Texas S Ta R Chart

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Texas S Ta R Chart

View more presentations from Melissa Goolsby.

Week 2-Educator Preparation & Development

According to the data from the Texas STaR Chart, the area in need of most improvement for my campus is Educator Preparation and Development. The totals for my campus over the past three years went from 11 to 10 to 11. The needs of today’s students are much different from the needs of students in previous decades. All educators must recognize that it is essential to continue learning, especially in the area of technology. Texas students need to be prepared for their futures which will be fully intertwined with technology. If Texas teachers continue to provide instruction and student practice in the traditional manner, our students will not be receiving an optimal education. Educators must receive on-going professional development in technology and classroom instruction strategies which will improve student learning. Research has shown that increased use of technology in the classroom improves student motivation and interest in learning within the content areas. However, for this to happen, teachers must first begin using technology more frequently and integrating it into the content areas. Many teachers are unwilling to use technology beyond the basic everyday tasks of teaching-attendance, grades, and lesson plans. It is critical that school districts and administrators provide opportunities for teachers to acquire and practice new skills in technology, time to collaborate with staff members, and most importantly, support and encouragement. The support and professional development provided to teachers should be based on the needs of the teachers in order to provide strategies for integration into content areas and instructional strategies. Training, support, and professional development can permit teachers to provide exceptional instruction which will prepare students at Liberty-Eylau and all Texas students for life and work in the 21st Century.

Week 1, Part 4-Technology Applications TEKS

Pre-K Technology Applications-

• In Pre-K, young children are exposed to technology with regular access and exposure to computers and age-appropriate software.


• Technologies are integrated throughout the Pre-K curriculum and provide opportunities for young children to learn, express ideas, and access information.


• Pre-K students learn to use basic software, mouse, and voice/sound recordings.

The Pre-K Technology Guidelines lay a foundation for student performance in future grades by exposing young children to technology on a daily basis while integrating technology throughout the curriculum. Pre-K Students learn to perform basic tasks such as using a mouse and playing a CD. Pre-K students use age-appropriate software to create and share ideas. By being exposed to engaging, age-appropriate, and challenging software in Pre-K, students will have a good start to mastering Technology TEKS in future grades and becoming proficient with them.

A Spiraling Curriculum is one in which objectives are introduced in one grade-level and touched on again in subsequent years. Objectives are often introduced on a very basic level and built upon until students have mastered the objective at a higher level. Within the Foundations strand of the Technology TEKS and the Pre-K guidelines, using technology terminology appropriate to the task is repeated from Pre-K all the way up through high school. This is an example of a skill which is introduced and built upon every year. In Pre-K, students are also introduced to using a variety of software with audio, video, and graphics to enhance learning. This is continued through Elementary as students use age-appropriate, challenging software to create and modify solutions to problems. In Middle School, students continue to use software to enhance learning with spreadsheets, databases, word processors, desktop publishers, and various digital and graphic tools. In High School, students begin to take courses specific to types of software and applications.

Long-Range Plan for Technology-Week 1, Part 3

After reading the extensive Long-Range Plan for Technology, I have a great deal more insight into the direction our schools should be taking in order to prepare Texas students for life and work in the 21st Century. There is a definite need for schools to change the level of technology being used and taught to students. Our students need to be able to communicate with technology and be able to use various types of software and digital products. 21st Century learners need to be problem solvers and sound decision-makers. It is very important that school and state leaders plan for technology funding which will prepare our students for their futures. Within the Long-Range Plan, it is recommended that mastery of Technology TEKS be measured and reported to TEA. Professional development must be consistent and easily accessible to teachers in order for them to be able to begin changing their instruction to better meet the needs of students. State and local education agencies must work together with regional ESCs and higher education to ensure that Texas teachers and students are equipped with 21st Century skills.

As an instructional leader who is guiding technology use and integration at the campus level, I now have more knowledge as to the direction our campus should be taking in preparing students for future educational experiences and work in the 21st Century. Our students today require instruction which is integrated with technology and easily accessible. As an instructional leader, it is very important that I model effective use of technology and encourage and support teachers and staff members in their efforts to integrate technology into their instruction. Also, as an instructional leader, I recognize the significance of planning and supporting professional development which will provide teachers with more opportunities to learn new technology skills and apply these skills in the classroom.

Technology Assessments-Week 1, Part 2

By taking the Technology Applications Inventory and the State Educational Technology Directors Association Building assessment, I have learned a little bit more about my abilities in the area of technology and the technology level of my campus.
I have always felt confident in the area of technology. I am capable of using various productivity tools and willing to learn how to use other software that I currently do not know how to use. My strengths as a campus leader are:
· The use of technology for communication,
· The ability to plan, create, and edit spreadsheet documents, publications, word documents, and presentations,
· The ability to integrate technology into curriculum, and
· The ability to locate and acquire information on the internet.
I feel confident in my ability to use technology as a campus leader. I currently use technology to acquire lesson ideas and order resources for the Elementary Math teachers. I also use technology to analyze student data, review lesson plans, study curriculum, and align curriculum for K-4 Mathematics. My weaknesses in technology are in the more complex areas of technology such as programming, network maintenance, and software/hardware repair. It would probably be helpful for me to learn more about these areas of technology, but I do believe that I would be able to be an effective campus leader and model use of technology which will encourage the teachers and staff to use technology without being able to maintain the network or repair hardware and software.
From the survey and assessments, I have learned that as a campus, we are weak in technology. Our school district is very fortunate to have knowledgeable and efficient technology staff. However, we do not have technology staff assigned to our campus. Our campus, both staff and students, would benefit from having a technology instructor/resource person on campus. Our teachers work hard to provide optimal instruction in content areas, but it is difficult for them to integrate technology into content areas and provide technology instruction due to time constraints and the availability of technology.
I am sure that the assessments are somewhat helpful in determining an individual’s strengths and weaknesses in the area of technology, but I believe that some of the technology skills assessed on the Technology Applications Inventory are not necessary for a campus leader to be an effective model of technology use. It is important for the campus leader to effectively use technology; however, some of the technology skills assessed are better served by a campus or district level technology resource.