Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020: Teaching and Learning
The Texas Long Range Plan for Technology that I chose was Teaching and Learning. This area description states that students should have technology tools and resources made available to them for a 24 hour, 7 day a week period to gather information and collaborate with others on how to provide solutions for real-world problems they may encounter. This area of the plan also states that technology research should be used in all academic areas. In doing this, the student will be able to better communicate with diverse students in the specific formats needed.
Our campus, with the assistance of our new district Technology Specialist, is trying to accomplish this goal district wide. There are many new internet resources that our specialist has made readily available to us to help enhance classroom learning. It should be our goal to better prepare our students for the future. The state has put TEKS in place for every subject that allows for the use of technology because it is their desire to have technology integrated into every classroom as a way of keeping them engaged. The No Child Left Behind legislation has specific requirements in place to integrate a technology applications curriculum. The plan brings to attention the need for curriculum alignment. This is something that should be occuring through each campus and is not, at least not in my district. It is my hope that this will be addressed for next year.
It is also my desire to be able to push our student one step further to include all six technology standards listed by NETS. The national level focuses on pushing our students to use more than just the basic computer skills. It is their desire to have students use more critical thinking skills to problem solve and make informed decisions for a better outcome. The trends for local, state and national levels are a positive one. Each level realizes the need for technology in preparing our students for their future. It is imperative that we change with the times and and learn to integrate these important principles into our student’s education.
Long-Range Plan for Technology: Progress Report
The Progress Report on the Long-Range Plan for Technology addresses all key areas: Teaching and Learning, Education Preparation and Development, Leadership, Administration and Instructional Support and Infrastructure. This report summarizes each of these areas in detail. In the area of Teaching and Learning, there have been great strides made to provide students with more advanced types of technology in the classroom, along with teachers who have been trained. These teachers are using technology to engage their students and assist them with critical thinking and problem solving skills, enhancing their creativity and preparing them for college. In the area of Educator Preparation and Development, our educators are offered an abundance of professional development opportunities. These are offered continually throughout Texas at our 20 Regional Education Service Centers. The initiation of Project Share has opened up access for educators to share digitally using online resources. In the area of Leadership, Administration and Instructional Support the crucial element of administrator support is stressed. This plan encourages administrators to stay involved and assist their teachers with innovative ways to link technology in their classroom. This report is very helpful in showing school districts the necessary resources for their faculty and staff to be successful in bringing our students into the 21st century. The area of Infrastructure is the most significant area for support in our Texas schools. This report states if we are to introduce current technologies into our classroom we must progress to offer both students and educators the tools to be successful in today’s real world of technology. This reports shows that there have been great strides to increasing technology within our Texas schools by the use of grants, and resources available through our Regions ESCs, our Texas Education Telecommunications Network (TETN) and the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
National Education Technology Plan
In reviewing the National Education Technology Plan, it is clear that the Obama administration has two main goals. One goal is increasing the percentage of college graduates who hold a two or four year degree. The other goal is to ensure that all students are ready to succeed in college or career pursuits upon graduation from high school.
In order to achieve these goals the appropriate channels must realize the importance of introducing the ever changing elements of technology to our students. Technology-based learning and assessment systems will be pivotal in improving student learning and generating data that can be used to continuously improve the education system at all levels (U.S. Department of Education, 2011). This review is concerned with educators, and their administration, not being innovative enough to integrate all types of technology into the classroom. Gone is the time when a teacher walks into a classroom, reads from a book, hands out a worksheet and has the students turn it in at the end of class. There needs to be ways for an educator to teach effectively and efficiently. If the state and school administrators have expectations of their teachers, they must provide ways in which to accomplish the transformation from the traditional way of teaching to one of the 21st Century. Through continuous staff development and training this can be accomplished. It is necessary, now more than ever, to retain effective teachers. In order to do this, they must be equipped with the proper tools to elevate our students to a level of higher problem solving and critical thinking.
