Week 1 Assignments Part 3

Week 1 Assignment Part 3
Long Range Plan for Technology

By analyzing the Technology Applications and the Texas Long Range Plan, I now know what the state goals for technology are, and can form a campus plan to reach those goals. I am aware of what is expected of students, teachers, administrators and districts and will be able to hold those people and myself accountable for the success of the plan. Before reading this, I did not know that Texas had a plan in place for technology implementation in the classroom. However, I was aware of the new teacher training requirements because I am a fairly new teacher and had to receive technology training in order to become certified. The TLRP is designed to familiarize Texas students with new technology so they are able to stay competitive in a technology driven world and workplace. The plan has to be monitored and changed to reflect the technology of today. The plan also levels the playing field by enabling students to have equal opportunities through distance learning and online collaborations. Reccomendations for state, regional and local education agencies are outlined in the plan, as well as reccomendations for higher education, parents and the school community. Most of the requirements focus on collaboration with schools and support of the district's technology implementation. The plan encourages administrators to be supportive of technology, by modeling technology use for the teachers and motivating teachers to utilize more technology in the classroom. Most teachers enjoy using technology in the classroom and find that it makes their job easier, but without the support of the campus instructional leader, the state's technology plan will not succeed. Another piece of the plan that is vital to the success of the TLRP, is the technology infrastructure. Students must have access to high-speed connectivity in order to be able to achieve the required technology skills. Access to this connectivity service allows students to collaborate and communicate online, find information from online sources and participate in distance-learning opportunities. Schools must also ensure that the networks are safe and secure. The school infrastructure is critcal to the student's success and is supported by the state through funding.

As an instructional leader, it will be my responsiblity to monitor changes in the plan and inform my staff members of those changes. It will also be my responsibility to ensure that teachers are given the appropriate training and equipment to fulfill their technological duties in the classroom. I will have to maintain effective technology on campus and be aware of new technology that is available to schools and students. This will require more effort from me, but will enhance the student's learning and success. During faculty meetings, I will need to effectively model the use of technology and encourage and motivate others on campus to use such technology themselves. Now that I have gained more knowledge about the plan, I will be able to follow the plan and strive to meet the goals of the state. I will also be able to implement technology into existing and new curriculums on campus.