Using, choosing and using an educational consultant

Written by Terry Freedman


Continued from page 1

4.Ask for references, testimonials, or details of evaluations, ie evidence of quality assurance ofrepparttar consultants’ work.

5.You can also ask howrepparttar 139091 consultant gets most of its work. Word of mouth is a good sign.

6.Ask forrepparttar 139092 CVs ofrepparttar 139093 consultants who will be working in your organisation if you decide to sign up this consultancy.

7.Isrepparttar 139094 consultant qualified to undertakerepparttar 139095 work? This could be an academic qualification, accreditation as an inspector or training provider in one or more schemes, or qualification by experience.

8.Hasrepparttar 139096 consultant been on relevant training inrepparttar 139097 last year?

9.Ensure thatrepparttar 139098 consultancy agrees not to subcontractrepparttar 139099 work without prior discussion with you,repparttar 139100 client.

10.If you are consideringrepparttar 139101 consultant for staff training, ask if you can attend one of their training sessions in another school.

11.Ask for other evidence that will help you decide ifrepparttar 139102 consultancy isrepparttar 139103 best for this particular work in your school, such as a client list (but note point about confidentiality above), examples of video work, published work or a website.

Using a consultant

Once you’ve decided on a particular consultant, have an agreement drawn up that ensures, for example, that you will be kept informed of progress. For example, it may not be unreasonable to ask for a summary every 2 weeks, if you are an LEA andrepparttar 139104 consultant is working in your schools.

Once you’ve hired a consultant, make sure you getrepparttar 139105 best value for money. This means some or even all ofrepparttar 139106 following, depending onrepparttar 139107 particular circumstances:

Have a clear set of aims and objectives that you are both agreed upon. This may be developed in discussion withrepparttar 139108 consultant before signing onrepparttar 139109 dotted line, but there must be a clear set of expectations byrepparttar 139110 timerepparttar 139111 consultant starts work.

Make sure thatrepparttar 139112 consultant hasrepparttar 139113 tools needed to dorepparttar 139114 job effectively. This could mean access torepparttar 139115 computer network, desk space, essential contact information and so on.

Ensure that you have allrepparttar 139116 contact information you need too: phone and fax numbers, a mobile phone number too, perhaps, withrepparttar 139117 facility for leaving messages, and an email address.

Put in place whatever is needed to enablerepparttar 139118 consultant to “hitrepparttar 139119 ground running”. If, for example, you spendrepparttar 139120 first morning discussing whatrepparttar 139121 consultant should do, you’re throwing money downrepparttar 139122 drain: all that should have been agreed beforehand – unless, of course, there is a need for a sudden change in plan, although even in those situations there should have been a contingency plan (a “Plan B”) in place.

Don’t keep askingrepparttar 139123 consultant to do more and more in an unplanned kind of way. If more work is needed, discuss whether it could feasibly be done well inrepparttar 139124 agreed time, or whether more days need to be allocated for it.

Conclusion

With proper groundwork when choosing a consultant, and sound planning, hiring a consultant to help you with your ICT work can be an excellent means of achievingrepparttar 139125 aims of your organisation.

http://www.ictineducation.org



Based in the UK, Terry Freedman has nearly thirty years’ experience in education. Specialising in information and communication technology (ICT), he has taught in inner city schools, been Head of Department, worked at the Qualification and Curriculum Authority (a non-departmental government body) and held a 3rd tier officer post -- Head of E-Education -- in a London local education authority (LEA).


The College-Bound Student’s Early Bird Menu

Written by Reecy Aresty


Continued from page 1

Early Decision II: Offered by some schools, it is virtually identical to Early Decision exceptrepparttar application deadlines are later, usually January 1st. As with Early Decision, only one school can be applied to. I’m not an advocate of this one either. Followrepparttar 139060 Early Decision criteria above and proceed accordingly.

Early Action: Except for Early Decision candidates, I encourage all students to apply for Early Action. Students apply from September 15th to January 1st, and notices usually go out between December 15th and January 31st, (dates may vary). Applying for Early Action has one definite advantage. Sincerepparttar 139061 competition is so fierce,repparttar 139062 sooner a student appliesrepparttar 139063 better. Forrepparttar 139064 barely qualified student, this isrepparttar 139065 only way to go. It would be highly unlikely such a student would qualify inrepparttar 139066 general applicant pool, as they would be competing against far too many honor students and would pale by comparison. Also, students apply to college atrepparttar 139067 beginning ofrepparttar 139068 senior year, and any grades beyond mid-term may not count at all! Always implement this strategy!

Early Notification: This is similar to Early Action, except that some schools might also ask for a commitment to their financial aid package well in advance ofrepparttar 139069 traditional May 1st deadline. Unless they make an offer you can’t refuse, ask them to extend their deadline untilrepparttar 139070 family has had sufficient time to consider all offers fromrepparttar 139071 schoolsrepparttar 139072 student has been accepted to. I would strongly advise against negotiations becauserepparttar 139073 student will be at a serious disadvantage with no other offers to compare and accepting could be a very costly mistake! Avoid this likerepparttar 139074 plague!

Open Admissions: Some four year, most two year and virtually all community colleges will offer all applicants admission on a come-as-you-are basis. If they have room, as long as you have a high school diploma – you’re in! Implement when available.

Rolling Admissions: (I’ve savedrepparttar 139075 best for last.) This is a most advantageous school policy for applicants, as colleges offering Rolling Admissions will notify students of their status within a few weeks of receiving all necessary application documents. They usually accept students until such time as their quotas have been satisfied. Checkrepparttar 139076 admissions policies ofrepparttar 139077 schools you’re applying to and by all means implement this strategy whenever and wherever available.

This is one of a series of articles by college admissions and financial aid expert, Reecy Aresty, based on his book, “Getting Into College And Paying For It!” For further information or to contact him, please visit www.thecollegebook.com.

For almost three decades, financial advisor Reecy Aresty has helped thousands of families protect their assets, increase their wealth, and reduce their taxes. His book, “Getting Into College And Paying For It,” reveals what colleges don’t want their applicants to know! Filled with trade secrets and insider information, it is guaranteed to give students the all-important edge in admissions, and parents countless legal ways to reduce the cost.


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