Technology Standards, Planning and Policies

Planning and Policies

Alberta Education uses a system-wide approach to technology implementation and integration that includes the establishment of technology policies and standards.

Policies

Learning and Technology Policy Framework (2004)
The Learning and Technology Policy Framework was developed, with input from technology experts from school jurisdictions,  to provide direction and coordination for the infusion of technology across Alberta's learning system.

The Learning and Technology Policy Framework proposes a vision, principles and goals to ensure that learning and technology activity optimizes benefits to learners and enhances the effectiveness of the learning system. It also identifies the policy direction, outcomes, and potential new actions for several key dimensions of learning and technology. The Policy Framework encompasses all sectors of the learning system (K-12, adult learning, and apprenticeship and industry training), and will involve a broad cross-section of learning system stakeholders in its implementation.   

Education Standing Offers

Alberta Education has established Education Standing Offers (ESO) with participating vendors to enable school jurisdictions to purchase select technology hardware and software at the best possible educational price.  Products that ESOs have been established for include:

• Videoconferencing units
• Laptop/desktop computers
• Electronic whiteboards
• Data projectors and document cameras
• Selected software titles

Further information on ESOs can be found on Alberta Education’s Learning Resources Centre website at http://www.lrc.education.gov.ab.ca/pro/gen/eso.htm.

ESOs address a range of issues related to technology integration, including:

• Affordable technology;
• Equitable access to technology;
• Interoperable systems; and
• Sustainable technology solutions.

Provincial Microsoft License for Office Agreement 

The Provincial Microsoft License Agreement (PML) allows all Alberta school jurisdictions, including Francophone regional authorities, charter schools, public and privately-funded post-secondary institutions, as well as publicly funded private schools, ECS providers, community adult learning councils, and community consortia to deploy the most current version of Microsoft Office.   

The PML allows for equity and accessibility to technology across the learning system and promotes administrative efficiencies at the provincial level.  A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document has been prepared to assist staff in school authorities in learning more about the PML.

Home Use Program (HUP) for Office 

The Home Use Program (HUP) for Office is available under the PML.  Staff of the eligible stakeholder organizations listed above are able to purchase a single licensed copy of the Microsoft Office Suite to install on and use on their home computer during the term of their employment or until May 31, 2013.  A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document has been prepared to assist individual staff members in purchasing through HUP.

Microsoft E-learning
Also as part of the PML, employees are able to access e-learning courses online at Microsoft.com for self-paced training of Office components. These courses are meant to help keep staff up-to-date with the latest major software releases. Current information on the availability of e-learning courses is available online at https://business.microsoftelearning.com/  and by entering the code that is available from your Jurisdiction Technology Contact. This program code is confidential and cannot be shared outside of the Alberta education system. 

Learning Essentials for Educators
Learning Essentials for Educators are templates and plans for a variety of Office programs that can be downloaded, installed and used by educators and students from eligible participating education stakeholder organizations. While not yet available for Office 2010, Learning Essentials are available for Office 2007, Office 2003 and Office XP. The Learning Essentials Home features a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section and an online tour of the site.  A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document has been prepared about Learning Essentials.

For more information on the PML, please contact Dave Hauschildt: Dave.Hauschildt@gov.ab.ca 780-415-0824.

Microsoft Operating System and Enterprise Client Access License Agreement

Alberta Education has entered into a three-year agreement with Microsoft Canada for licensing the Microsoft operating system and enterprise Client Access Licenses (E-CALS) that will allow participating school authorities to purchase licenses for these technology products on a per full time certificated staff basis.  

It is anticipated that this agreement will enable the K-12 education sector to achieve substantial savings on its technology costs. 

All school authorities were provided with an opportunity to participate in this agreement in December 2009, as participation from a minimum of 65% of school authorities and charter schools was required to finalize the agreement.  In response, 45 school authorities and 6 charter schools agreed to commit to participating in the licensing agreement for the 2010/2011 school year.   

School authorities that are currently not participating in the ESO will have the opportunity to become part of it for the second year. 

A Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) document has been prepared to assist staff in school authorities in learning more about the campus-style agreement for Microsoft operating systems and E-CALS.

Planning

Alberta Education has produced a Planning Toolkit to assist schools and school jurisdictions in planning, implementing and managing technology effectively.