School and business is not usually a combination you hear a lot about, and this is one reason that it is a rather controversial topic, especially for educators. Many people don’t see a connection between the two. However, with the rise of technology in schools and the changes is school funding, such as with the Local Control Funding Formula, having a business-like mind would be an effective move for schools. This is where Enterprise Architecture comes into play. “Education enterprise architecture, or EEA, is a strategic framework that can provide the structure, plan and processes to achieve an education agency’s vision and goals by aligning its business and program side with information technology (IT) (EEA Guidebook).”
I became familiar with The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) this week. It is one that I found to be very comprehensive and flexible, so that a school or organization can customize to meet their needs. I revisited my district’s technology plan, which I found to have many of the components found in TOGAF; however, I also found that there were a few gaps. A couple of the gaps are the lack of a system to plan for the future of the plan and monitoring of the plan. The Technology Plan will be updated next year, so I believe a framework such as TOGAF, will enhance the revisions and updates.
Education Enterprise Architecture Guidebook (2014). The Reform Network, US Department of Education.
I became familiar with The Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) this week. It is one that I found to be very comprehensive and flexible, so that a school or organization can customize to meet their needs. I revisited my district’s technology plan, which I found to have many of the components found in TOGAF; however, I also found that there were a few gaps. A couple of the gaps are the lack of a system to plan for the future of the plan and monitoring of the plan. The Technology Plan will be updated next year, so I believe a framework such as TOGAF, will enhance the revisions and updates.
Education Enterprise Architecture Guidebook (2014). The Reform Network, US Department of Education.