Cy Creek High School STar Chart
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Sunday, November 29, 2009
Week 2, Part 2: Texas Star Chart
I believe that the Educator Preparation and Development area is one of the most important aspects of the four areas of the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology. I constantly try to provide students with access to new technologies and teach them how to use it. As the demand and the use of technology progresses, the innovative products are developed and become outdated in such a rapid pace. In addition, some schools are stuck with an innovative technology programs with no knowledge on how to effectively implement them into the classrooms. Teachers who are technologically savvy will achieve the desired results or even develop innovative uses of the programs,, while some teachers become frustrated on trying to learn how to bring new technology into their classrooms due to a lack of proper professional development.
The examples above are the reasons why professional development is critical. In order for all teachers to develop competency in integrating technology-supported/learner-centered instruction, administrators must ensure that teachers are receiving the proper professional development. For example, my campus administrators do a great job of providing professional development to our faculty. On our campus, professional development is a process. They will deliver methods and technology, model them, allow us to practice them in the classroom, and give us support if we need. In addition, we are given the opportunity to become creative, innovative, and provide them with any type of feedback. It is a firm belief that our campus is successful because our teachers are well-developed and trained.
The best kind of professional development is one where teachers are doing hands-on learning and actually applying what they have learned to their classrooms. Collaborating with teachers on how they are incorporating technology and new lesson plans. Professional development is not when you go to a lecture and listen. It is a collaborative process where teachers must get "down and dirty" and actually learn something.
The trends in our nation, state, and on my campus seems to be in the development stage of this area in the Long Range Plan of technology. As a whole, technology is budgeted for and used in the classroom. However, the ability of 24/7 access to online resources for learner-centered activities needs to become prevalent. Also, according to the Campus Statewide Summary by Key Area Report, only 19.9% of campuses reported that 60% of educators meet SBEC standards. All in all, I recommend that campuses develop plans and budgets to ensure that all teachers and administrators meet SBEC standards. With this in mind, campuses need to develop incentive programs and local standards to hold everyone accountable for meeting expectations.
The examples above are the reasons why professional development is critical. In order for all teachers to develop competency in integrating technology-supported/learner-centered instruction, administrators must ensure that teachers are receiving the proper professional development. For example, my campus administrators do a great job of providing professional development to our faculty. On our campus, professional development is a process. They will deliver methods and technology, model them, allow us to practice them in the classroom, and give us support if we need. In addition, we are given the opportunity to become creative, innovative, and provide them with any type of feedback. It is a firm belief that our campus is successful because our teachers are well-developed and trained.
The best kind of professional development is one where teachers are doing hands-on learning and actually applying what they have learned to their classrooms. Collaborating with teachers on how they are incorporating technology and new lesson plans. Professional development is not when you go to a lecture and listen. It is a collaborative process where teachers must get "down and dirty" and actually learn something.
The trends in our nation, state, and on my campus seems to be in the development stage of this area in the Long Range Plan of technology. As a whole, technology is budgeted for and used in the classroom. However, the ability of 24/7 access to online resources for learner-centered activities needs to become prevalent. Also, according to the Campus Statewide Summary by Key Area Report, only 19.9% of campuses reported that 60% of educators meet SBEC standards. All in all, I recommend that campuses develop plans and budgets to ensure that all teachers and administrators meet SBEC standards. With this in mind, campuses need to develop incentive programs and local standards to hold everyone accountable for meeting expectations.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Week 1 Assignment, Part 4: Technology Applications TEKS Summary
In prekindergarten, students expand their ability to acquire information, solve problems, and communicate with others. Regular access and exposure to computers and related technology can enhance this learning. Children use engaging, age-appropriate, and challenging software, and technology to extend their knowledge and to enrich their learning of curriculum content and concepts. These technologies serve as important learning tools and are integrated throughout the instructional program.
Children will learn the basic functions of the computer and related technologies. They develop techniques for handling and controlling various input devices, and become increasingly confident and independent users of age-appropriate software programs. The students at the pre-k level will learn the basic functions of the computers and other technologies. The prekindergarten year is used as a time for the students to become familiar with techniques and becoming confident in their abilities with the technology. They will be expected to be able to start, use and exit software programs. The students will also be expected to use an assortment of input devices, including the mouse, keypad, printer, and CD-ROM, and know the terminology associated with each component. Students should be able to follow basic oral or pictorial cues in order to operate programs successfully. Another expectation would be for the students to be able to listen and interact appropriately with electronic forms of storybooks and information texts. The final expectation of pre-k students would be that they are able to successfully use a variety of software packages with audio, video, and graphics to enhance their learning experiences.
