Texas STaR Chart

The Texas Star Chart is a way to chart progress being made by the state and by invidual districts and campus regarding the progress being made in technology advancement under No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Our entire world is becoming increasingly digital and if we want our students here in Texas and in the nation to be able to compete in this ever increasing global market, we as educators must prepare them and we ourselves have to be prepared as well. The Long Range Plan lays out expectations for the state and districts from 2006-2010. There are many components to this plan but the STaR chart only rates four, which are: 1). teaching & learning, 2). educator preparation & development, 3). leadership, administration, & instructional support, and 4). infrastructure for technology. However, I feel that the foundation for improvement in the area of technology begins with what is set forth and communicated by our leaders and administrators. The area of leadership, administration, and instructional support from the STaR chart is of the most important because this is where it starts. Leaders and administrators must determine what technology needs our students must possess to be able to compete globally in the 21st century. Leaders and administrators work collaboratively with others to determine these needs and the information trickles down fr0m here and helps determine what information and tools teachers need to possess to get students motivated and involved in this new technological age that is transforming the 21st century. Educatioinal leaders are detrimental in this area because they help to create the vision and implement and sustain the programs to put this vision into place by getting all stakeholders involved. Leaders have a huge responsibility because they are almost like the catalyst for change and as a result of this new long range plan should be able to develop, implement, and find funding to help put into place and align resources for this tecnological change. The environments that leaders create must be flexible, innovative as well as responsive. Leaders must also make sure that their schools offer expanded curriculum and instructional opportunities to students via online, digital, as well as a variety of distance learning opportunities. Leaders must also provide and set up opportunities for staff development.

This area (Leadership, Administration, and Instructional Support) at the local level declined and then showed progress so is considered as still developing. Progress is also being made at the state level. More campuses statewide are moving into the advanced technology and targeted technology category from the early technology and developing technology categories. In 2006-07, 3% of campuses were considered in the early technology 54.95% were considered as still developing, 38.9% were considered as advanced, and 3.2% were considered to be in the targeted area. From 2007-08, only 2.0% of campuses were considered to be in the early technology stage statewide, 49% were considered to be developing, 45.5% were considered to be advanced and 3.6% were considered to be in the targeted area. A campus in the early technology stage does not have a technology plan, technology is only used to perform necessary tasks, no instructional specialist or district coordinators exists, and no budget is allocated for technology advancement or improvement. A campus that is considered as developing has a local plan in place that is aligned with the long range plan, some sort of vision exist, a limited technical support staff and a full time district technology coordinator exists. A small budget is set aside for technology improvement. A campus that is advanced has campus plan that is board approved, a technical support person for every 500 computers, a full time technology director is employed, and grants and other sources are used to fund technology plans. A campus that has achieved the targeted technology level has a plan focused on student success that is supported by the board and administration, there is one technical support person for every 350 computers, a campus instructional support staff, and many sources of funding are utilized to improve technology enrichment.

Pre-K Application Guidelines

Technology is such an integral part of our future and therefor we must prepare our children at a very young age for their future. This is why technology has been integrated into the curriculum for students even at the Pre-K level. Many students at this age are already interested in the "computer" but the state of Texas says that by the end of their Pre-k years children should be able to master certain computer tasks and concepts. By the end of their Pre-k years, students should be able to open and navigates through software programs designed to enhance
development of appropriate concepts, use and name many input devices such as a mouse or CD-ROM, operate voice and sound recorders and master the touch screen, be able to use software applications such as paint or draw to create and convey their own ideas, and understand they can obtain information through the use of technology. Technology is utilized as early as Pre-k because students at this age need to know how important technology in in their lives and in their futures. They need to be made to understand how technology can enhance their lives and help them grow professionally, socially, and academically. Technology at this young age is the building block upon which many more blocks will be added in the years to come.

Technology Applications Skills Assessments

A already knew before I took the technology assessments that my skills were going to be low. I am not the most technology savvy educator and basically only do the bare minimum to get by. After completing my technology applications inventory, I had more no's than I did yeas and most if my yeas were in the foundation area. In the areas of information acquisition, solving problems, and communication, I obviously had more no's. What does this mean? It means what I have already stated above, that I am not the most technology savvy person. Sure I can perform simple tasks such as create and save files, keyboard proficiently, and use boolean searches. I can even even create and use audio, video, and image files; plan, create, and edit documents using a word processor; and use fonts, font types, and font sizes as well as effectively use graphics and page design to effectively communicate. However, these are simple tasks and are as far as my computer knowledge extends. I do not know to design and create interdisciplinary multimediapresentations for defined audiences including audio, video, text, and graphics;
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 textwrapped
frame formats; determine and employ methods to evaluate electronic information for accuracy and validity; or delineate between the various digital file formats including, but not limited to,
.wav, .mid, .au, .doc, .txt, .gif, .jpg, .mov, .cwk. From this assessment I see that I have a lot to learn personally and professionally if I want to be on the cutting edge of technology. After completing the building survey, I realized that my campus is not necessary up to par on technology either. Sure our students have to take a technology application class to meet graduation requirements but we do not have any surveys or anything in place to see exactly what students know once they leave those classes or how much information they retain. Sure there are students in my school that thrive on technology and know everything there is to know about computers but all of our students should be given the same opportunity to have this same knowledge base which is something that is not true on my campus. I realize from both surveys what my strengths and weaknesses are. I need to learn more about the digital technology that is available to me in order to make education more appealing to students on our campus and I need to work on assessing what students know, do not know, or want to know. We have to prepare our students for the technology competitive world they will enter when they leave high school. People are living longer, working longer, thus making the job force more competitive. As an educational leader I need to know what to equip my students with, get everyone involved, and get my students prepared for the 21st century. These assessments have both been extremely helping because I know when it comes to technology I have a lot to work on and these assessments have showed me the exact areas that I need to concentrate my efforts.

Long Range Plans

If our students are to be able to compete in today's society and in the future, they must be what we call technology savvy. They must be on the cutting edge of technology and possess the skills and know how on how to use, operate, and utilize computers. Technology is forever changing so our students must be forever learning. However, not only should students be forever learning but educational leaders, teachers, parents, and the community must be forever learning as well. Everyone must be involved in this transformation if our students, who are the future, are to be equipped with the technological skills and knowledge to be able to compete in our global society. Educational leaders must stay one step ahead of everyone. They must know what is happending and what are students as well as out teachers need. They must be able to utilize this information and put together a shared vision by working collaboratively with all those involved to keep their students knowledge base full. Leaders must work with others not only create a vision but obtain funding, provide professional development, and keep parents and community members involved in this digital transformation. Educators should follow their leaders and make sure that they not only know what the latest technology is but that they also know how to put it to use and know when to use it. This can be done by attending professional developments on technology and utilizing your technology coordinators and technology instructional specialist. Once training is received, educators must use what is learned to make learning fun and relevant for students. Students of the future must not only be technology savvy but possess computer skills that will allow them to compete, problem solve, analyze situations, and put everything into context. The 21st century student is different from our traditional learners and therefor0re, it is very important that we, as educational leaders, should work collaboratively with others to create and foster a technology enriched environment that allows all students to be able to access technology 24/7 regardless of race, demographics, or socioeconomic backgrounds. Not only should we as educational leaders work to equip students but we should work even harder to equip parents and the community as well. Also, teachers should be eased into overcoming their technological fears and get into gear with the 21st century learner.