This presentation showcases the high points of the Texas STaR Chart information, as well as showing data for Corsicana High over the time period from 2006 to 2009.
Please use the Play arrow to begin the presentation and use the Forward or Back arrows to move the slides along.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Opinion on the Long Range Plan and STaR Charts.
The STaR Chart is basically a snapshot of the preparedness of teachers, campuses and districts and shows the progress they are making towards the goals laid out in the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology. According to the STaR chart results for my campus we are not doing very well in the area of Educator Preparation and Development as this was our lowest scoring area for the past three years.
Description:
The area of Educator Preparation and Development refers to the progress that educators are making with regards to their own personal preparation to use and integrate technology into their classrooms. If teachers feel they are adequately trained then they will be more likely to use technology and be comfortable with it in their lessons. According to the Campus Star Chart , "Securing time, resources, and effective models for educator professional development presents a tremendous challenge to our state and to the entire nation". I have personally seen this because the technology department is currently swamped with fixing bugs and making upgrades to the point that there is hardly any time for training staff on how to properly use technology. As a result, many staff members feel they are not well prepared and so they chose to opt out of using technology as much as they can get away with.
Progress:
My campus has only made slight progress towards the state goals for educator preparation. We currently have a ranking of Developing, which shows that we still have a long way to go. In my short time in the district this is the first time that I am being made aware that there is actual training for technology use for teachers. Most of my training has been rushed and usually consisted of someone who was told at the last minute that they needed to show me how to use software. Some of the programs that we use like email were things that I learned on my own and only had to adjust to the district's way of doing things. Now that there is technology training available there are still very few people who show up because the sessions are at the end of the day. There is no monetary incentive for attending the training but you can earn hours towards getting a digital camera and some other hardware. Even with these incentives the training sessions have been very sparse, with only about four people on average attending the meetings.
Trends:
The trend in the last few years shows that technology use is on the rise, even though it is very slow, as the majority of teachers statewide are still at developing technology. When compared to the other areas of the STaR chart this is a great cause for concern because the teachers are the ones who are supposed to show students the benefits of technology, yet teachers are the ones who are the least developed.
Recommendations for Improvement:
I think more time needs to be spent on training teachers in the proper use of technology and the benefits that is has for them. The technology department has already started this by offering the training but I think it is up to the principals to motivate staff to attend the training so that they can learn the technology. Another way to improve educator preparation is to actually make staff aware of the purpose of the STaR Chart. In my first year of teaching I was sent an email that said to fill out the chart and did not get any assistance on how to do so. I was also not told the rationale behind filling in the chart. Then in my second year (last year) I moved to the alternative school and was told that I did not need to fill out the chart.
I was not aware of the Long Range plan for technology until I started to take this class and I am sure that many teachers have no idea what the plan is or where we rank on the STaR charts. If teachers are not aware of what progress we still have to make on the plan then there is nothing to light a fire under them to make them want to learn more. Teachers know about TAKS results and therefore they work to improve those scores. If they know their STaR scores I think they would be more willing to work so as not to have a failing grade.
Description:
The area of Educator Preparation and Development refers to the progress that educators are making with regards to their own personal preparation to use and integrate technology into their classrooms. If teachers feel they are adequately trained then they will be more likely to use technology and be comfortable with it in their lessons. According to the Campus Star Chart , "Securing time, resources, and effective models for educator professional development presents a tremendous challenge to our state and to the entire nation". I have personally seen this because the technology department is currently swamped with fixing bugs and making upgrades to the point that there is hardly any time for training staff on how to properly use technology. As a result, many staff members feel they are not well prepared and so they chose to opt out of using technology as much as they can get away with.
Progress:
My campus has only made slight progress towards the state goals for educator preparation. We currently have a ranking of Developing, which shows that we still have a long way to go. In my short time in the district this is the first time that I am being made aware that there is actual training for technology use for teachers. Most of my training has been rushed and usually consisted of someone who was told at the last minute that they needed to show me how to use software. Some of the programs that we use like email were things that I learned on my own and only had to adjust to the district's way of doing things. Now that there is technology training available there are still very few people who show up because the sessions are at the end of the day. There is no monetary incentive for attending the training but you can earn hours towards getting a digital camera and some other hardware. Even with these incentives the training sessions have been very sparse, with only about four people on average attending the meetings.