Pre-K TEKS lay the foundation for student performance in future grades by laying a foundation for years to come. If teachers at the pre-k level are successful in attaining the goals set forth by the Prekindergarten Guidelines, the teachers of the future grades have a much easier time in reaching their goals. If the students entering their classes are fluent with technology, meaning being capable of using technology and feeling confident in using technology, the instructors can spend their time delving into the content necessary to reach their goals according to the TEKS. Teachers at each grade level are required to meet the appropriate TEKS according to their subject area and/or grade level. They can access technology that is age-appropriate, challenging, and engaging for the students in their classroom that is relevant to their specific curriculum. Furthermore, the ability of the students to work comfortably with technology will enable teachers in the future grades to have the opportunity to reach all learners by utilizing the various technological strategies for diverse classrooms with greater ease, as they will not have to spend their time introducing basic computer technology to the students.
In reviewing the grade clusters K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and various specific TA high school level content areas, I found several TEKS that are repeated through several, if not all clusters.
Since all of the other content area TEKS are designed as a dynamic and spiraling curriculum, it is appropriate and rational to say that the Technology Application TEKS would also be designed as a dynamic and spiraling curriculum. As students progress into higher grades, the expectation of the particular TEKS increases with higher grade clusters, as is true of most content area TEKS. Through several grade clusters, the Solving Problems strand according to the TA TEKS, the student “uses appropriate computer-based productivity tools to create and modify solutions to problems.” I compared this TEK in three different clusters, K-2, 3-5, and 6-8. That specific objective continues into the high school level courses, but I only illustrated the grade clusters listed above. Although the main objective is identical in all three grade clusters, each grade cluster had an increasing number of expectations.
The objective that the student “uses appropriate computer-based productivity tools to create and modify solutions to problems” is first listed in the K-2 grade cluster. At this level there are two expectations of the student. One, they are expected to “use software programs with audio, video, and graphics to enhance learning experiences” (7A), and two, they are to “use appropriate software including the use of word processing and multimedia, to express ideas and solve problems” (7B).
The next grade level to list this objective is grade cluster 3-5, with three expectations required of the student. Again, here the student is expected to “use software programs with audio, video, and graphics to enhance learning experiences” (7A), exactly as it was stated in the grade cluster K-2. Differing though, the second expectation has been modified to have the student “use appropriate software to express ideas and solve problems including the use of word processing, graphics, databases, spreadsheets, simulations, and multimedia” (7B). Here, the student is still expected to use word processing and multimedia, which reinforces those skills learned in the previous grade cluster. At this level though, the student is now expected to use additional methods which include graphics, databases, spreadsheets, and simulations to express ideas and solve problems. Finally, the third expectation that the student is to “use a variety of data types including text, graphics, digital audio, and video” (7C). This expectation is a new feature added to this grade cluster.
The middle school cluster, 6-8, lists the same objective, but goes into much comprehensive detail with regard to student expectations. Within this cluster and objective, the teachers are required to look at ten expectations. At this level, it is clear that the expectation is for the student to use specific strategies, focusing greater attention to detail, but still focusing on the student’s ability to use computer-based productivity tools to create or modify products of their own. As you can see this is illustrated in the detailed wording of the first few expectations. The first few specifics are listed, “plan, create, and edit documents created with a word processor using readable fonts, alignment, page setup, tabs, and ruler settings” (7A), “create and edit spreadsheet using all data types, formulas and functions, and chart information” (7B), “plan, create and edit databases by defining fields, entering data, and designing layouts appropriate for reporting” (7C), and “demonstrate proficiency in use of multimedia authoring programs by creating linear or nonlinear projects incorporating text, audio, video, and graphics” (7D). The next several continue in the same detailed manner, “create a document using desktop publishing techniques including, but not limited to, the creation of multi-column or multi-section documents with a text-wrapped frame formats” (7E), “differentiate between and demonstrate appropriate use of a variety of graphic tools found in draw and paint applications” (7F), “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” (7G), and “use interactive virtual environments, appropriate to level, such as virtual reality or simulations” (7H). The final expectations are indicated as, “use technical writing strategies to create products such as a technical instruction guide” (7I), and “use foundation and enrichment curricula in the creation of products” (7J).
Children will learn the basic functions of the computer and related technologies. They develop techniques for handling and controlling various input devices, and become increasingly confident and independent users of age-appropriate software programs. The students at the pre-k level will learn the basic functions of the computers and other technologies. The prekindergarten year is used as a time for the students to become familiar with techniques and becoming confident in their abilities with the technology. They will be expected to be able to start, use and exit software programs. The students will also be expected to use an assortment of input devices, including the mouse, keypad, printer, and CD-ROM, and know the terminology associated with each component. Students should be able to follow basic oral or pictorial cues in order to operate programs successfully. Another expectation would be for the students to be able to listen and interact appropriately with electronic forms of storybooks and information texts. The final expectation of pre-k students would be that they are able to successfully use a variety of software packages with audio, video, and graphics to enhance their learning experiences.
