Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology

The Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology is the implementation of educational technology through 2020. The Long-Range Plan is broken down into different phases: Phase I 2006-2010, Phase II 2011-2015, and Phase III 2016-2020. In each phase we will try to build on the technology that has already been implemented. Teachers must be able to prepare students for the future in this technology age. In order for this vision to become a reality teachers need to be well prepared. Teachers must have access to technology and be given proper professional development. Professional development in the use of new and innovative forms of technology is critical in order to succeed in the classroom.
As a school administrator we will play a key role in transforming this vision into a reality. Administrators must conduct needs assessment in order to determine the planning and implementation of educational technology in schools. As school leaders it is our responsibility to develop, implement, and budget for a technology plan that align resources to improve student learning and support school operations.
The 21st Century learner encounters different perspectives, different cultures, and different languages when involved in global collaborative learning. As educators we must be able to adapt and change with the new technology advances in our society. Our students have grown up in this technology era. At times we must turn to them for guidance and information. It is then that the teacher becomes the student and the student becomes the teacher.

Pre-K Technology Application TEKS

The Technology Applications Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) describes what students should know and be able to do using technology. Pre-Kindergarten students guidelines articulate what three and four year old students know and what they should be able to do using technology. Starting off at an early age helps to set the foundation for the technology age. At an early age children are exposed to a variety of educational toys and games that attract their curiosity. It is this curiosity that will keep them interested in the different forms of technology in the years to come. The TEKS are organized by different grade clusters: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12. The Technology TEKS are for students to gain technology based knowledge and skills and apply them to all curriculum areas.

Grades K-2
Students will gain basic skills such as inputting information and becoming familiar with the computer. Basic terminology is also taught at this stage.

Grades 3-5
Students will be taught proper keyboarding techniques. They will acquire information by selecting the most appropriate search strategies.

Grades 6-8
Students will build on what they have already learned. They will become knowledgeable in using multiple software applications and applying them across the curriculum.

Grades 9-12
Students will be allowed to choose from a variety of courses that will allow for growth and specialization.

The Technology Application TEKS is the example of a spiraling curriculum. The Technology Application TEKS tries to expose students to a wide variety of technological ideas. These ideas are continuosly taught and reinforced at the different grade levels. Each grade level has a different degree of difficulty. The reinforcement and change in degree of difficulty makes this a spiraling curriculum.

Personal Technology Assessment

The Technology Applications Inventory helped me identify my strengths and weaknesses in educational technology. In the first domain - Foundations - I am proficient in the use of a variety of input devices such as the keyboard, digital camera, scanner, modems, and CD ROMS. I can perform basic software application functions. In the second domain - Information Acquisition - I am able to identify, create and use a variety of text files. I know the difference between a directory and a search engine. My knowledge in the foundation and information acquisition domains allows me to get around my computer. I can understand the basic functions and software needed to complete classwork. In the third domain - Solving the Problems with Technoloogy Tools - I can plan create, and edit documents created with a word processor. In this domain it showed that I am capable of creating a document using desktop publishing techniques including, but not limited to, the creation of multi-section documents with a variety of text wrapped formats. I can also resolve information conflicts and validate information through research and comparison data. The final domain - Communication - I am capable of using multi-media presentations in an effective and meaningful way. The assessment showed that I am able to use technology to communicate effectively.
The State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) Teacher Survey was very helpful in determining the use of technology in the classroom. After reviewing the information from this survey I realized that I do not use as much technology as I should in the classroom. As a teacher I try to find as many resources as possible to teach my students. What I should do is allow the students to be more independent and try to find information on their own. One of the problems I face is that I do not have an assigned classroom. I am a roaming teacher at my high school. Due to the number of students in my classes, I get shuffled around to different rooms. One of my classes is in the Special Education Dept. campus office. We do not have access to computers in my classes. Hopefully things will change in the near future. I am really glad I took the following assessments. They showed my strengths and weaknesses in the technology field. It gives me an oppurtunity to grow and become more knowledgable in the technology field.