Trends:
The trend in the last few years shows that technology use is on the rise, even though it is very slow, as the majority of teachers statewide are still at developing technology. When compared to the other areas of the STaR chart this is a great cause for concern because the teachers are the ones who are supposed to show students the benefits of technology, yet teachers are the ones who are the least developed.
Recommendations for Improvement:
I think more time needs to be spent on training teachers in the proper use of technology and the benefits that is has for them. The technology department has already started this by offering the training but I think it is up to the principals to motivate staff to attend the training so that they can learn the technology. Another way to improve educator preparation is to actually make staff aware of the purpose of the STaR Chart. In my first year of teaching I was sent an email that said to fill out the chart and did not get any assistance on how to do so. I was also not told the rationale behind filling in the chart. Then in my second year (last year) I moved to the alternative school and was told that I did not need to fill out the chart.
I was not aware of the Long Range plan for technology until I started to take this class and I am sure that many teachers have no idea what the plan is or where we rank on the STaR charts. If teachers are not aware of what progress we still have to make on the plan then there is nothing to light a fire under them to make them want to learn more. Teachers know about TAKS results and therefore they work to improve those scores. If they know their STaR scores I think they would be more willing to work so as not to have a failing grade.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
EDLD 5352 Week 1 Part 4: Technology Applications TEKS summary
The Pre-K TEKS for technology are not divided into domains like the other Technology Application TEKS because they are not as detailed. They simply lay the groundwork for what the students will need to be familiar with as they enter the higher grades. Here the students begin to get familiar with the computer's main parts and learn the simple terminology like keyboard and mouse. At this stage they are generally not required to produce their own output from using technology as their technology use is mostly to provide feedback on what they are learning.
Students also learn how to select the appropriate program for what they wish to learn and then are taught the basics like how to start the program, how to navigate through the program and how to safely exit the program once they are finished with it. The use of age appropriate technology makes learning fun for the students and is easy to integrate into daily classroom activities.
Scaffolding and spiraling curricula are simply those that take one skill and build upon it in varying degrees as the student progresses. This is essential because it ensures that the student does not lose the skill due to lack of use, but it also forces the student to stretch his or her ability more and more as time goes by.
An example of a scaffolding or spiraling curriculum might read as follows:
In grades K-2 the student is expected to "use a variety of input devices such as mouse, keyboard, disk drive, modem, voice/sound recorder, scanner, digital video, CD-ROM, or touch screen" (§126.2. Technology Applications, Kindergarten-Grade 2. b,2,A) At this level the student uses these devices to access learning but is not required to produce any output that they have created.
In grades 3-5 the TEKS are the same but the student is expected to use these devices with greater proficiency. In middle school the student is expected to " demonstrate proficiency in the use of a variety of input devices such as mouse/track pad, keyboard, microphone, digital camera, printer, scanner, disk/disc, modem, CD-ROM, or joystick;" (§126.12. Technology Applications (Computer Literacy), Grades 6-8. b, 2, A) At this stage students need to show proficiency in the devices from the lower grades as well as move on to other devices that require greater dexterity and finesse.
At the high school level this TEK has morphed into the student will "demonstrate proficiency in the use of a variety of input devices such as keyboard, scanner, voice/sound recorder, mouse, touch screen, or digital video by appropriately incorporating such components into the product;" (§126.22. Computer Science I/ b,2,A) for example. At this stage the manipulation of input devices must be a part of the output of the student for the product being used.
Students also learn how to select the appropriate program for what they wish to learn and then are taught the basics like how to start the program, how to navigate through the program and how to safely exit the program once they are finished with it. The use of age appropriate technology makes learning fun for the students and is easy to integrate into daily classroom activities.
Scaffolding and spiraling curricula are simply those that take one skill and build upon it in varying degrees as the student progresses. This is essential because it ensures that the student does not lose the skill due to lack of use, but it also forces the student to stretch his or her ability more and more as time goes by.
