SCHOOL ICT POLICY

SWOT Analysis

90 minutes

One of the ways of starting to think about and develop a policy is to conduct an analysis of the situation at your school, so that you have an idea of areas that need addressing and what resources and strengths you have to achieve to address these and implement a policy generally.

A SWOT analysis is a useful tool to use for such an analysis. It is not easy to use, so practice can help to improve the collaborative, planning process. Before conducting a SWOT analysis on ICT at your school you may wish to learn more about how to conduct a SWOT analysis by reading the following documents:

• Conducting a SWOT analysis
• Case study of Nkazimlo Primary School
• Sample SWOT analysis of Nkazimlo Primary School

Activity 3f

1. Do an ICT-specific SWOT analysis for your school.
   
2. Create a SWOT template on a flip chart paper, a white board and/or on a blackboard for your discussion. If you have the computer facility available, you may even want to work around a computer to do the SWOT analysis.
   
3. Use these questions to guide your discussion:

• What strengths does the school have when it comes to ICTs and ICT skills of staff members?
• What weaknesses at the school will prevent further growth in relation to ICTs, unless properly addressed?
• What opportunities exist in your school's context to make use of ICTs and provide broader access?
• What threats in the school's external environment may act as a barrier to the realization of the school's ICT dreams?