Use ICTs for

Effective School
Management
CHALLENGES TO SCHOOL MANAGEMENT &
ICT TO FACILITATE EFFECTIVE SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT

About this Lesson

I have been asked by the Dean to attend a meeting on university

rankings at Main Campus from 8h30 13h00, so wont be able to attend
to the class for Friday, 29 August

This lesson is based on Unit 5 (ELO 5: Use ICTs for effective school
management)

Go through the lesson and do the activities explained on slides 17 & 18

Please go to slides 19, 20 & 21 to identify your group members

See you on Monday afternoon

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

ICT for School

Management

ICTs designed for school management purposes are called Computer

Assisted School Information System or School Information
Management Systems

A School Information Management Systems (SIMS)are based on

one or more computer applications which altogether enable the
computer supported storage, manipulation, retrieval and
distributions of data to support school management

SIMS are also designed to match the structure, management

task, instructional process and special needs of the school
(Telem as cited in Nampila, 2012, p. 10)

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

ICT for School

Management 2

SIMS make school programs more effective, enabling teachers to

exchange their experiences in more systematic ways, working in
teams and determining the needs of students

SIMS also help schools to manage functional data including, but

not limited to, enrolment, student and staff demographics,
course enrollments, class schedules, attendance, disciplinary
actions, special programs, grades, standardised assessments, and
health information (Telem, as cited in Nampila, 2012, p. 11)

SIMS include hardware and software that provide such as storing

current and historical data, rapidly organizing and analyzing it

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

Performance Indicators of
SIMS
Collect

student data;

Increase
Analyse
Make

parental involvement;
and measure comprehensive student data;

informed decision based on results of data analysis;

Identify
Create

learning problems;

personalized education plans;

Diagnose

student learning styles (Nampila, 2012, p. 11)

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

Benefits of SIMS

Bringing consistency in decision making processes;

Enhancing interaction among school staff and lessening isolation;

Enhancing teacher competitiveness and interaction to cooperate

more on solving instructional issues;

Bringing a business orientation to school affairs;

Providing teachers and administrators with the information

required for informed planning, policy-making, and evaluation;

SIMS can assist in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of

schools

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

Challenges to the Use

of SIMS in Schools

Lack of access to electricity and Internet can discourage schools

from investing in school information management system software

Computer illiteracy of the staff and the knowledge of how to use the
system by the administrators and teachers can also be a hindrance

At times, even though there are clear benefits in using SIMS, they
can increase teachers and administrators workload and cause stress

Lack of funds to procure computer software and hardware

Inadequacy of computers at the school

Attitudes towards technology like computer-phobia

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

SIMS Technologies: Standalone

Stand-alone

SIMS

stand-along application is the one that deploys service locally,

uses the services, and terminates the service when they are
no longer needed

SIMS

software that is designed as stand-alone application can be

installed on one computer and be used for school management

E.g.

SchoolWrite software (http://www.schoolwrite.com/), TS

School (http://www.ts-school.com/)

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

SIMS Technologies: ClientServer

Client-Server

SIMS

client-server application is a piece of software that runs on a client

computer and makes request to a remote server where the central
database is located.

SIMS

designed to be installed on the server and client computer can

access the application from the server, enabling the data to be
shared with multiple users

E.g.

information systems used in most Namibian government offices are

client-server based, similar to most computer labs at Unam where you
have clients that access the network through a server

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

SIMS Technologies: Webbased

Web-based

SIMS

These are web applications as a software package that can be accessed through the
web browser.

The software and database reside on a central server and is accessed over a
TCP/IP network (Internet)

This type of technology allows the application to be accessed anywhere, anytime

through Internet

E.g. Software as a Service (SaaS), a software delivery model in which software

and its associated data are hosted centrally on the Internet and are typically
accessed by users using thin client, and normally web browser on the Internet.

Classes365 is an example (http://www.classe365.com/)

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

SIMS Technologies Summary

Stand-alone
SIMS

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

Client-Server
SIMS

Web-based
SIMS

SIMS Technology for

Namibian Schools

Given the low level of technological know-how at school level, webbased SIMS appear most favorable for Namibian schools as they allow
the technical aspects to be carried out by service provider instead of
being the responsibility of the school. This is the future of technology in
the cloud.

The down side is that it requires excellent and continually available

Internet access at the school, and at home for teachers, parents and
learners

Without Internet access, once can recommend stand-along and client

server SIMS as is already the case in most schools in Namibia

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

SIMS in Namibian Schools

Currently

there is no policy on uniform use of a particular

type of information management in Namibian schools

SchoolWrite

appears to be the most popular software in

Namibian schools, mainly to administer school reports.