An example of a scaffolding or spiraling curriculum might read as follows:
In grades K-2 the student is expected to "use a variety of input devices such as mouse, keyboard, disk drive, modem, voice/sound recorder, scanner, digital video, CD-ROM, or touch screen" (§126.2. Technology Applications, Kindergarten-Grade 2. b,2,A) At this level the student uses these devices to access learning but is not required to produce any output that they have created.
In grades 3-5 the TEKS are the same but the student is expected to use these devices with greater proficiency. In middle school the student is expected to " demonstrate proficiency in the use of a variety of input devices such as mouse/track pad, keyboard, microphone, digital camera, printer, scanner, disk/disc, modem, CD-ROM, or joystick;" (§126.12. Technology Applications (Computer Literacy), Grades 6-8. b, 2, A) At this stage students need to show proficiency in the devices from the lower grades as well as move on to other devices that require greater dexterity and finesse.
At the high school level this TEK has morphed into the student will "demonstrate proficiency in the use of a variety of input devices such as keyboard, scanner, voice/sound recorder, mouse, touch screen, or digital video by appropriately incorporating such components into the product;" (§126.22. Computer Science I/ b,2,A) for example. At this stage the manipulation of input devices must be a part of the output of the student for the product being used.
EDLD 5352 Week1 Part 3: Key Ideas of the Long Range Plan For Technology
The Texas Long Range plan for Technology, 2006-2020 is a document that details the plan for technology use and development in the world of education. I was not aware that such a document existed before taking this class but it is very good to know that there is such document that is well laid out. The plan, like everything else in education is laid out under various headings called domains and those domains are as follows:
Each of those domains is further explained in the document and gives more detail on the expectations for technology use and development in all areas of education.
Teaching and Learning
This section refers to the increased use of technology for our learners so that they may benefit from the things we are trying to teach them. Students should be able to manipulate technology not only to understand what they are currently being taught but also to find new questions that they can solve on their own. All learners must have access to reliable hardware and software that will not only enhance their learning but will encourage them to become more creative and explore the world around them even more.
Educator Preparation and Development
This section stresses the fact that we as educators need to be taught how to use the technology and learn ways to integrate it into every aspect of our teaching. Not only will this enable us to become better at explaining things to students but it will also make us all more productive so that we can handle those administrative tasks even better. The basic mandate of the long range plan is that all educators need to go through a program that shows the effective use of technology integration for all grade levels.
Leadership, Administration, and Instructional Support
This section talks about the leadership being involved in all aspects of the drive for increased technology use because they are the ones who ultimately decide on the allocation of resources. Leaders are also the ones who need to be the driving force to motivate the teams to use more technology, and at the district level they are responsible for ensuring compliance with the state and federal requirements.
Infrastructure For Technology
This section addresses the need to improve on the infrastructure that we have in place so that it can keep up with the growing demands in the upcoming years. The existing infrastructure will need to be upgraded as time goes by and there will also need to be investments into the purchase of new and better hardware and software to keep up with the demand of the population.
I now see how involved the long range plan is and how every member of each level must work together to be able to take advantage of technology so that we can improve. One thing that I was surprised to learn was that distance education is used for lower grades as well as for college students. I was also surprised to learn that the technology plan only allocates about $50 per student per year, as I think that this is a very small amount, given the current costs of equipment.
At every domain there are recommendations to the Texas Education Agency on what still needs to be done or what needs to be improved in order to make the long range plan be successful. It is now up to the leaders to inspire people to move ahead and embrace the technology so that we can all be in compliance and also benefit ourselves and our students.
As an instructional leader at my campus I can be the cheerleader to get everyone revved up about the ways that using technology can make our lives easier. I can motivate staff by showing them how much the use of technology will simplify things and save them time. I already know that our students are excited about using the computer for anything so it will not be too much of a stretch to get them on board as well.
- Teaching and Learning
- Educator Preparation and Development
- Leadership, Administration, and Instructional Support
- Infrastructure For Technology
Each of those domains is further explained in the document and gives more detail on the expectations for technology use and development in all areas of education.
