Saturday, November 28, 2009
Texas STaR Chart Teaching and Learning
The Texas Campus STaR Chart "Teaching and Learning" component refers to how classroom instruction is delivered using technology. The goal is for all schools to function at the Target Tech level, wherein the teacher serves as a facilitator, mentor, and co-learner, and students have on-demand access to technology that will assist them in completing educational activities. Additionally, all students have met the Technology Applications TEKS through grade 8, and high school campuses offer and teach at least four Technology Applications courses.
Only about 1% of Texas schools are classifed as Target Tech at this time; 4% as Early Tech; 70% as Developing Tech; and 25% as Advanced Tech. Within my district, school levels vary widely between Developing Tech and Target Tech. As a whole, the district averages as Developing Tech in the areas of "Teaching and Learning" and "Educator Preparation and Develoment" and as Advanced Tech in the areas of "Leadership, Adminstration, and Instructional Support" and "Infrastructure for Technology." Texas still has a long way to go in order to compete with other states in technology integration, but the state has made great strides over the last several years. In order to continue this trend, the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020 establishes goals to allow Texas to be competitive in educating its students for the 21st century.
To improve in the area of "Teaching and Learning," my primary recommendation would be to get more computers into Texas schools. Other states have been able to accomplish this by providing students with laptops, and many schools in Texas have begun to adopt this concept. If students had on-demand access to technology in all classes, teachers could stop spending so much time directing students on the use of technology and spend more time mentoring students as they become independent learners, who employ technology to solve problems and develop critical thinking skills.
Only about 1% of Texas schools are classifed as Target Tech at this time; 4% as Early Tech; 70% as Developing Tech; and 25% as Advanced Tech. Within my district, school levels vary widely between Developing Tech and Target Tech. As a whole, the district averages as Developing Tech in the areas of "Teaching and Learning" and "Educator Preparation and Develoment" and as Advanced Tech in the areas of "Leadership, Adminstration, and Instructional Support" and "Infrastructure for Technology." Texas still has a long way to go in order to compete with other states in technology integration, but the state has made great strides over the last several years. In order to continue this trend, the Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020 establishes goals to allow Texas to be competitive in educating its students for the 21st century.
To improve in the area of "Teaching and Learning," my primary recommendation would be to get more computers into Texas schools. Other states have been able to accomplish this by providing students with laptops, and many schools in Texas have begun to adopt this concept. If students had on-demand access to technology in all classes, teachers could stop spending so much time directing students on the use of technology and spend more time mentoring students as they become independent learners, who employ technology to solve problems and develop critical thinking skills.
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Technology Applications TEKS Summary
The Pre-K Technology Applications TEKS are very basic; however, they develop a foundation of skills that will allow children to become confident and independent users of age-appropriate technologies, which is critical to the development of 21st century skills. By the end of the prekindergarten years, children should know how to open and navigate through age-appropriate software programs and be able to use those programs to create and express their own ideas. Pre-K students should also be able to identify a variety of computer input devices, including the keyboard, mouse, touch screen, sound recorder, and CD-ROM and have the ability to operate voice/sound recorders and touch screens. Ultimately, the goal of the Technology Application TEKS for Pre-K students is to allow them to recognize that information is accessible through the use of technology and develop the basis for their technological advancement in order acquire the skills they need to learn and grow throughout their lives.
By instilling technology skills in students during the prekindergarten years, Texas will ensure that its students have the ability to advance those skills as they move through their schooling and become competitive in the global marketplace when they enter the workforce. This scaffolding approach to teaching technology skills allows educators to systematically sequence content, materials, tasks, and support, so that children can accomplish tasks and develop new skills. Students are provided with support as long as necessary for them to be able to complete tasks independently and become proficient in the use of new technologies.
This scaffolding technique is visible in all of the Technology Applications TEKS. For example, in the Technology Applications TEKS for grades 3-5, students first develop the foundations, which allows them to understand the components of technology, such as the hardware and software, and then utilize those components to perform basic tasks, such as creating and saving a file. As part of the foundations, the students also learn how to use a variety of devicies, including keyboards, scanners, mouse, etc., and are educated about the acceptable use of technology and laws that pertain to copyrighted information. After students develop the foundation skills, they move on to developing information acquisition skills, where they learn how to use a variety of strategies to locate information using electronic resources and are able to understand the many formats in which the information is presented. At this point students also learn to evaluate the information for usefulness. Students are then taught to select and use appropriate computer-based productivity tools, such as word processing or presentation software, to express their ideas and solve problems. They must also use their acquired research skills to create new knowledge and evaluate their and their peers' work. Finally, students must communicate their information effectively and deliver their products through a variety of formats, including printed and digital displays, and assess their work to determine its relevance to the assigned task.
