Park Temple Baptist Church

Houston, Texas

Technology

Action Plan

PARK TEMPLE BAPTIST CHURCH

A collaborative effort between the Park Temple Baptist Church

and the University of Houston’s College of Technology

Prepared for:

Peter Slagle

Pastor, Park Temple Baptist Church

Dr. Cheryl Willis

Associate Professor, UH College of Technology

Glenn Haller

Visiting Associate Professor, UH College of Technology

Presented by:

Team Number Four

Paul Delumpa

Jorge Escobedo

James Hall

Horacio Moreno

Roger Sawyer

A project submitted to the Faculty of the Department of Information & Logistics Technology, at the University of Houston, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Technology.

University of Houston Department of Information & Logistics Technology

Executive Summary

The Park Temple Baptist Church is a non-profit organization in need of assistance implementing a technology plan for the computer center. The goal of this plan is to implement a computer center for children after school and for youth and adults in the evening. The computer center is in need of staff / volunteers. For grades 1-5, Park Temple Baptist Church wants to use computers to supplement teaching kids both mathematics and reading. For students in middle school and high school, the church wants to use computer technology to teach teenagers to use logic and problem solving as an approach to life on the future, and it will reduce rebellion. By teaching office programs it will help adults to find better jobs. Park Temple Baptist Church desires to set up a computer center of 20 computers.

This technology plan is to be completed by a number of students groups from the College of Technology at the University of Houston during the Fall 2003 semesters. The technology action plan will enable Park Temple Baptist Church to have the requirements needed to implement a computer center.

In order for this project to be successful, the necessary amount of funding and available resources will be needed to acquire the necessary equipment and software.

Jim ThomasGlenn Haller

DirectorAssociate Professor

Park Temple Baptist ChurchUH College of Technology

Table of Contents

Table of Contents...... 4

Introduction...... 1

Stakeholders...... 2

Executive Summary...... 3

Organizational Mission...... 5

Technological Mission...... 5

Background Information...... 5

Park Temple Baptist Church...... 5

University of Houston – College of Technology...... 6

Npower Organization...... 6

Research Methodology...... 7

Feasibility Analysis...... 8

Organizational Feasibility...... 8

Technical Feasibility...... 8

Economic Feasibility...... 9

Existing Analysis...... 9

Completed Expectations...... 11

Technology Action Plan...... 12

Introduction...... 12

Project Scope...... 12

Implementation Notes...... 12

Change Management...... 12

Information Technology Inventory...... 13

Software...... 13

Operating Systems...... 13

Office Productivity...... 13

Applications...... 13

Educational Content...... 13

Online Training Modules...... 13

Staffing Overview...... 14

Project Schedule...... 15

Future Concerns...... 16

Conclusion...... 17

Appendix A. Help Guide...... 18
Appendix B. Project Charter...... 19
Appendix C. References...... 21
Appendix D. Works Cited...... 21

Organizational Mission Statement

The mission is to equip our children through education and example to be able to live a full and abundant life. We will provide a thorough and excellent academic education in a Christian environment, an education built upon a Biblical view of life with God as Creator and reality as the focus of Christian education. The bible serves as our standard of truth.

Factual information is the same for the Christian as the non-Christian. The way in which facts are interpreted is the difference between truth and error.

“Our goal is to help our children develop a lifestyle that is consistent to your values and pleasing to you and our Lord.”

Technological Mission Statement

The mission of the Technology Action Plan is to assist Park Temple Baptist Church effectively use the computer center as a means to serve the needs of the people in the community.

Background Information

Park Temple Baptist Church

Park Temple Baptist Church is a faith based organization and a mission of Houston’s First Baptist Church. It is located at 4027 Irvington Blvd., Houston, Texas.

In addition to the weekly worship services, Park Temple Baptist Church have the following on-going service programs: ESL classes 2 times a week, alcoholic rehabilitation support group, clothes closet that serves 100 people a month. It has a preschool day care established. An elementary school with grades 1 through 5 has been started in fall of 2003.

The Park Temple Baptist Church serves the neighborhood. It has the following ethnic break down: Black 9%, Indian 1%, Hispanic 86%, and White 4% based on the 2000 census (Tract 2105) information. The median income level for the parishioners is $26,814 with a Per capita income of $10,965.

University of Houston – College of Technology

The College of Technology at the University of Houston has been creating the intellectual capital to manage and implement technology solutions for more than 60 years. Today, the College is committed more than ever to delivering the talent and expertise businesses need to use technology in ways that create meaningful competitive advantages.

