TX Long-Range Plan - Teaching and Learning

The Teas Long-Range Plan for Technology is composed of four areas. In the past eleven years working in an elementary school I have come to realize how growth in one of these four areas is dependent upon the growth in the other three areas and ultimately good local leadership.

The Area of Teaching and Learning is the ultimate goal of the entire plan. This area provides a learning environment full of possibilities. Students communicate with others anywhere in the world, they have abundant online resources and will be able to find and collaborate with experts anywhere. The exciting thing about this learning environment is that it won’t just exist inside their classroom or school building. This learning place will not have boundaries because it will be accessible from the Internet, thus making it useful anywhere and anytime. The teachers are not absent from this environment either, but are facilitators and companions of learning.

The LRP has given local and state leaders a good blue print for success. It allows for local districts to make independent decisions about what to buy and how to train. Our local leaders have done a good job adding equipment and planning staff development. I believe the State and National entities have provided funding and resources along with training.

The trends seem to indicate slower growth in two areas; Teaching and Learning and Educator Preparation and Development. These two areas require more specific training and skills. Student use of technology is directly related to having the equipment and training the teachers.. If we are to achieve the goals of the Long-Range Plan we need to now concentrate on meaningful staff development and our local leadership needs to encourage innovative projects with students using this new equipment and well as high expectations for teachers becoming proficient in technology skills. State and National entities need to support with funds but allow the local leaders to make the final decisions.