Teaching and Learning
This section refers to the increased use of technology for our learners so that they may benefit from the things we are trying to teach them. Students should be able to manipulate technology not only to understand what they are currently being taught but also to find new questions that they can solve on their own. All learners must have access to reliable hardware and software that will not only enhance their learning but will encourage them to become more creative and explore the world around them even more.
Educator Preparation and Development
This section stresses the fact that we as educators need to be taught how to use the technology and learn ways to integrate it into every aspect of our teaching. Not only will this enable us to become better at explaining things to students but it will also make us all more productive so that we can handle those administrative tasks even better. The basic mandate of the long range plan is that all educators need to go through a program that shows the effective use of technology integration for all grade levels.
Leadership, Administration, and Instructional Support
This section talks about the leadership being involved in all aspects of the drive for increased technology use because they are the ones who ultimately decide on the allocation of resources. Leaders are also the ones who need to be the driving force to motivate the teams to use more technology, and at the district level they are responsible for ensuring compliance with the state and federal requirements.
Infrastructure For Technology
This section addresses the need to improve on the infrastructure that we have in place so that it can keep up with the growing demands in the upcoming years. The existing infrastructure will need to be upgraded as time goes by and there will also need to be investments into the purchase of new and better hardware and software to keep up with the demand of the population.
I now see how involved the long range plan is and how every member of each level must work together to be able to take advantage of technology so that we can improve. One thing that I was surprised to learn was that distance education is used for lower grades as well as for college students. I was also surprised to learn that the technology plan only allocates about $50 per student per year, as I think that this is a very small amount, given the current costs of equipment.
At every domain there are recommendations to the Texas Education Agency on what still needs to be done or what needs to be improved in order to make the long range plan be successful. It is now up to the leaders to inspire people to move ahead and embrace the technology so that we can all be in compliance and also benefit ourselves and our students.
As an instructional leader at my campus I can be the cheerleader to get everyone revved up about the ways that using technology can make our lives easier. I can motivate staff by showing them how much the use of technology will simplify things and save them time. I already know that our students are excited about using the computer for anything so it will not be too much of a stretch to get them on board as well.
Monday, November 23, 2009
EDLD 5352 Week 1 Part 2
I think that one of my strengths in educational technology leadership is that I have a degree in business computer information systems. I have had some experience with using the technology that is generally used in the classroom so I feel confident that I can help staff with some of their basic needs. I also have some experience with some of the Web 2.0 tools and can easily navigate blogs and social media websites so this puts me more in touch with what my students are doing.
My greatest weakness is that I am not in a position to exercise the skills that I have to any great degree due to a number of factors. One factor is just the nature of my school where we work off paper and pencil or one software program that contains all the work that the students need. Because we are so limited by our structure there is not much you can do with technology outside of letting the students log in to the program and work.
I believe that I really need more experience in using Excel as I believe it is a very powerful tool once you get to know all of it's capabilities. Excel is one of the best tools for an educational leader because it allows you to manipulate a lot of data and create a variety of reports very easily, in a format that is easy to explain. I think that the SETDA Teacher Survey just showed me all the other areas that I need a lot of work in to be an effective leader in my school's technology vision. The Technology Applications Survey pointed out more of my areas of strength in foundations of technology and problem solving with technology.
My greatest weakness is that I am not in a position to exercise the skills that I have to any great degree due to a number of factors. One factor is just the nature of my school where we work off paper and pencil or one software program that contains all the work that the students need. Because we are so limited by our structure there is not much you can do with technology outside of letting the students log in to the program and work.
I believe that I really need more experience in using Excel as I believe it is a very powerful tool once you get to know all of it's capabilities. Excel is one of the best tools for an educational leader because it allows you to manipulate a lot of data and create a variety of reports very easily, in a format that is easy to explain. I think that the SETDA Teacher Survey just showed me all the other areas that I need a lot of work in to be an effective leader in my school's technology vision. The Technology Applications Survey pointed out more of my areas of strength in foundations of technology and problem solving with technology.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Welcome To Lamar Class Postings
Hello,
This blog is to record my postings for classes taken at Lamar. I hope you enjoy reading.
This blog is to record my postings for classes taken at Lamar. I hope you enjoy reading.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)