Weber Elementary

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Weber Elementary

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Week 2 Assignment 2

The Texas Long Range Plan for Technology encompasses four main areas. The one I believe will have the most significant impact on our student population is the area of Educator Preparation and Development. It is critical that educators know how to use an effectively implement technology into the learning day as a way of delivering information and as a way for students to respond with information. The Technology Plan requires beginning teachers to meet certain criteria before continuing their employment. The plan proposes that all teachers graduate from programs that model current technology. It also creates parameters for districts to develop new learning environments that utilize technology. It also ensures that the full integration of the appropriate technology throughout all curriculum and instruction.

From the implementation of this plan in 2006, great strides have been made. My district employs the use of TSDP, Technology Staff Development Plan. This plan serves all teachers as a way to meet the goals of the State’s long range plan. Teachers certify in four different levels by showing competency in all areas of technology. The Technology Facilitator on campus keeps records of who has achieved what level. Within the first 2 years with the district teachers are required to complete all the competencies. The flaw in this method is that teachers are left alone to complete the areas. Personally, it was a mundane but simple task for me. For others, it is a huge, insurmountable undertaking. If I could recommend improvement, I would find ways to support teachers in completing and meeting the state competency through more staff development.

week 1 Assignment 4

The technology TEKS spiral and build as the knowledge and age level of each student progress. The most important TEKS are found at the Pre-K Level. Mastery of these skills will allow these small students to move on to Kindergarten with a firm foundation in technology which will be expanded by the kindergarten through second grade TEKS and the others that follow accordingly. Skills that are essential in Pre K include:
• follows basic oral or visual cues for operating programs successfully.
• listens to and interacts with storybooks and information texts (multimedia encyclopedia) in electronic forms.
• moves and double‐clicks the mouse to interact with software programs.
• uses terminology to describe work on computer. uses voice/sound recording and touch screen devices appropriately.
• inserts and plays CD to listen to songs creates writings and drawings using software.
• uses a variety of software packages with audio, video, and graphics to enhance learning experiences (improving vocabulary; increasing phonological awareness).
• learns new information through interaction with technology
These skills come around for each child year after year with a little more difficulty through the spiraling technology TEKS. Specifically the last one, gaining knowledge from electronic sources, will be a daily necessity for every individual. If these skills are not at least introduced, this four year old is behind in today’s world before he even steps foot in kindergarten classroom.

Week 1 Assignment 3

Texas has rolled out a technology initiative. In response to the diverse and changing landscape of business Texas plans to help schools create a muchneeded shift in technology paradigm. We no longer live in a manufacturing era. We live in an information based era. Therefore our teaching must change in order to make our students competitive with students of other countries. The 21st century learner is a technology savvy individual who relies upon it to enhance every area of his life. This new kind of student REQUIRES instruction that allows them to communicate in a technology-enriched society. The students we teach are familiar with technology and are almost constantly connected to it.Educators must acquire the necessary skills within technology so they can be effective mentors to students who will need those skills in a competitive market place. Professional learning should be implemented in such a way that teachers are able to learn and implement technology in their plan for students. Parameters are in place through SBEC to help teachers acquire professional development.The infrastructure of technology will open doors previously closed, and enhance the speed, quality, and quantity of information exchange between schools, districts, college, communities, and the world. The infrastructure will have equitable access, technological support, standards to support learning, and measure to ensure data is secure and accurate.

Summary of Surveys

Before taking the Technology Applications Inventory I regarded myself as a technology savvy teacher. While most of the survey implicates this point of view there is a significant deficit in the domain of Solving Problems with Technology Tools. After some thought, I have surmised that I become comfortable with certain applications, software, or programs and use them to fulfill my needs. For instance, I have never learned how to efficiently use Microsoft Excel. Moreover, I go to great lengths to avoid its use because of my inability to effectively utilize all of Excel's features.
Next I took the SETDA Teacher survey and tried to answer the questions as honestly as possible. From that survey I have concluded that my students do not use technology on a regular basis for two reasons: my lack of knowhow and the school’s lack of equipment. The first is easily changed because we have an excellent technology facilitator, who is a former teacher, employed on our campus. I have set a goal to meet with her on how to integrate more technology into my teaching for my benefit but also to meet the needs of the students.
Finally I used The Rubric for Administrative Technology and found some of the same gaping holes. As a future administrator, it will be my job to ensure that I not only know how to use technology but that I actually use it. This will benefit my staff, the students, and the stakeholders of the school in which I lead.