Ways to ensure IT is used...

eSchoolNews has one of the "do this to make sure people use computers" articles that are so common... the list is lots of the same old same old... until the last of the 10 (an unfortunate placement... it should have been first!):

10. Make sure the technology works—and is easily available.

The business world has known for about three decades that technology that is perceived (notice the word-- users' perceptions are reality) to be easy to use and useful will be used.

Of course, I am also coming to believe that school and technology leaders who argue "we need to provide professional development" are giving educators an excuse... and we are assuming the responsibility for something they must do themselves. It brings to mind the teacher who said she would start using computers in her math class when she got a SmartBoard... so she got one, then she said she would use the SmartBoard once she learned how to use it... and the principal was then on the hook, as she had promised to train teachers in any technology they wanted. So my principal fired was desperately trying to find a way to train the teacher... who was busy drawing on the chalk board while the dust gathered on the SmartBoard.