The Functionality Overlap

Who is doing what to solve the various common problems and tasks we have at international schools? Several years ago at a NESA (Near East, South Asia) Virtual School conference we asked that question. We had a breakout meeting on student information systems then quickly realized there were many more concerns we either had in common. Warren Apel, who at that time was the Director of Technology at the American Embassy School in New Delhi created a shared Google SpreadSheet called the “Functionality Overlap”.

The collaborative document went beyond the question “which student information system are you using.” As a group we tried to capture many of the common processes of schools and added statements such as:

• Athletic office uses a calendar to manage locations for athletic events
• Teacher sends a parent of a student in their class an email
• Teacher checks to see if a technology device (video camera, laptop cart, digital microscope, etc) is available from the technology department to check out
• A teacher creates a website for their classroom
• A principal sends a newsletter to parents 

Soon we had a list of over 100 common tasks schools faced. Each of us at the meeting took a column and added how our school dealt with the job. 

Over the years the document has flowed passed the borders of NESA and now includes over 40 schools from Europe to East Asia. There are currently 150 editors in the document.

New tasks/questions have continually been added to the list.

Around the world, school administrators and tech administrators have been using the document for comparison, planning and inspiration. Need help customizing your student information system? Use the document to see who else uses the same product. Maybe they or another school are using the same solution, but to solve another problem you have. It is a great resource and can be even better if your school is adding to it.

When you contribute to the document, an interesting side effect occurs.  Not only are you helping people understand your school, but you start to understand your own school a little more.  You realize that for some tasks, you might have 5 different systems in place.  And you realize that you might be paying a lot of money for a system that only does one task at your school.  As you scan sideways across the document, you see how other schools solved problems that you have.  And then you can start to make deeper connections.  

To see the document, visit: http://goo.gl/jR3pOQ

If you need to update your school’s data, or wish to add your school, send a request to become an editor of the Functionality Overlap document to Bill Willis at bill@macwillis.org or Warren Apel at warren.apel@gmail.com.

Bill Willis

Director of Technology

Lincoln School Nepal

Warren Apel

Director of Educational Technology

International School of Amsterdam