Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board formally launched its ICT Strategy 2017 – 2020 on Friday 23rd March at its corporate headquarters, Marshal House, in Limerick. The strategy provides a roadmap to enhance and improve the use of ICT in teaching, learning and administration practices across the organisation in the short to medium term. The launch was attended by the authority’s Chief Executive, Directors and senior management, members of the ICT Committee, staff and invited guests.
Launching the strategy Chief Executive, George O’Callaghan, said: “This ICT Strategy will provide a significant underpinning of our educational services. The strategy gives a necessary focus to the work of the ICT Section and the ETB over the coming years and aims to identify and plan for the implementation of actions to improve the services offered by the authority.”
The ICT Strategy presents a vision for the development and integration of ICT across Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board over the period 2017 – 2020, with most of the plan’s strategic priority key performance indicators already being effectively delivered in the organisation. Given the significant changes in the Education and Training Sector in recent years, the use of ICT in assisting and supporting the change process is a key focus of the plan. The strategy sets out a realistic vision for the development and enhancement of ICT across the organisation over the period 2017 – 2020 for the benefit of learners/students, staff and members of the public.
In her speech, Shelagh Graham, Director of Organisation Support & Development said: “We must be innovative in our use of technology and use it as a tool to enhance our customers’ experience, to enhance education and training opportunities and to streamline our administration systems whilst getting the balance right between ICT solutions and face-to-face contact with our people.”
Speaking at the launch, Denis O’Brien, Head of ICT and Corporate Services, said: “I would like to pay tribute to staff in the ICT section and the ICT Committee for their determined effort and hard work on completing this plan and to all our stakeholders who have contributed to its development. The ICT Strategy is guided by European and National ICT education policy direction and at all times aims to support the efficient, professional and inclusive use of ICT for all our stakeholders. The full implementation of the strategic goals and associated tasks set out in this strategy, whilst resource dependent, will ensure that Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board is well positioned to maximise the potential of ICT at this time of change.”
The ICT Strategy 2017 – 2020 was developed by an ICT Committee to maximise the potential use of ICT for learners, staff and the public. The committee is representative of the needs of stakeholders affected by the implementation of the strategy. Guided by an ICT Vision, Objectives and Goals, the committee set about developing a strategy that would enable Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board to:
• be ready to embrace the digital era in delivering quality education;
• allow all stakeholders to have access to a much more streamlined service;
• deliver a more efficient, integrated and responsive service.
Also speaking at the launch, the Committee’s Chair, Pat Maunsell said: “This strategy highlights and re-affirms the important role ICT plays in the development of our relatively new organisation. Our vision here is to develop, deliver and maintain a highly efficient and innovative ICT service that supports excellence not only in the critical field of teaching and learning, but in administration and organisation development as well.” He continued: “The late physicist, Stephen Hawking, said that ‘intelligence is the ability to adapt to change’. We in Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board are on a continuum of change and this ICT Strategy will give our Schools, Colleges, Further Education & Training Centres, as well as our administrative support services a roadmap of how ICT can help us in bringing about the improvements and change we wish to achieve over the next number of years.”
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