Web Conferencing

Wow! What a great experience! I actually attended several web conferences during this course in order to fully get my feet wet in the experience. During the first web conference, I didn't actually participate. I just sat back to listen and read comments. I have to admit I did not realize so much information exchanged hands. I soaked everything up. Going into my next web conference, I was ready with my questions. Every question that I asked, several people were able to answer. I was totally impressed. I even jumped in and answered several, since I was braver. I'm very thankful that web conferncing was mandatory for this course; otherwise I would not have participated. Now, I can't stop talking about it!The application of web conferencing is endless. At present, one of my students is homebound. I am in the process of trying to arrange a web conference with him. I have to go through several steps to do this, but I am committed in seeing it through. Web conferencing is definitely a teaching and learning tool for teachers and students.

technology action plan

More PowerPoint presentations from Lori Sherman

Texas STaR Chart Exploration

Check out this SlideShare Presentation: This Texas STaR Chart discusses  the purpose of a STaR Chart. The components that makes up the chart. Plus the progress in which NES has accomplished and deep improvements needed. Discover how to access the charts online.

S ta r chart

View more presentations from shermanl.

#3 The National Educational Technology Plan: Transforming American Education: Learning Powered by Technology (DRAFT)

In the National Educational Plan, there are five goals which include learning, assessment, teaching, infrastructure, and productivity. Each goal is accompanied with recommended actions on how to successfully meet the goal. In regards to teaching and learning, the national plan separates them into different goals. Learning focuses on the learner being engaged and empowered with technology during their learning experiences in and out of school in order to successfully participate in our global network society. Teaching entails educators being supported individually and in teams by technology that connects them to data, content, resources, expertise, and learning experiences that will inspire effective learning for all learners. Professional development and training falls under the teaching goal. There are several recommendations directed toward professional development and training. The goal initially requires teachers to be supported. To successfully reach the goal, the following actions should be implemented. First, opportunities need to be created for educators to collaborate to learn more effective teaching strategies through technology-based content, resources, and online learning communities. Also, pre-service and in-service be provided to educators to close the gap between students’ and educators’ fluencies with technology, and to develop a teaching force skilled in online instruction. One concern that stood out for me dealt with serving the underserved. These students are actually digitally excluded from many technology opportunities. Many of my students are low socio-economic resulting in existing at home without the internet. Only a handful actually visits the county library occasionally to experience the internet outside of school. I look forward to the day where students have no boundaries in order to experience technology 24/7. For those students who are unable to access the internet from home, all schools should check out laptops/notebooks with a mobile internet card.

#2 Progress Report on the Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020

It is amazing to discover all the resources and tools available for school districts to utilize in order to create a 21st Century classroom. With these tools, I learned that most of the school districts have improved in the Teaching and Learning areas. The indoctrination of technology in the classroom has grown immensely. I believe the recommendations provided for school districts targeting the Teaching and Learning areas provides many opportunities for instruction to be teacher-facilitated, students working with peers plus having access to all necessary technology resources to complete assignments. I realize this is just a start for improvement, but progression needs to start somewhere. The recommended resources that shines in my opinion are the Connections Grant, Rural Technology Pilot Program, Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN), Online Tutor, and the K-12 Databases. For those schools who take advantage of these resource, bravo! I have great concerns about the Educator Preparation and Development areas. For my school, the progression level is developing. I am hopeful because we just started to participate in Project Share. This is a very impressive collection of Web 2.0 tools and applications that provides exceptional professional development. I look forward to participating fully. If all the teachers participate in Project Share appropriately our progress level will improve tremendously; therefore positively effecting our classroom instruction. As for the Leadership, Administration, and Instructional Support area being able to analyze the STaR Chart enables leaders to plan, budget, apply for grants, such as, E-Rate funding, and prepare for technology use in the future. It astonishes me to think one chart can provide all this assistance to the districts. Without infrastructure, there would be no productive technology in my opinion. I feel districts are on the correct path in building their infrastructure by taking advantage grant funding, providing broadband capabilities, and internet safety issues. I realize Texas has more goals to meet, but I feel we are on our way to the top!

#1 Teaching and Learning

The technology and learning component of the Texas Long Range Plan consists of several focus areas. Patterns of classroom use refer to how the teacher uses technology during instructions and the purpose it serves. Frequency/design of instructional setting using digital content lends itself to where, when, and how technology is applied. The content area and connections are linked to integrating technology in the curriculum in all subject areas. Technology applications TEKS implementation area deals with how teacher consistently apply these TA TEKS across all subjects The student mastery of technology applications TEKS discusses the percentage of students who has successfully mastered their grade level TA TEKS. The last focused area is the online learning which targets the types of web-based learning in the classroom. Locally, our progress has steadily improved in this area. We currently maintain an advanced score. The state’s progress continues at a slower rate maintaining a developing score. At the national level progress has been made through recommendations for learners to meet the technology goal of being able to be engaged in the learning experiences in and out of school that prepares them to be active, creative, knowledgeable, and ethical participants in our globally networked society (23). To improve in these area teachers need to be well trained in all aspects of the TA TEKS in their grade level to ensure students’ mastery of the TEKS. I do believe that a huge restraint in this area lies with the budget; therefore restrictions prohibits districts to provide essential training for teachers to utilize appropriate technology in their classroom for students to be able to excel in this digital age.