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//Learning is not attained by chance. It must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence. --// //Abigail Adams// ======

=Welcome to 21st Century Literacy! =

Members:
Maritza Villa, Bilingual Support Teacher, Balanced Literacy Trainer K-2 Pamela Crofoot, Instructional Technology Specialist Enid Sierra, Instructional Specialist Holley Nasky, Title I Reading Teacher, Balanced Literacy Trainer 3-5 Kathleen Adams, ARI/AMI Teacher, Balanced Literacy Trainer 3-5 Melanie Salinas, Special Education Teacher Natalia Vargas, Fourth Grade Bilingual GT Teacher Colleen Kampman, Second Grade Teacher, Balanced Literacy Trainer K-2 Katie McDonald, Second Grade Teacher

The purpose of this wiki is to collaborate as we find ways to integrate technology into the curriculum to improve student engagement and achievement. As we have heard many times now, we are preparing our students for jobs that do not yet exist. Our students need to be responsible for their own well-being and use technology as a means to communicate, connect, and collaborate with others. By the year 2020, all learners will become more global.

The Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020, was developed by the State Board of Education (SBOE) to chart the course for educational technology. The plan includes recommendations in four domains: Teaching and Learning; Educator Preparation and Development; Administration and Support Services; and Infrastructure for Technology.

The Texas STaR Chart, that we have recently completed, is used to evaluate our progress in reaching the goals of the Long Range Plan and NCLB. Indicators place each campus at one of four levels of progress in each of the four key areas. These levels are: Early Tech, Developing Tech, Advanced Tech, or Target Tech.

As a member of this learning community, you will be able to “Edit This Page” by adding questions, links, videos, and lessons. Click on the discussion tab to answer questions, add suggestions, share ideas and discuss what is going on in the classrooms of Good. If you would like to know how wikis work, you may view the following video: Wikis in Plain English Please take time to review the following presentation that further explains the Texas Long Range Plan for Technology, as well as the Texas STaR chart. Pay close attention to Good’s results for the last three years. media type="custom" key="4642964"

1. What area is our greatest weakness? Do you agree? What suggestions do you have to improve in this area?

I believe we need more professional development on how to use technology properly in our classrooms. I would like to have a course to the development and implementation of webquests. These activities are great for the kids.

I agree with the above statement about more professional development, but as the ITS on our campus I believe there is a lack of teacher buy in to attend these session. Teachers first need to believe that technology is an integral part of their students learning. Teachers need to stop seeing technology as a separate component, and find ways to integrate. I believe our biggest weakness is attached to Blooms and LoTi. Teachers need to push their students to think above and beyond. Teachers need to think outside of the box to push students. Higher levels of thinking are imperative to students true learning. -Pamela

Here is a great blog where the teacher shows how he uses Google Earth to study landforms. What a great idea. I plan to share this to our 4th and 5th grade teachers here at Good. I think the kids could really get something out of this activity! - Pamela []

Great blog!!! I will be using it later this week. I do agree that teachers need to stop looking at technology as seperate. I wish I had a laptop cart in my classroom everyday.

I think teacher buy-in is paramount. We get in this system of doing things, and some of us do not like to change what we are doing. Others like to find ways to be more effective but doing the same things. I think the institution needs to do things in new ways, train, and require our teachers to do these things in new and innovative ways. Innovation must be supported by the administration. - Holley

Laptop carts in every classroom is a great idea. I've been saying that for the last few years after seeing the power that laptop carts could have in my classroom. In this article [|www.edutopia.org/adopt-and-adapt], I really liked this quote: //For true technological advance to occur, the computers must be personal to each learner. When used properly and well for education, these computers become extensions of the students' personal self and brain. They must have each student's stuff and each student's style all over them (in case you haven't noticed, kids love to customize and make technology personal), and that is something sharing just doesn't allow.// We can't move forward in education until this happens. Just think about the power of this for our special ed students. When they are in math and need their multiplication chart, there isn't the need to search for ten minutes for a piece of paper. With their own personalized computer, they can simply open the file to use for their activity. - Holley

I also would like to see more professional development available to teachers on relevant technology, but I agree that the buy in on this is very low. I think people get bogged down by the idea of trying to implement something new when the ideas are presented to the whole staff in a large setting. What if we had a small group of us that are comfortable/experienced using different types of technology work with the ITS to learn and become proficient in an area such as classroom blogging. After applying it in our own classrooms for a short period of time we then assist in presenting the information to small groups of the faculty with the guidance of our ITS. This way we could break into smaller groups to show real examples of this working specifically at our school, and answer the questions of how technology is relevant here at JRG. This might be less threatening to those that are intimidated by integrating technology in their everyday instruction. Another area that I personally struggle with is my students’ lack of exposure to technology. While they love using the computers, their limited knowledge of basic computer skills causes a discrepancy in the work they can cognitively do and their practical skill ability. There are great programs out there that start at the Kinder level to teach basic computer skills. We should begin working on these skills as early as possible so that our students are proficient in basic computer functions by 3rd grade. -Katie