Pre-K TEKS lay the foundation for student performance in future grades by laying a foundation for years to come. If teachers at the pre-k level are successful in attaining the goals set forth by the Prekindergarten Guidelines, the teachers of the future grades have a much easier time in reaching their goals. If the students entering their classes are fluent with technology, meaning being capable of using technology and feeling confident in using technology, the instructors can spend their time delving into the content necessary to reach their goals according to the TEKS. Teachers at each grade level are required to meet the appropriate TEKS according to their subject area and/or grade level. They can access technology that is age-appropriate, challenging, and engaging for the students in their classroom that is relevant to their specific curriculum. Furthermore, the ability of the students to work comfortably with technology will enable teachers in the future grades to have the opportunity to reach all learners by utilizing the various technological strategies for diverse classrooms with greater ease, as they will not have to spend their time introducing basic computer technology to the students.
In reviewing the grade clusters K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and various specific TA high school level content areas, I found several TEKS that are repeated through several, if not all clusters.
Since all of the other content area TEKS are designed as a dynamic and spiraling curriculum, it is appropriate and rational to say that the Technology Application TEKS would also be designed as a dynamic and spiraling curriculum. As students progress into higher grades, the expectation of the particular TEKS increases with higher grade clusters, as is true of most content area TEKS. Through several grade clusters, the Solving Problems strand according to the TA TEKS, the student “uses appropriate computer-based productivity tools to create and modify solutions to problems.” I compared this TEK in three different clusters, K-2, 3-5, and 6-8. That specific objective continues into the high school level courses, but I only illustrated the grade clusters listed above. Although the main objective is identical in all three grade clusters, each grade cluster had an increasing number of expectations.
The objective that the student “uses appropriate computer-based productivity tools to create and modify solutions to problems” is first listed in the K-2 grade cluster. At this level there are two expectations of the student. One, they are expected to “use software programs with audio, video, and graphics to enhance learning experiences” (7A), and two, they are to “use appropriate software including the use of word processing and multimedia, to express ideas and solve problems” (7B).
The next grade level to list this objective is grade cluster 3-5, with three expectations required of the student. Again, here the student is expected to “use software programs with audio, video, and graphics to enhance learning experiences” (7A), exactly as it was stated in the grade cluster K-2. Differing though, the second expectation has been modified to have the student “use appropriate software to express ideas and solve problems including the use of word processing, graphics, databases, spreadsheets, simulations, and multimedia” (7B). Here, the student is still expected to use word processing and multimedia, which reinforces those skills learned in the previous grade cluster. At this level though, the student is now expected to use additional methods which include graphics, databases, spreadsheets, and simulations to express ideas and solve problems. Finally, the third expectation that the student is to “use a variety of data types including text, graphics, digital audio, and video” (7C). This expectation is a new feature added to this grade cluster.
The middle school cluster, 6-8, lists the same objective, but goes into much comprehensive detail with regard to student expectations. Within this cluster and objective, the teachers are required to look at ten expectations. At this level, it is clear that the expectation is for the student to use specific strategies, focusing greater attention to detail, but still focusing on the student’s ability to use computer-based productivity tools to create or modify products of their own. As you can see this is illustrated in the detailed wording of the first few expectations. The first few specifics are listed, “plan, create, and edit documents created with a word processor using readable fonts, alignment, page setup, tabs, and ruler settings” (7A), “create and edit spreadsheet using all data types, formulas and functions, and chart information” (7B), “plan, create and edit databases by defining fields, entering data, and designing layouts appropriate for reporting” (7C), and “demonstrate proficiency in use of multimedia authoring programs by creating linear or nonlinear projects incorporating text, audio, video, and graphics” (7D). The next several continue in the same detailed manner, “create a document using desktop publishing techniques including, but not limited to, the creation of multi-column or multi-section documents with a text-wrapped frame formats” (7E), “differentiate between and demonstrate appropriate use of a variety of graphic tools found in draw and paint applications” (7F), “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” (7G), and “use interactive virtual environments, appropriate to level, such as virtual reality or simulations” (7H). The final expectations are indicated as, “use technical writing strategies to create products such as a technical instruction guide” (7I), and “use foundation and enrichment curricula in the creation of products” (7J).
