Texas STaR Chart - opinion piece

I Choose the Topic of Infrastructure this area involves the following sub populations:

• Students per computers
• Internet Access Connectivity/Speed
• Other Classroom Technology
• Technical Support
• Local Area Network / Wide Area Network
• Distance Learning Capacity

Our current Campus Key Area STaR Classification status is Advanced Tech and the Key Area total reflecting that status is 17. The campus statewide majority of 57.2% is at the status of Advanced Tech as well. The status means that "4 or less students per computer. There is a direct connectivity to Internet in 75% of classrooms and library. Web Based learning is available. All rooms are on LAN/WAN. There is one educator per computer."(statewide chart) I feel that as a campus we are at the top of this Key area and very close to being fully emerging as a Target Tech Key Area. The difference is that The Target Tech Area means that every student has on-demand access. This Level of Progress will be meet after the complete roll out of our vision 20/20 grant of every student in the 6th - 12th grade having a personal laptop during the academic school year. This our greatest strengths area but it will also be the area that we will reach our goal of level of progress status being Target Tech this year.

Texas S TaR Chart

A tool for planning and Assessing School Technology and Readiness

Texas S Ta R Chart

View more presentations from Tally Jo Stout.

Technology Applications TEKS Summary

The Pre-K TEKS lay the foundation by teaching the basic skills needed to operate a computer. Students learn basic skills and terminology. They learn how to start, use, and exit programs. They also learn how to use basic input devices and learn basic terminology. The technology TEKS for all grade levels include the student learning to input data. At the younger levels students are learning simple input operations such as using a keyboard and a mouse. These are skills that will be needed to learn other aspects. As the students get older they learn additional input operations such as using scanners, and digital cameras.

Long Range Plan for Technology Reflection

Reviewing the Long Range Plan highlighted some areas that I didn’t give much thought before. I already knew that current teachers needed training on implementing technology in the learning process but this plan helped me realize that not all new teachers have the needed training. Also all teachers need additional training as advances in technology are made. I have personally experienced the excitement and willingness that students have when I present them with a computer based assignment but this plan helped me realize that these type of lessons are helping prepare them to function in the 21st Century. As an instructional leader I will lead by example and implement technology in my presentations and communications. I will make sure that my school keeps an up-dated website full of valuable resources for teachers, students, parents, and community members. I will encourage my teachers to implement technology in their lessons and provided them with needed resources and training to do so.

Reflection of Technology Assessments

The two assessments in which I completed were the Technology Applications Inventory and the Teacher Survey from SETDA. The Technology Applications Inventory reflected on areas of my personal professional development in technology. The Teacher Survey from SETDA reflected on the how the students , myself , campus and district were embracing technology. My short comings that I found I must work on is my lack of terminology in the area of technology and the technical applications in involved. The bonuses that I have to offer my students is that in terms of the applications I am very resourceful. Our campus and district I found to be in the forefront of technology. We are embracing the fact that in order for our students to be successful in today's society we must find new ways to maintain their attention. With this Trinity ISD has taken on the task of being a technology based campus/district. I also found that we as a district need to provide more professional development to the staff to ensure that they have the resources to relay the need information and applications to the students. With our IT deptartment this task of staff development should be nothing other than just finding the time slot to get all the professionals together.