Our Eyes are on Technology

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Texas S Ta R Chart

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Texas Long Range Plan for Technology: Leadership, Administration & Instructional Support

After reviewing the four areas on the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, and reviewing my campus' STaR Chart, I chose the area of Leadership, Administration, and Instructional Support to discuss. This area refers to leaders implementing and improving technology innovations, technical support, budget and funding, and staffing. From a personal perspective, I would have predicted this area as being the weakest area on my campus, but surprisingly, it was close to being the strongest area.

Locally, the teachers in the district rated leadership as still being at the developing level, and this has not changed for the past three years. State results showed the Leadership area to be the strongest area and classified as borderline being advanced. The statewide trend indicates the results to be developing, and increasing, but not drastic enough yet to be labeled as Advanced Tech. Locally, the results highly indicate that the district's leadership level is still at Developing Tech, and has been constant over the past three years.

My recommendation would be for the administrators and leaders to start taking a more active approach in helping to integrate technology into the classrooms. I would suggest that the administration integrate more professional development on ways to integrate technology. Our campus needs to create a technology committee that would find ways to improve our technology program. Instead of a technology technician, our district needs a technology leader that helps locate and create activities that will be easy but effective for teachers to integrate into their curriculum.

Pre-K Technology Applications TEKS Summary

Grades 3-5

Through the knowledge of technology foundations,technology terminology, and data input strategies, students will learn to make decisions about technology and their applications. Students will learn search strategies, and the use of technology to access, analyze and evaluate information. By using technology, students will be able to choose the appropriate decisions for individual and group problem solving. They will be able to create a solution to technology problems and evaluate the results. Students will be able to electronically communicate through a wide variety of media in different formats and diverse audiences.

The TEKS provide a direction for schools to follow as they prepare their students to be life-long learners. Every year, each grade level adds to the technology foundation and continues being a stepping stone for the next years growth. Grades 3-5 components add to the prior basic knowledge. At this grade they are becoming familiar with the different features and commands, and are able to create simple presentations with the different media. If each cluster of grades meet their TEK requirements, they will be well on their way to a productive life in the 21st century.

Scaffolding Curriculum


Scaffolding sets up the thinking level and the standards that a teacher wants from students. This sets the concept up on how it will be used in the future. A scaffolding curriculum is a curriculum where support is given to a child in order that the child can reach a level of understanding of the concept, and once that concept is understood, the support is no longer needed. When the students can identify the concept, they are ready to start implementing this knowledge. Scaffolding curriculum is now left behind and a spiraling curriculum is used.

Series of TEKS

As I looked over the TEKS from grades K-12, I decided to choose the Technology Application of Problem Solving to show the multiple opportunities students will have to master the knowledge and skills.


(7)Solving problems. The student uses appropriate computer-based productivity tools to create and modify solutions to problems and is expected to:

Grades K-2
(A) use software programs with audio, video, and graphics to enhance learning experiences;
(B) use appropriate software, including the use of word processing and multimedia, to express
ideas and solve problems.

Grades 3-5

(B) use appropriate software to express ideas and solve problems including the use of word
processing, graphics, databases, spreadsheets, simulations, and multimedia; and
(C) use a variety of data types including text, graphics, digital audio, and video.

Grades 6-8
(A) plan, create, and edit documents created with a word processor using readable fonts, alignment, page setup, tabs, and ruler settings;
(B) create and edit spreadsheet documents using all data types, formulas and functions, and chart information;
(C) plan, create, and edit databases by defining fields, entering data, and designing layouts appropriate for reporting;
(D) demonstrate proficiency in the use of multimedia authoring programs by creating linear or non-linear projects incorporating text, audio, video, and graphics;
(E) create a document using desktop publishing techniques including, but not limited to, the creation of multi-column or multi-section documents with a variety of text-wrapped frame formats;
(F) differentiate between and demonstrate the appropriate use of a variety of graphic tools found in draw and paint applications;
(G) integrate two or more productivity tools into a document including, but not limited to, tables, charts and graphs, graphics from paint or draw programs, and mail merge;
(J) use foundation and enrichment curricula in the creation of products.

Grades 9-12
(A) apply problem-solving strategies such as design specifications, modular top-down design,step-wise refinement, or algorithm development;
(B) use visual organizers to design solutions such as flowcharts or schematic drawings;
(C) develop sequential and iterative algorithms and codes programs in prevailing computer languages to solve practical problems modeled from school and community;
(D) code using various data types;
(E) demonstrate effective use of predefined input and output procedures for lists of computer instructions including procedures to protect from invalid input;
(F) develop coding with correct and efficient use of expressions and assignment statements including the use of standard/user-defined functions, data structures, operators/proper operator precedence, and sequential/conditional/repetitive control structures;
(H) identify actual and formal parameters and use value and reference parameters;
(I) use control structures such as conditional statements and iterated, pretest, and posttest loops;
(K) identify and use structured data types of one-dimensional arrays, records, and text files.

Long-Range Plan for Technology

The vision for all Texas schools is that all Technology Application Standards be implemented into the classrooms. If all educators receive enough professional development and support from the local and state agencies, they will be able to implement the standards effectively, and all students can become successful problem solvers and life long learners. It is an ongoing process, but it is crucial for all students to be productive in the 21st century.
Students in today's society are so knowledgeable with technology because it consumes so much of their life. If we are going to produce successful students, then we are going to have to teach the way children learn best, and that is with technology. Since technology is an important part of students' lives, they need to be able to know that the information they are acquiring is valid and accurate. Distant Learning and on-line courses are becoming a part of students' education. This type of teaching can reach all diverse learners throughout Texas.
The process of integrating technology has to be totally supported from the leadership in the school district. Leaders set the tone on how teachers respond to technology usage. Collaboration between the leaders and teachers is ongoing planning and should always align with the Long Range Plan for technology. A school district has to provide high speed connections and provide an individual with training to ensure technology's reliability and availability for students to receive a quality education.
Reviewing the Long-Range Plan for Technology has given me some information on ways I can guide technology use and integrate it at my campus when I become an instructional leader. First, the vision has to be shared with everyone on the campus. If all staff members don't share the vision, then implementation will not be done in a successful manner. Before I ask the staff to implement any new strategy, I will make certain that they are trained efficiently with it. I will monitor data to determine if the resources and strategies are proving to be effective as I make technology decisions.

Responses and Reflections on Technology Assessments

After reviewing the Technology Applications Inventory and the SETDA Inventory, I feel fairly competent in the basic foundation of technology. I do many of these objectives through my Lamar courses, and I have done many of these concepts with my students. I can create and save text files, access and use online help, create Power Points, and can create various types of documents. I still need more guidance using audio and video files, and evaluating information for accuracy and validity. Through Lamar, I have been introduced to the Boolean search strategy, so now I am experimenting with it. Portfolios are not used on my campus, nor have I had any training with them. I need more knowledge and skills on integrating portfolios, spreadsheets, and integrating technology into the different subjects that I teach.It was interesting to see how accurate the technology assessments were. The assessments showed that my campus and I were aware of the importance of technology, but we still need more professional development to get us where we need to be.

My strength in educational technology leadership as a principal is that I am strong in the basic usage of technology. I can create newsletters that will be emailed and mailed to the parents. I will be able to help the staff with implementation of technology, because I will make technology a priority, and I will always be looking for resources and strategies for them to implement in their classrooms. My weakness in educational technology as a principal will be working with spreadsheets. I know that I will have to have more training, so that I can work with data and compare data within my campus. As a principal, I will have to make technology a priority on my campus.