A description of educator preparation and development from the Texas Education Agency is “ongoing, sustained, high-quality professional development essential to prepare teachers to meet the needs of their students by increasing student engagement and learning. Technology plays a major role in providing Texas students with the skills necessary to succeed as 21st Century learners.”
The progress in the area varies from district to district but on a state level the 2010 progress report indicates a slight improvement with the majority of districts in the “developing tech category,” followed by a slight increase of districts moving to the “advanced tech category” but sadly the numbers in the “target tech category” are still the lowest of all.
Locally, we are seeing progress in a few areas. We had opportunities last summer to increase our technology skills through district workshops that featured topics such as podcasting and web site design. In addition, 13 teachers in our district are receiving “smartboards” and training on the use of this technology.
Trends in this area include a variety of resources available which do not cost districts anything to participate. Given the current economic situation in Texas education, there is no reason why educators cannot take advantage of programs such as Project Share, Texas Education on Itunes University, and grants such as Star Grants.
The 2010 Progress Report on the Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020 has a wealth of information that I believe should be required reading for all teachers in Texas. This information was new to me and I believe more teachers would take advantage of these programs if made aware of their existence. The report can be accessed at the web address: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=5082&menu_id=2147483665
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