I reviewed the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology and also my campus Star Chart and I chose the area of Infrastructure to discuss. Our campus has been in the category of Advanced Tech for the past three years. This category is described as having a campus where there are four or less students per computer, there is direct connectivity to the Internet in 75% of the classrooms and library, web-based learning is available, all rooms are connected to a LAN/WAN, there is one educator per computer and there are shared use of other resources. I have to agree with these findings because there are ample opportunities for our students and educators to use technology in every classroom. As a computer teacher, I have knowledge of what technology we have in the classrooms and help the teachers, if needed, to understand that technology.
Looking at our local campus results, it shows that our teachers have put us in the Advanced Tech category which in turn compares to the state average. The state average for 2007-2008 is 57.2% of schools are in the advanced stages. This shows that schools are experiencing a strong technology influence in their schools. I believe that is all campuses goals to reach the Target Tech but only 6.7% of the states schools are at this level now.
My recommendations for our school district would be to maintain the Advanced Tech level and shoot for the Target Tech level. I believe our campus has done an excellent job of keeping up with technology trends and our students are given an opportunity to succeed with the technology given. One area that I wish our administration would address would be for professional development. Our district has many technology opportunities but some of our teachers are having trouble with using and teaching that technology to the students. Some of our "old school" teachers are set in their ways and do not embrace the technology that is available. Having more professional development opportunities would allow them to see that advantages of technology and how easy it is to learn and integrate them into the classroom.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Star Chart
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Star Chart
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Saturday, November 28, 2009
Pre K TEKS
The Pre-K TEKS provide a foundation for the students to be successful in later grades. It covers the areas of socializing, emotions and academics. For these students to be successful, they need a strong, solid foundation before they can enter later grades. These students need to experience the basics of what it takes to be successful not only in the classroom but in the real world. Some of these successes could include just interaction with peers or adults. I believe these students need to have a positive experience in order to be successful. Technology plays a huge part in these successes. Listening, seeing and interacting with a computer program is just one example.
Scaffolding curriculum:
A scaffolding curriculum is one that provides support for a student to learn the concepts of the curriculum. Once there is an understanding of the concepts that support is no longer needed. If a student can understand the basic concepts, they then can apply that knowledge to solve problems.
Series of TEKS:
I decided choose the area of foundations throughout the TEKS. For grades K-12, the foundations strand sets the standard for the classrooms to function. Without this foundation, the rest of the class would not be able to function:
Foundations: The student demonstrates knowledge and appropriate use of hardware components, software programs, and their connections.
Grades K-2:
(A) Use technology terminology appropriate to task
(C) Use networking terminology such as on-line, network or password and access remote equipment on a network such as a printer.
Grades 3-5:
(A) Use technology terminology appropriate to task
(C) Identify and describe the characteristics of digital input, processing and output.
Grades 6-8:
(A) Demonstrate knowledge and appropriate use of operating systems, software application and communication and networking components.
(B) Compare, contrast and appropriately use the various input, processing, output and primary/secondary storage devices.
(F) Perform basic software applications functions
(G) Explain the differences between analog and digital technology systems
(H) Use terminology related to the Internet appropriately
Grades 9-12
(A) Demonstrate knowledge and appropriate use of operating systems
(B) Compare and contrast and use the various input, output, processing and primary/secondary storage devices
(G) Demonstrate coding proficiency in a contemporary programming language
Scaffolding curriculum:
A scaffolding curriculum is one that provides support for a student to learn the concepts of the curriculum. Once there is an understanding of the concepts that support is no longer needed. If a student can understand the basic concepts, they then can apply that knowledge to solve problems.
Series of TEKS:
I decided choose the area of foundations throughout the TEKS. For grades K-12, the foundations strand sets the standard for the classrooms to function. Without this foundation, the rest of the class would not be able to function:
Foundations: The student demonstrates knowledge and appropriate use of hardware components, software programs, and their connections.
Grades K-2:
(A) Use technology terminology appropriate to task
(C) Use networking terminology such as on-line, network or password and access remote equipment on a network such as a printer.
Grades 3-5:
(A) Use technology terminology appropriate to task
(C) Identify and describe the characteristics of digital input, processing and output.
Grades 6-8:
(A) Demonstrate knowledge and appropriate use of operating systems, software application and communication and networking components.