The goal of the College of Technology at the University of Houston is to serve both the students and industries. The students are required to complete student projects at non-profit organizations as a part of the curriculum. By completing the student project, we the students are serving the community and achieving our educational goals.

Npower

Npower organization was founded in Seattle, Washington in 1999. It is a network of non-profit groups and technical organizations that wish to help in the community.

The Npower organization provides software tools and online resources to help non-profit groups and those who assist non-profit groups. The Tech Atlas tool was used to help create this action plan.

Research Methodology

Different research methods were used to develop the goals for Park Temple Baptist Church Computer Center Technology Action Plan:

First, a meeting was held with Jim Thomas to discuss the needs of Park Temple Baptist Church. During the meeting, the general scope of this action plan was also established.

Second, the TechAtlas survey provided by Npower was complete. A number of related questions from the survey were asked and possible answers choices were provided with additional comments for the answer. These questions were emailed to the person in charge of the project – Jim Thomas. These questions were answered by Jim Thomas so that additional information could be analyzed to help further understand the Park Temple Baptist’s Church needs.

Third, our group consulted with Mr. Ramirez from Reynolds Intermediate School. He provided us with ideas how the computer lab should be implemented and operated. Our group also consulted with Technology for All on how the various other organizations implemented similar computer labs.

Lastly, the responses from the Npower survey were analyzed to determine what would be needed for the computer lab.

Feasibility Analysis

Organizational Feasibility

The organizational feasibility analysis attempts to answer the question, “If we

Build it, will they come?” It is not certain whether the employees and/or the volunteers

of the Park Temple Baptist Church will use the reprogrammed computers once the software and hardware has been implemented. It is recommended that they have hands on training once the changes have been implemented. It could be by either self-paced or by group sessions. By having hands on training, this will ensure that all newly implemented resources are utilized to their fullest extent.

Technical Feasibility

Park Temple Baptist church will be trainedwithany new-implemented software. Currently Mr. Escalante has volunteered his time to provide technical support for the non-profit organization. He will have a good understanding of all the new software and hardware installed once it is implemented. The project manager Jim Thomas will be contacted by a technical consultant perhaps another volunteer from the University of Houston who will then work with Mr. Escalante and initiate this plan.

Since this will be primarily an education facility familiarity with the technology will always be varying depending how the latest software. That is why later in this plan we address staffing to provide assistance and maintenance to new resources.

The size of this project is reasonably small and will be possible to execute. However there are many risks that will be encountered that could halt or terminate the project. Some of the reasons deal with funding. But technically speaking the help of some volunteers will be needed in order to install the new resources. In addition their needs to be an immediate training session for all the staff in order to begin providing help for the facility as well as maintain and protect critical security vulnerabilities once the center is online.

Economic Feasibility

This technology action plan is not economically feasible. All software and some hardware will be donated by Technology for All, a non-profit organization. However the origin of capitol for some hardware, which is much more difficult to obtain cost wise, is still not determined. Other areas such as maintenance, facility improvements and staffing need to be addressed for funding as well. Currently, the scope of this technology action plan will not be able to be completed unless donated funds, fundraisers, or grants become available. This organization is non-profit hence there is no return on investment financially speaking.

Existing Analysis

Upon meetings with the project sponsor and communications via email, the Park Temple Baptist Church center is in need of help in several areas of the organization. Pointing out these areas will help the center get on a track to maximize efficiency, and provide the best service to their members.

The Park Temple Baptist Church center is in its infancy so there are several areas that need to be addressed. The center has 20 Compaq Deskpro’s all running Windows 2000 without any virus protection software. This is something that Park Temple will need to address immediately because the computers in the center are at risk every time someone connects to the Internet to be infected with a computer virus. The staff needs to know how to detect a virus attached to an email message and how to avoid triggering the virus and infecting the computer. The staff also needs to keep the virus definitions updated weekly and whenever widespread viruses are reported. The center also needs to have some sort of firewall installed on the router. Without the firewall the computers on the network can be hacked and information on their computers can be seen and tampered with. When members at the center are at the computers, they should have the security to know that every possible measure has been taken to ensure privacy on that computer.

Another area I would suggest that needs looking into would be communication. Currently Park Temple has a brochure that it distributes to members of the community. An online website has currently been started by Park Temple so I would suggest using email as another way of communicating with members. Communicating with members via email is a way not only a way for Park Temple to distribute information to members, but it is a way for members to communicate with the staff or whomever they need assistance from at Park Temple.

A complete maintenance plan for the equipment at the center currently does not exist. Operating system updates and critical patch updates should be done at least once a week because the center is running a Windows program and they are known for the many problems that they have. There should be an effective way for the users and the staff to report technical problems and there should be some sort of public report with the solution. Virus checks and updates should be done on a weekly basis. Members of the staff should also know which part of the overall maintenance of the center they are responsible for. There should also be way to backup important computers and key data in case the system crashes and the system needs to be restored.