EMIS

(Education Management Information System)

software are only based centrally at the Ministry of
education with schools providing information manually
through questionnaires such as 15th day statistics

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

Individual Informal
Activity

Do a snap survey by asking teachers at schools to find out what

school admin software they are using (e.g. to prepare reports, store
academic records, prepare invoices and receipts, record
attendance, and manage other school activities)

You can do this through texting teachers you know or posing

questions of Facebook teacher groups like Classical Teachers of
Namibia (https://www.facebook.com/groups/106801916108248/)

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

Use of Computers in some

Namibian Schools (Nampila,
2012, p. 47)

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

Software used in selected Namibian Schools (Nampila,

2012, p. 49)

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

Group Activity

In your Digital Citizenship Element groups, please do the following activity:

On the following slide (17) are a list of school management and administration activities that can be
made more efficient and effective through the use of technologies like SIMS

Choose the activity of the number that corresponds with your Digital Citizenship element
(e.g. if you were allocated to Element 7: Rights and Responsibilities, then your topic is no 7: School
communication with parents and local community (prepare or replace letters, newsletters, notices)

Study your topic (school activity), then search the Internet for information so that you can suggest a
particular software (stand-alone, client-server or web-based software)

Prepare a short 5 minute presentation (choose a speaker) to explain why the suggested technology
will help with the activity in question

Presentations will be carried out on Monday, 01 st September

On slide 18, find links to websites that can be useful for you

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

School Activities that

SIMS can Support
1.

Learning management: learner-teacher engagement and provision of learning materials

2.

Assessment material storage, learner assessment records and reporting

3.

Timetabling and classroom management

4.

Administration of extra-curricular activities (sports, debates, tours, etc.)

5.

Administration of school census and 15th day statistics

6.

Storage of ministry and government policies and correspondence

7.

School communication with parents and local community (prepare or replace letters,
newsletters, notices)

8.

School communication with other schools, regional office & ministry

9.

Representation of a school as a unit/ an institution

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

Groups
Group 2

Group 1

Topic: Learning
management: learnerteacher engagement
and provision of
learning materials
Group members

1.

Ndakolo Eveline

2.

Petrus Laimi

3.

Nandjigua Rachel

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

Topic: Assessment
material storage,
learner assessment
records and reporting

Group members

1.

Shikwena Monica

2.

Nghiyalwa Victoria

3.

Kalimba Cloneria

Group 3

Topic: Timetabling and

classroom
management

Group members

1.

Peter Olivia

2.

Uunona Toivo

3.

Gwanama Ester

Groups Cont.
Group 5

Group 4

Topic: Administration &

publicity of extracurricular activities
(sports, debates,
tours, etc.)
Group members

1.

Hangula Andreas

2.

Hailulu Festus

3.

Jeremias Loide

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

Group 6

Topic: Administration
and communication of
school census and 15th
day statistics

Topic: Storage of
ministry and
government policies
and correspondence

Group members

Group members

1.

Mwandingi Juda

1.

Shikongo Immanuel

2.

Ndjambula Sakaria

2.

Kleopas Gaveline

3.

Shikwaya Frans

3.

Petrus Lebson

Groups cont

Group 8

Group 7

Topic: School
communication with
parents and local
community (prepare or
replace letters,
newsletters, notices)

Group members

Group members

1.

Lukas Immanuel

Topic: School
communication with
other schools, regional
office & ministry

1.

Mushoko Brave

2.

Nambala Klementine

2.

Uaseuapuani Lungenesia

3.

Shimunyengu Tekla

3.

Haukongo Vilho

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

Group 9

Topic: Representation
of a school as a unit/
an institution

Group members

1.

Kuumbwa Metagameno

2.

Nuuyoma Martha

3.

Shigwedha Kristofina

Useful Links

School Write: http://www.schoolwrite.com/

School management software: http://www.ts-school.com/tour.php

Educational whole institution management: http://www.applane.com/education/

School information system: http://www.classe365.com/

Website creating tool: http://www.weebly.com/

Learning management, testing: https://www.edmodo.com/

Virtual classroom tool: https://www.schoology.com/

School events calendar: https://www.localendar.com/Homepage.jsp

Survey forms: https://support.google.com/docs/answer/87809?hl=en

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge

References

Nampila, J. (2012). Development of a computer-assisted school information system for

Namibian schools. Retrieved from
http://ir.polytechnic.edu.na/bitstream/10628/383/1/Nampila.%20MIT.%
20Dev%20of%20a%20computer-assisted%20school%20info%20system%20for%20Namibia
n%20schools.pdf

Nangolo, A.B. (2011). AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MANAGEMENT

AND LEADERSHIP OF PRIMARY, COMBINED AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN TERMS OF
POLICY, PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION IN EHEKE CIRCUIT, OSHANA EDUCATION REGION
IN NAMIBIA. Retrieved from http://ir.polytechnic.edu.na/bitstream/10628/299/1/Nangolo.%
20An%20investigation%20into%20the%20effectiveness%20of%20mgt%20%26%20leaders
hip.pdf

ICTs for Effective School Management_E.Haipinge