Reflection on the Texas LRPT - Teaching & Learning

The first area of the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology is titled Teaching & Learning; it deals primarily with the use of technology in the learning environment. Our students have different backgrounds, interests, and instructional needs. As educators, it is our job to provide technology that is relevant and useful. Technology can meet the needs of our students by offering ways to collaborate, communicate and create.

Currently, the state of Texas shows that the level of most teachers in this area is ranked "Developing Tech". This means that the instruction in the classroom is teacher-directed and the students use technology regularly on an individual basis. Students access electronic information and develop communication and presentation projects. I found, from the information provided in the STaR charts, that my school has scored in the "Developing Tech" ranking for the past three years. We have increased our score, from 11 to 14 to 15, but I am convinced that the score indicates we are not offering our students all that they need. Based on the Campus Statewide Summary, the Teaching & Learning Area was only second to the bottom, with Educator Preparation being the lowest. This makes a correlation for me. If educators are not being prepared adequately and comprehensively, that is probably the reason that Teaching & Learning has a score in Developing Tech that closely matches Educator Preparation.

I believe that the more hands-on technology training that a teacher receives, the more likely technology will be used in an engaging and creative way in the classroom. Teachers must be self-motivated towards fully implementing the Technology TEKS in their instruction. It would be helpful if schools had a way to monitor the implementation of the Technology TEKS and assess student mastery of the TEKS. Teachers need ideas and ways to promote parental and community involvement in the area of technology.

I think that for the most part, schools, districts and educators are striving to improve in the Technology area of Teaching and Learning. We learn more everyday about how technology can improve student learning. As teachers, we must become students in the attempt to learn all we can about using technology to its greatest potential!