Texas Long Range Plan for Technology

The Texas Long Range Plan for Technol0gy has four areas which are: Teaching and Learning, Educator Preparation and Development, Leadership/Administration and Instructional support, and Infrastructure for Technology. The Teaching and Learning area is a broad topic. Students learn in so many different ways. They benefit from reading, communicating with others, listening to lectures, and researching it themselves. Online learning is a great way for students to learn. Online learning allows for students across the state of Texas to be on an equal playing field. All students have access to the same information if they have access to the internet. Our school scored Developing Technology in the areas of Teaching and Learning, Educator Preparation and Development. We scored Advanced Technology in Leadership/Adminstration and Instructional Support and Infrastructure for Technology

In the STaR Chart in the Teaching and Learning section for our school in the 2006-2007 school year, we scored a 13. In the 2007-2008 and the 2008-2009 we scored a 14. In all these years we had Developing Technology. The other high schools in our district/area also scored the same in the Teaching and Learning field. In 2006-2007 74% of the state was at a Developing Technology in the Teaching and Learning section. In the 2007-2008 school year 70% of schools were at the Developing Technology. The progress is good because more schools were at the Advance Technology. Every district needs to try to improve to Advanced Technology.

The trends in the state have really changed in the last couple years. Everything is based on computers. One district nearby has given all the middle school students laptops to do their assignment. Another district has it where parents can get online everyday and check every single grade the student has in every class. I think both of these are helping student success. Both of these school districts scored better at the Teaching and Learning section. Every school in our district has a library that teachers can take their class to so they can work on the computers. Also there is a computer lab where two classes can go at a time to so they can work on computers. We have many basic and advanced computer classes that students can take. Our school also has a computerized phone system where we can have parents contacted about what is going on in the classroom.

Our district should allow teachers to post students grades online. This will allow the parents to stay up to date with their kids' grades. They can ask their kid why they didn't turn in an assignment or why they received a bad grade. I also think it would be a good idea to give students laptops they can carry around. Many students can type faster than they can write so they can get their work done faster. It will also allow them to edit their work for the next assignment. It will make them faster on the computer and they will become more knowledgeable. To do this however teachers need to be trained on what programs will be most beneficial for the students. Students use computers everyday when they go home. I think it will benefit them if we allow them to use computers more in the classroom.