the institution and allow them to track their progress. The leaning module will offer the students the facilities required to access learning material online. There are solutions already in the market that offer the services needed. The organization will just have to identify such solutions and incorporate them into the system. This is going to save valuable development time and resources.
The system will be made up of a data server that will keep the records. The server will be accessed using a web browser. The data server will also keep leaning material, which will also be accessed in the same way. The data server will offer access control, which determines the type of information that any user can view. It will also connect with the internet to allow students to make searches on the internet. The system will be accessed via an intranet within the institution. This will prevent unauthorized access over the public internet. Access terminals will be made available throughout the institution. A database administrator will be the person responsible for maintaining the system. This is because the entire system is dependent on the proper functioning of the database.
Resource and funding
The state government of Milwaukee through the department of social services and the department of education will provide the funding for the project. The clarion school caters for abandoned kids and the department of social services is responsible for their welfare. The department of education is responsible for providing education to these kids as well. The funding for this project is provided under the state’s program to improve the use of technology in education.
Implementation plan
The system will be developed by incorporating different elements already available in the market as individual products. The objectives of the new system will be studied to identify the specifications. After developing the new system, it will be implemented in parallel along with existing systems. This phase will continue for a short while as the new system is being tested. After the developers are convinced that the system is working as expected, the old systems will be switched off, leaving the new system on its own.
Organizational change
The new system is expected to change the way the institution operates. Most of the learning is done physically and so is the record keeping. The new system is expected to change how records are kept and how learning will take place. This will require a restructuring of the systems in place to allow the changes to take place.
Training
References
Langer, A. M. (2012). Guide to software development: Designing and managing the life cycle. London: Springer.
Wasson, C. S. (2006). System analysis, design, and development: Concepts, principles, and practices. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley-Interscience.
Whitten, J. L., & Bentley, L. D. (2007). Systems analysis and design methods. Boston: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
