The Educator Preparation and Development section of the Texas STaR Chart warrants a closer look, since the success of the plan depends on the effective transfer of adequate technological knowledge and skills from educators to students.
Surveys and polls, nation-wide, show that a large majority of educators consider themselves either novices or developing in acquiring the skills required to teach the Technology Application TEKS. Many are not even proficient in the technology applications domains of ‘foundations’, ‘information acquisition’, ‘solving problems with technology tools’, and ‘communication’- a clear sign that more needs to done to help educators meet the standards of the Texas Long Range plan.
No amount of lofty purpose, well-laid plans, state-of-the-art technology equipment, and availability of resources can replace properly trained teachers. They must be able to model technology use in ways that not only teaches the content, but done in such a manner that the learning styles of the diverse students in the classroom is taken into account; as well as making it relevant to their unique, individual needs. This is no small task, especially when the diversity of the staff body is taken into account; from veteran teachers, who shun most innovations like technology use, to newly-hired inexperienced teachers who may have a fear of technology use.
It is therefore very important that enough time, money, resources, and adequate hands-on technology training is provided on an on-going basis, to promote and produce truly skilled and technologically-savvy teachers, who are then well-prepared to pass their models to the students.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
S Ta R Chart Presentation
Check out this SlideShare Presentation:
S Ta R Charts Presentation
View more presentations from HannahD.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
The Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology
The plan encompasses the 2006 to 2010 years and the step-wise plan for the development and use of technology by all Texas State students.
The goal is that all Texas State students are given every opportunity in all spheres of their routine daily living, whether at home, or in any institution of learning; be able to use and adapt technology and electronic media into improving their lives, and being successful, while at the same time, being competitive in the global economy.
As such, various steps must be taken, from staff development training, feasibility studies that take student diversity, learning styles, ability, special needs status, relevance to the unique individual learner needs, parent/family involvement in students’ education, etc; in order to provide every child with the most updated and accomplished methods to be successful in the modern era.
All professional educators, whether veteran, current or those to be hired in the future; must be technologically knowledgeable and appropriately prepared to use technology to train or teach the students they serve.
The TEA and SBEC have developed various technology standards that all educators must meets, in order to meet the minimum requirements required to become certified.
Various education bodies and organizations are allowed to provide training and courses for educators to help meet the target tech level on the STaR chart; and school districts are expected to report to the TEA on the number of educators that meet the SBEC Technology Applications Standards.
Administrators have been given the onus, as head of schools and campuses, to spearhead the knowledge and use of technology for various uses. They must model the use of technology in routine daily tasks, in individual and group activities, in communication, problem-solving, and every area of their personal and professional growth.
They must promote technology use by providing the funds, time, and solid, research-based training that is State and TEA standards-aligned, in order to produce technology-certified teachers and staff that are comfortable with all aspects of technology use.
The long range plan has recommendations to the TEA, regional education service centers, local education agencies, Texas Higher Education, parents, communities and the private sector; all based on best practices and interactive decision-making and plans that would help in the proper and effective implementation of the technology plan, both current, and long range.
Various kinds of infrastructure must be put in place in all school districts, to help promote the staff and students’ access to universally available technology.
A variety of media - video, voice, data and other powerful applications - with continuous, anytime connectivity to other networks, must be made available to all students, whenever needed. As newer versions of soft/hardware replace older ones, on-going training must be provided, as well as the materials to keep up to par with the new technological advances. Schools and campuses must also have trained professionals who have knowledge and technical expertise needed to fix the systems, if they break down, or keep them in good working order, so that all stakeholders can access information and other needed data to promote the smooth running of the school.
The goal is that all Texas State students are given every opportunity in all spheres of their routine daily living, whether at home, or in any institution of learning; be able to use and adapt technology and electronic media into improving their lives, and being successful, while at the same time, being competitive in the global economy.
As such, various steps must be taken, from staff development training, feasibility studies that take student diversity, learning styles, ability, special needs status, relevance to the unique individual learner needs, parent/family involvement in students’ education, etc; in order to provide every child with the most updated and accomplished methods to be successful in the modern era.
All professional educators, whether veteran, current or those to be hired in the future; must be technologically knowledgeable and appropriately prepared to use technology to train or teach the students they serve.
The TEA and SBEC have developed various technology standards that all educators must meets, in order to meet the minimum requirements required to become certified.
Various education bodies and organizations are allowed to provide training and courses for educators to help meet the target tech level on the STaR chart; and school districts are expected to report to the TEA on the number of educators that meet the SBEC Technology Applications Standards.