(B) Compare, contrast and appropriately use the various input, processing, output and primary/secondary storage devices.
(F) Perform basic software applications functions
(G) Explain the differences between analog and digital technology systems
(H) Use terminology related to the Internet appropriately
Grades 9-12
(A) Demonstrate knowledge and appropriate use of operating systems
(B) Compare and contrast and use the various input, output, processing and primary/secondary storage devices
(G) Demonstrate coding proficiency in a contemporary programming language
Long Range Plan Findings
The Long Range Plan for Technology was an interesting read. I am a technology teacher at my campus and have heard many of the things that are in this plan. One of the most interesting things is that the students, teachers and parents will have access to learning tools and technology 24/7. I believe this can do nothing but enhance the learning experience for everyone involved.
This plan also states that students need to be treated as individual learners and that the classroom is not treated as a "one-size fits all" learning environment anymore. I believe that technology has the ability to conform to this statement. We have a student that has dyslexia and he uses technology to help with his learning. We are just into the third six weeks and he has shown tremendous improvement in the way he learns.
The teacher voices section was interesting to me because of the statistics that were given. I found that theses statistics match up to what is going on in my classroom and campus. I agree with these statistics because I believe that technology has a huge impact on the way are students learn and communicate.
What I also found interesting in this plan was the findings that the ETAC had identified. For the most part, their findings stated that there is a need for funding or discounts. This holds very true in that technology is very expensive. With technology changing every day, there is a need for updating and maintaining the technology to keep up with the real world which can also become expensive.
This plan also states that students need to be treated as individual learners and that the classroom is not treated as a "one-size fits all" learning environment anymore. I believe that technology has the ability to conform to this statement. We have a student that has dyslexia and he uses technology to help with his learning. We are just into the third six weeks and he has shown tremendous improvement in the way he learns.
The teacher voices section was interesting to me because of the statistics that were given. I found that theses statistics match up to what is going on in my classroom and campus. I agree with these statistics because I believe that technology has a huge impact on the way are students learn and communicate.
What I also found interesting in this plan was the findings that the ETAC had identified. For the most part, their findings stated that there is a need for funding or discounts. This holds very true in that technology is very expensive. With technology changing every day, there is a need for updating and maintaining the technology to keep up with the real world which can also become expensive.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Technology Surveys
My teaching assignment at Early Middle School is 6th, 7th and 8th grade technology applications. While I was completing these surveys I experienced a very positive outcome because I use technology everyday in the classroom and my campus. Reflecting on the Technology Applications Survey, I found that most of my responses were yes. I found that the first two domains, foundations and information acquisition, that I answered yes to all the questions. These two domains cover all the basic computer and technology functions that I teach and use in the classroom and my campus. The third domain, solving problems, I found that a few of the questions covered some technology that we do not have access to. Such as virtual reality or simulations. I am currently working with my campus principal to add some of this to the curriculum. The communication section of this survey I found that I also answered a few questions with a no. My middle school campus does not have access to editing video or audio. Our students receive this information at the high school level.
The SETDA survey covers everything from what we use in the classroom to professional development. This survey also asks what the results were in certain activities and how we perceived the students outcomes. I particularly like the sections where it wants us to rate our staff development experiences. Our school offers staff development in the summer for technology, but I have suggested and have not heard back, that we expand it to help with strategies for our classrooms.
I believe that I am strong in the area of technology because of my experience as a technology teacher. I do have some weaknesses in the classroom in the areas of virtual reality and simulation software because these are not available at my level in my district. My strengths to my middle school students are that I am proficient in the basics of technology. I believe as a technology teacher that the middle school students need to be proficient in the technology basics in order to be successful at the high school and college levels.
The SETDA survey covers everything from what we use in the classroom to professional development. This survey also asks what the results were in certain activities and how we perceived the students outcomes. I particularly like the sections where it wants us to rate our staff development experiences. Our school offers staff development in the summer for technology, but I have suggested and have not heard back, that we expand it to help with strategies for our classrooms.
I believe that I am strong in the area of technology because of my experience as a technology teacher. I do have some weaknesses in the classroom in the areas of virtual reality and simulation software because these are not available at my level in my district. My strengths to my middle school students are that I am proficient in the basics of technology. I believe as a technology teacher that the middle school students need to be proficient in the technology basics in order to be successful at the high school and college levels.
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