Week 1 Assignment, Part 1A: Requisite Technology Skills Assessment

While I was completing the Technology Applications Inventory, I was not aware that the items included were the same TEKS for technology applications required for grades 6-8. I was actually proud of myself after finishing the inventory since I was able to honestly answer “yes” in many of the items. However, after realizing that these were the same standards expected to be mastered by eight graders I was completely abashed. How could I expect our students to become proficient technology users when I personally have not completely mastered all of these standards? I felt a surge of urgency to go back to middle school and relearn the skills that I need to possess in order to fully call myself a world class educator.

Needless to say, this revelation allowed me to reflect on my own practice as an educator and a future school administrator. Surely I cannot lead a 21st Century school with my substandard technology know how. A plan must be in order. First, I need to draw on my strengths – information acquisition and foundations – in my pursuit of educational technology competence. I have a good grip of the technology related terminologies and concepts. Additionally, the online course that I am taking at Lamar University allows me to use information acquisition skills on a daily basis. Secondly, I must continue to seek ways to improve my ability to solve problems as well as communicate using technology tools and specifications. Finally, I need to keep my eyes and ears open to all the different professional development opportunities offered inside and outside the district.

The SETDA survey was a different story. Since I do not have a formal class, I used the SETDA Building Survey. The result was very impressive. This is due to the commitment of our school administrators and teachers to provide our students with a first-rate educational experience. In 2005, my campus received a four-year $240,000 Technology Immersion Pilot grant to assist us further integrate technology into our already vigorous Middle School program. Likewise, Briarmeadow Charter School is a Reasoning Mind campus. Our fifth and sixth grade students participate in a hybrid of online and face to face math instruction. The instruction is tailored to the specific needs of each student. Another component of Reasoning Mind is to assess the effectiveness of the program. Consequently, data is used regularly to determine if technology use positively affects student achievement.

Our school is definitely a progressive environment where high student achievement is the norm. We do this by providing learner-centered instruction using technology tools to maximize our time with our students. To keep up with the demands of our technology-savvy school, I need to continue to hone my craft and stay attuned to the unique needs of our digital native learners.

Sources:

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/technology/techapp/assess/teksurv.pdf

http://www.setda-peti.org/tools.html