Administrators have been given the onus, as head of schools and campuses, to spearhead the knowledge and use of technology for various uses. They must model the use of technology in routine daily tasks, in individual and group activities, in communication, problem-solving, and every area of their personal and professional growth.
They must promote technology use by providing the funds, time, and solid, research-based training that is State and TEA standards-aligned, in order to produce technology-certified teachers and staff that are comfortable with all aspects of technology use.
The long range plan has recommendations to the TEA, regional education service centers, local education agencies, Texas Higher Education, parents, communities and the private sector; all based on best practices and interactive decision-making and plans that would help in the proper and effective implementation of the technology plan, both current, and long range.
Various kinds of infrastructure must be put in place in all school districts, to help promote the staff and students’ access to universally available technology.
A variety of media - video, voice, data and other powerful applications - with continuous, anytime connectivity to other networks, must be made available to all students, whenever needed. As newer versions of soft/hardware replace older ones, on-going training must be provided, as well as the materials to keep up to par with the new technological advances. Schools and campuses must also have trained professionals who have knowledge and technical expertise needed to fix the systems, if they break down, or keep them in good working order, so that all stakeholders can access information and other needed data to promote the smooth running of the school.
The pre-K Technology applications TEKS
The pre-K Technology applications TEKS (1999, 2008) provides guidelines on what 3- and 4-year olds are expected to be able to do with technology applications, in order for teachers to prepare them for success in the new global economy.
It uses five domains, based on observed and researched child behaviors and interactions for that age group (social and emotional development, language and communication, emergent literacy: reading and writing, and math), to provide teachers with strategies on how to help this group of students to use technology effectively.
The TEA guidelines for technology is a dynamic, spiraling curriculum that starts to lay the foundation in pre-K, and is progressively built up in successive grades; and provides many opportunities in subsequent grades for looping back and re-teaching various concepts from lower grades in the higher grades.
This way, students are able to be well-versed in technology applications by using all updated and/or upgraded versions of software, applications, or other resources, to keep them current and globally competitive. This repetition due to spiraling also helps students to master the knowledge and skills gained as they do them many times in the different grades.
It uses five domains, based on observed and researched child behaviors and interactions for that age group (social and emotional development, language and communication, emergent literacy: reading and writing, and math), to provide teachers with strategies on how to help this group of students to use technology effectively.
The TEA guidelines for technology is a dynamic, spiraling curriculum that starts to lay the foundation in pre-K, and is progressively built up in successive grades; and provides many opportunities in subsequent grades for looping back and re-teaching various concepts from lower grades in the higher grades.
This way, students are able to be well-versed in technology applications by using all updated and/or upgraded versions of software, applications, or other resources, to keep them current and globally competitive. This repetition due to spiraling also helps students to master the knowledge and skills gained as they do them many times in the different grades.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Technonlogy and the 21st Century Classroom
Technology is an integral part of the 21st century and definitely an important part of the 21st century classroom. Teachers, students, and all stake holders must be prepared to be knowledgeable in the use of this new age phenomenon, in order to prepare students for the modern global economy.
The Texas Education Agency has provided guidelines that schools can follow to prepare staff and students for this innovative use of technology in teaching and learning. Likewise, my school and district have been working on providing staff with professional development training to prepare for the accomplishment of the state technology TEKS.
The four domains of the Technology Applications Inventory are foundations, information acquistion, solving problems, and communication. Based on my personal assesment of my knowledge of the four domains, my weakest points is in the foundations section. The results of the other three domains also show a 50/50 spread in each area. This information shows that I need to put in a lot of work in developing many areas of technology use in order to be fully prepared for the 21st century classroom.
The SETDA survey for my school shows that there is adequate preparation at my school and district for technology use, although still in the early stages of development. I plan to take rigorous technology applications courses in the coming months, as well as improve on the applications that I am using currently to better serve the students, and also for my personal professional growth.
The Texas Education Agency has provided guidelines that schools can follow to prepare staff and students for this innovative use of technology in teaching and learning. Likewise, my school and district have been working on providing staff with professional development training to prepare for the accomplishment of the state technology TEKS.
The four domains of the Technology Applications Inventory are foundations, information acquistion, solving problems, and communication. Based on my personal assesment of my knowledge of the four domains, my weakest points is in the foundations section. The results of the other three domains also show a 50/50 spread in each area. This information shows that I need to put in a lot of work in developing many areas of technology use in order to be fully prepared for the 21st century classroom.
The SETDA survey for my school shows that there is adequate preparation at my school and district for technology use, although still in the early stages of development. I plan to take rigorous technology applications courses in the coming months, as well as improve on the applications that I am using currently to better serve the students, and also for my personal professional growth.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)