Week 1 Assignment, Part 3: Key Ideas of the Long-Range Plan for Technology
The information that I acquired from my analysis of the Long-Range Plan was the creation of a vision of technology that the state has created. I was unaware that the state had created this plan and vision for educational technology through the year 2020. It surprised me that the plan already has some type of systematic planning and step-by-step strategies implemented over time according to the three phases. The Texas Long Range Plan for Technology sets parameters and guidelines for new strategies involving curriculum, instruction, and assessment to strengthen the educational process through the effective use of 21st Century tools for learning.
My new learning can assist me as an instructional leader with technology use and integration at my campus by allowing me the experience and knowledge to plan effectively to create innovative, flexible and responsive learning environments to maximize teaching and learning. With the recent trend of booming technology, my decision-making will be influenced by this Long-Range Plan by creating a budget for all aspects of technology implementation. By being familiar with this plan and its phases can only help me as I transition from a teacher to an instructional leader on campus.
My new learning can assist me as an instructional leader with technology use and integration at my campus by allowing me the experience and knowledge to plan effectively to create innovative, flexible and responsive learning environments to maximize teaching and learning. With the recent trend of booming technology, my decision-making will be influenced by this Long-Range Plan by creating a budget for all aspects of technology implementation. By being familiar with this plan and its phases can only help me as I transition from a teacher to an instructional leader on campus.
Week 1: Part 1 Requisite Technology Skills Assessment
When taking technology application surveys, I feel as though I have a distinct advantage over other teachers because I actually teach technology applications at my school. I currently teach Web Mastering and Business Computer Information Systems (BCIS). I use technology everyday and the students are expected to become proficient users of technology when they leave.
Looking at the surveys, it is clear that I have mastered all the domains. In the 1st survey, the only domain that gave me any trouble was the Solving Problems domain where I only mastered 14 out of the 18 possible questions. The responses that were “no's” involved the issue of “resolving information conflicts and validate information through research and comparison of data”, “using interactive virtual environments, appropriate to level, such as virtual reality or simulations”, use technical writing strategies to create products such as technical instructional guides, and “design and implement procedures to track trends, set timelines, and review/evaluate progress for continual improvement in process and product”. I answered these questions as “no” because these items are not part of the curriculum that I am currently teaching or have never had the opportunity to learn or be a part of a team learning how to do them.
I would consider myself more than technological-advanced than most people, including teachers. I am an expert in Adobe Photoshop, Flash, and Dreamweaver. I know HTML and CSS. I also have been MOUS certified in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Access. Although there is no such thing as MOUS certification anymore, it is still good to have. If you are unfamiliar with what that is, MOUS certification was issued to those who passed the industry test given by Microsoft. I have a tendency to pick up software applications and new technology fairly quickly. Due to the fact that I am more advanced, I am always willing to help others when needed.
As far as my data from the Technology Applications Survey, I am off the charts. I can solve issues dealing with server and software issues. Throughout my teaching career, I have learned on my own and attended countless hours of professional development on how to use programs and software at home and in the classroom. However, the majority of my learning has been done on my own and with my own resources. Implementing and managing some of the innovative technology has never been a problem. After taking these surveys, I would consider myself super in the majority of this survey.
Looking at the surveys, it is clear that I have mastered all the domains. In the 1st survey, the only domain that gave me any trouble was the Solving Problems domain where I only mastered 14 out of the 18 possible questions. The responses that were “no's” involved the issue of “resolving information conflicts and validate information through research and comparison of data”, “using interactive virtual environments, appropriate to level, such as virtual reality or simulations”, use technical writing strategies to create products such as technical instructional guides, and “design and implement procedures to track trends, set timelines, and review/evaluate progress for continual improvement in process and product”. I answered these questions as “no” because these items are not part of the curriculum that I am currently teaching or have never had the opportunity to learn or be a part of a team learning how to do them.
I would consider myself more than technological-advanced than most people, including teachers. I am an expert in Adobe Photoshop, Flash, and Dreamweaver. I know HTML and CSS. I also have been MOUS certified in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Access. Although there is no such thing as MOUS certification anymore, it is still good to have. If you are unfamiliar with what that is, MOUS certification was issued to those who passed the industry test given by Microsoft. I have a tendency to pick up software applications and new technology fairly quickly. Due to the fact that I am more advanced, I am always willing to help others when needed.
As far as my data from the Technology Applications Survey, I am off the charts. I can solve issues dealing with server and software issues. Throughout my teaching career, I have learned on my own and attended countless hours of professional development on how to use programs and software at home and in the classroom. However, the majority of my learning has been done on my own and with my own resources. Implementing and managing some of the innovative technology has never been a problem. After taking these surveys, I would consider myself super in the majority of this survey.
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