Progress Report for the Texas Long-Range Plan

The Long Range Plan for Technology 2006-2020 was created because we need to prepare our students for the technology rich global marketplace. It is important to recognize that for student success, our education system must stay ahead of the technological changes being implemented into our students' daily lives. Educators have the responsibility of ensuring the learners of today have access to technology, know how to use it to gain access to information, and to also make sure the information is being applied in an ethical manner.     

Digital tools in Texas classrooms are a fundamental part in differentiating and creating more individualized learning for our students. Being able to use distance education with tech resources have equalized the learning field and have enabled our students to communicate, network, and be exposed to more cross-culture curriculums no matter where their location is or what background they come from. Educators need to use more student initiated technology projects instead of having it just as a classroom support. Technology can increase student motivation, engagement, and critical thinking in real-world situations. Teachers can access instant data such as student progress and this is then allow teachers to provide students with feedback and also more personalized instruction.

The Progress Report on the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology includes results from the Texas STaR Chart. The STaR Chart is used to evaluate campuses in meeting the goals of technology implementation. There are four main summary areas which include Teaching and Learning, Leadership and Administration Support, Educator Preparation and Development, and Infrastructure. Many campuses surveyed are in the Developing Technology level but there is a gradual increase of schools reaching the Advance Technology level. Many schools have a strong infrastructure for Technology but the weakest area seems to be in Teaching and Learning. This seems to be because many educators are "digital immigrants" themselves and actively implementing technology into the classroom in which it is in the hands of the students themselves, is a harder process to overcome. Educators are consistently under a short time frame to teach content and it can become even more difficult to go to tech trainings as well as create lesson plans that will include technology. The Progress Report shows we are maintaining and on a consistent path to reach our goals but this may not be enough since technology changes at such a rapid pace.