Assessing Technology Needs

Among the greatest concern of educators, administrators and school stakeholders is improving academic achievement.  Research has shown that students would greatly benefit from the integration of technology into curriculum, which has caused us to change the way we need to approach teaching.
Where do we begin?

Most schools have developed technology plans to assist with funding and curriculum alignment. For example, in the state of Texas, if schools wish to receive funding for school technology initiatives, it mandates that teachers and schools complete the School, Technology and Readiness Chart or STaR Chart.  This type of assessment tool provides information that is crucial to developing a sound and effective technology plan.  In order to successfully implement school technology plans, we have to know what skills teachers possess, what skills need to be taught or sharpened, the technological needs of a physical classroom and also how to prioritize this data.  The same is true for assessing the technology readiness of our students.  We must know where they stand, what skills they possess, and what technology they have been exposed to in order to provide authentic teaching and bridge the gap of technological knowledge between student and teacher.

As a teacher in the state of Texas, I am familiar with the STaR Chart assessment of technology needs in schools.  Schools mandate that teachers complete the survey, but in my experience with little knowledge of the implications.  This along with the subjective nature of some of its inquiries lead me to question the accuracy of its results and whether there are more effective ways to gather a truly measurable set of data to improve Texas schools.

Access the full text of the Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020, at this website: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/technology/lrpt/lrpt_lrpt.html.

Access the Texas Teacher STaR Chart and the Texas Campus STaR Chart at: http://starchart.esc12.net/.