Having committed to a specific plan, action becomes urgent. It is no longer a matter of studying the issue, which can be endless. By December 31st, 2011, an organization codenamed FIRE (Facilitation Institute for Research in Education) should be up and running. For this large milestone to be met, many smaller milestones need to be passed along the way. If the first few minor milestones are not met on time, this will create a cascade of unmet milestones, probably leading to an unmet final target. So, action is urgent.
Below are a few tentative milestones, with lots of details marked as TBD (To Be Determined). The dates are aligned to quarters, along the dates of winter and summer solstice and equinox. No mystical intention is to be read into this fact - it just amuses me to align earthly plans with astronomical events. The tentative dates are listed in descending order, looking for what needs to be done to achieve each milestone.
21/12/2011
FIRE is up and running. FIRE is fully funded (amounts TBD) for the long term (timeframe TBD). FIRE is recognized by the academia (measurement TBD), by school (measurement TBD) and by the public in general (measurement TBD). FIRE is active in all its public relations domains (details TBD). All FIRE data pools, services and resource pools are active, available and being used by their respective intended users (details TBD).
21/9/2011
Databases further populated (amounts TBD). Automated services have been used by at least 400 end-users (user type distribution TBD). Raw data collection (details TBD) started, with the legal issues resolved. At least one significant (criteria TBD) research reviewed by FIRE. At least one significant (criteria TBD) research designed with the support of FIRE. At least 2 commercial companies are involved in educational research with FIRE.
21/6/2011
Databases further populated (amounts TBD). Automated services have been used by at least 100 end-users (user type distribution TBD). Funding secured until mid 2012. Each research support item owned by FIRE has been used in research. At least 3 commercial companies are actively (criteria TBD) considering conducting educational research with the support of FIRE.
21/3/2011
Automated services fully functional. Databases further populated (amounts TBD). Automated services have been used by at least 10 end-users. At least one questionnaire validated by FIRE was used in research. At least one senior researcher joins, to give FIRE to provide research design and review capabilities. At least 5 commercial companies show interest in conducting educational research with the support of FIRE.
21/12/2010
2011 milestones finalized. Automated services fully functional in beta mode (details TBD). All databases populated with real data (amounts and details TBD). Questionnaire validation services started being used. Access to research-support resources secured: Video recording and transliteration equipment, lab (more details TBD), together with maintenance capability. Approached 60% of the relevant commercial companies.
21/9/2010
100% of the TBD items resolved to specific targets. 90% of professors are approached and consulted. Automated services - Web-site and underlying databases and search engines - fully functional in alpha mode (details TBD). Professional legal activity started, addressing privacy issues of raw data collection. Questionnaire validation capability in place. Compiled a list of relevant commercial companies that may have an interest in educational research. Started approaching commercial companies.
21/6/2010
At least one co-founder with long-term commitment joins the project. Initial funding secured (amounts TBD). Professional PR activity started. The Board of Advisors is specified and 70% populated. 100% of a list of all relevant professors of education and education policy - compiled. More professors from the list are approached and consulted (percentage TBD). Initial web-site active (details TBD).
21/3/2010
70% of the "TBD" items resolved to specific targets. The legal entity of FIRE is in place. A Board of Advisors is started (types and numbers of advisors TBD). A list of professors and researchers of education and education policy is started. Some professors from the list (number TBD) approached, informed of the services to be provided by FIRE, feedback received and possibly changes made the FIRE specification.
1/1/2010
Initial work-plan in place and committed to
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