By instilling technology skills in students during the prekindergarten years, Texas will ensure that its students have the ability to advance those skills as they move through their schooling and become competitive in the global marketplace when they enter the workforce. This scaffolding approach to teaching technology skills allows educators to systematically sequence content, materials, tasks, and support, so that children can accomplish tasks and develop new skills. Students are provided with support as long as necessary for them to be able to complete tasks independently and become proficient in the use of new technologies.
This scaffolding technique is visible in all of the Technology Applications TEKS. For example, in the Technology Applications TEKS for grades 3-5, students first develop the foundations, which allows them to understand the components of technology, such as the hardware and software, and then utilize those components to perform basic tasks, such as creating and saving a file. As part of the foundations, the students also learn how to use a variety of devicies, including keyboards, scanners, mouse, etc., and are educated about the acceptable use of technology and laws that pertain to copyrighted information. After students develop the foundation skills, they move on to developing information acquisition skills, where they learn how to use a variety of strategies to locate information using electronic resources and are able to understand the many formats in which the information is presented. At this point students also learn to evaluate the information for usefulness. Students are then taught to select and use appropriate computer-based productivity tools, such as word processing or presentation software, to express their ideas and solve problems. They must also use their acquired research skills to create new knowledge and evaluate their and their peers' work. Finally, students must communicate their information effectively and deliver their products through a variety of formats, including printed and digital displays, and assess their work to determine its relevance to the assigned task.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020
The vision of the Texas Long Range Technology Plan, 2006-2020, which was developed by the Educational Technology Advisory Committee, includes provisions not only for students but also for parents, educators, and community and school board members in order to ensure that all stakeholders receive a 21st century education. In order to define the need for change and ensure that our students are prepared for the demands of the 21st century, one must understand how technology has transformed every aspect of business, government, society, and life. In an effort to ensure that Texas students can be competitive in this new environment, the educational focus has to shift so that students are empowered to continuously live and learn in order to effectively interact in the global marketplace. The 21st century learner is technology-savvy and views technology as an essential component of every aspect of his/her life. Accordingly, most teachers view technology positively, and 99% of teachers report using technology weekly for work and incorporate it into their lessons in order to improve student achievement. With that being said, teaching and learning is enhanced through the integration of technologies in classrooms, which allows for "greater levels of interest, inquiry, analysis, collaboration, creativity, and content production (p. 18)" among students. With 21st century learning, teachers must become facilitators, mentors, and co-learners, rather than the source of knowledge, and students must become active participants in the learning process. Additionally, educator preparation programs for new teachers and professional development programs for current teachers must ensure that all professional educators have the skills needed to change instruction to meet the needs of this and future generations of Texas students. It is critical that these programs model the appropriate use of technology and that all educators master the SBEC Technology Applications Standards. It is also imperative that school leadership understand and support technology innovation in our Texas schools. Administrators must model their use of technology as well as ensure that others utilize technology to enhance student performance. In order to provide equitable access to all learners, Texas must develop an infrastructure that will offer high-speed connectivity and be equipped with ample digital tools and resources. Among the elements of this plan, the most important is the "cohesive partnership between the state and local educational agencies, regional Education Service Centers, and higher education to provide the administrative and instructional support, infrastructure, professional development, certifications, and progress measures required to equip teachers and students with 21st century skills (p. 42)."
After reviewing the Texas Long-Range Technology Plan, 2006-2020, I believe this new learning will assist me in planning professional development and technology integration across the curriculum as I move into the role of an instructional leader. Now that I understand the Plan's vision and the need for change in our schools, I believe I can effectively convey that information to my colleagues. I believe it is important to understand how technology will impact not only students but also teachers, administrators, parents, and community members, and as we transition our students into the real world, we must prepare them for the global marketplace, as many of the jobs they will hold have not yet been invented. The knowledge I gained by reviewing the Long-Range Technology Plan, 2006-2020, will allow me to effectively model technology for my teachers and assist them with implementing technology into their lessons to positively impact student achievement.