A system also needs to be in place to train staff members so that they can address user needs if a situation were to arise. Park Temple doesn’t access staff members’ skills because of a lack of budget. This is a problem because a member of the staff could be just as clueless as the computer user and that is going to create a big problem. Some of the funding being raised for the center should be set aside to train members of the staff so that they are able to provide quality service and help when needed.

Since the Park Temple Center is in its infancy the above problems can addressed without having to implement a whole new system because no system exist now. By implementing the changes in the action plan, the center will be able to run at its maximum efficiency level.

Completed Expectations

The primary goal of our action plan is to implement a computer center and make sure the center is performing at their maximum capacity at the Park Temple Baptist Center. First, computers will have virus protection software installed, and have the network tested regularly for virus updates and definitions. Next, a plan is in plan for operating system updates and critical patches, as well as an efficient way to backup key computers and data. Backup test will need to be made to make sure the backups were successful. Also, an email plan was suggested to get more information out to members, but it is not necessarily a factor in maximizing the performance of the system. Lastly, the staff members will be trained and also have training materials at hand in case user or network situations were to arise.

Technology Action Plan Overview

Introduction

Project Scope

The scope of this project is limited to the Park Temple Baptist Church Computing Center located at 4027 Irvington Blvd., Houston, Texas. The scope of this project will be implementation of a neighborhood-computing center consisting of twenty Windows-based personal computers, located in a computer room housed on the church premises. All computers will be furnished with software provided by a non-profit assistance organization.

Implementation Notes

Technology For All, a non-profit support organization located in Houston, Texas, will provide the Park Temple Baptist Church Computer Center hardware and software. The goal of this project is to provide a framework for Park Temple Baptist Church to have a guidance document available for each phase of Project implementation. In addition to the hardware and software considerations, staffing is to be provided by volunteers solicited by the church.

Change Management

The administration of this action plan is not intended to be a rigid, document but rather a mechanism by which the project can be implemented. Any changes in scope or additional services should be put in writing and submitted for approval to the project sponsors.

Information Technology Tasks

Information Technology Inventory

Software

Operating Systems – Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP 4

Office Productivity – Microsoft Office 2000 Suite

  • Word 2000
  • Excel 2000
  • Access 2000
  • PowerPoint 2000

Applications

  • Microsoft Publisher 2000
  • Microsoft Project 98
  • Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0
  • Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia Deluxe 99
  • Net Objects Fusion 4.0

Educational Content

Academic Skills Assessment Skills Test Preparation Software (Heartbeeps)

  • English content: Grades 2-6 Math, Reading, Writing
  • Spanish content: Grades 2-6 Math, Reading, Writing
  • The classes are text based with innovative questions and graphics to keep the
    student engaged and motivated to achieve learning goals

Microsoft Office 2000 On-Line Training Modules

  • Access 2000 – Level 1, 2, 3
  • Excel 2000 – Level 1, 2, 3
  • PowerPoint – Level 1, 2, 3
  • Word 2000 – Level 1, 2, 3

Training modules will be accessed via Internet using a thin-client loaded on all computers in the computing center. Application software will be installed on computer center

computers in advance.

Staffing Overview

There must be several people for staffing. One person must be in the lab at all times to monitor the computers. There should be more than one person monitoring the lab at different shifts. These personnel must have flexible schedule in case a shift needs to be filled in an emergency.The people monitoring the computer lab must have some knowledge of the programs that are going to be used and know how to teach the students the programs. These people could be volunteers or, if funding is available, paid personnel.

Project Schedule

The Gantt chart at the bottom of this page shows the overall schedule for this technology action plan.

Future Concerns

In order to keep this center open the facility needs to find a way to obtain some cash flow from other organizations that provide funding for charity organizations like Park Temple. If the center ever opens it will struggle to maintain open unless a considerable amount of funding is acquired first. Once these issues are address there are various other projects that could be added to improve the facility in the future.

A website could be built to promote and inform the community about the center. The purchase of new computer systems would alleviate the constraints the old equipment might set on certain heavy processor usage applications. The addition of new productivity software such as graphic design and web design could be installed. As the center becomes full of expensive computer resources, security to protect those investments needs to be taken into serious consideration.

Conclusion

Park Temple Baptist Church computer center’s mission is to help facilitate the learning experience of others thru the use of computers and learned computer knowledge. Our mission as volunteers for this project is to help them get the best possible technology plan in order to help them fulfill their mission.