After reviewing the Texas Long-Range Technology Plan, 2006-2020, I believe this new learning will assist me in planning professional development and technology integration across the curriculum as I move into the role of an instructional leader. Now that I understand the Plan's vision and the need for change in our schools, I believe I can effectively convey that information to my colleagues. I believe it is important to understand how technology will impact not only students but also teachers, administrators, parents, and community members, and as we transition our students into the real world, we must prepare them for the global marketplace, as many of the jobs they will hold have not yet been invented. The knowledge I gained by reviewing the Long-Range Technology Plan, 2006-2020, will allow me to effectively model technology for my teachers and assist them with implementing technology into their lessons to positively impact student achievement.
Technology Assessment and SETDA Reflection
I found the Technology Applications Inventory very helpful in assessing my own technology strengths and weaknesses; however, the SETDA Teacher Survey was somewhat difficult to complete because some of the information requested is not shared with teachers on a regular basis at my school. As teachers, our exposure to technology and knowledge about its use in the school is based on what we do with our own students or observe others doing with their students.
Due to my prior experience as a Systems Analyst, one of my strengths is my proficiency with computer hardware and software. I am also a Microsoft Certified Application Specialist in all Office applications, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, and Outlook. Therefore, I have the ability to utilize these applications to increase my own efficiency and effectiveness as well as incorporate them into my lessons to enhance student achievement.
Some areas of weakness that the surveys identified were my lack of knowledge regarding audio/video files and virtual reality applications, as well as my nonuse of telecommunications and project management tools. Due to our ever-changing technological environment, I believe it is extremely important for me to become well-versed in the use of audio/video files and virtual reality. This is especially true in my teaching field of marketing because audio/video and virtual reality uses are endless in the realm of marketing and could be easily incorporated into my lessons. Unfortunately, because I do not directly teach classes that revolve around these applications, my district will not support my attendance at workshops that address these areas. Additionally, although I have a large knowledge base regarding telecommunications and project managment tools as a result of my previous work experience, I do not readily incoporate these tools into my classroom or professional life. My school does not offer opportunities for students or teachers for engage in telecommunications activities, such as video conferencing or distance learning, and although I know the benefit of telecommunications activities, I have not pressed our district leadership to implement these types of programs. With the recent implementation of applications, such as Microsoft Outlook, teachers are beginning to use project management tools, but most people still believe it's easier to use a manual calendar or timeline, rather than incorporating an online, realtime version of the same information. Thus, when I attempt to use project management applications, there are not enough people, who understand how to use them, which creates additional work and/or misunderstandings; thus, I have returned to the paper and pen method of recording information.
Due to my prior experience as a Systems Analyst, one of my strengths is my proficiency with computer hardware and software. I am also a Microsoft Certified Application Specialist in all Office applications, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, and Outlook. Therefore, I have the ability to utilize these applications to increase my own efficiency and effectiveness as well as incorporate them into my lessons to enhance student achievement.
Some areas of weakness that the surveys identified were my lack of knowledge regarding audio/video files and virtual reality applications, as well as my nonuse of telecommunications and project management tools. Due to our ever-changing technological environment, I believe it is extremely important for me to become well-versed in the use of audio/video files and virtual reality. This is especially true in my teaching field of marketing because audio/video and virtual reality uses are endless in the realm of marketing and could be easily incorporated into my lessons. Unfortunately, because I do not directly teach classes that revolve around these applications, my district will not support my attendance at workshops that address these areas. Additionally, although I have a large knowledge base regarding telecommunications and project managment tools as a result of my previous work experience, I do not readily incoporate these tools into my classroom or professional life. My school does not offer opportunities for students or teachers for engage in telecommunications activities, such as video conferencing or distance learning, and although I know the benefit of telecommunications activities, I have not pressed our district leadership to implement these types of programs. With the recent implementation of applications, such as Microsoft Outlook, teachers are beginning to use project management tools, but most people still believe it's easier to use a manual calendar or timeline, rather than incorporating an online, realtime version of the same information. Thus, when I attempt to use project management applications, there are not enough people, who understand how to use them, which creates additional work and/or misunderstandings; thus, I have returned to the paper and pen method of recording information.
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