Technology Assessment

It is my opinions that the value in assessing the educator’s technology knowledge and skills is that all the other stakeholders in education receive a adequate return on their investment in the educator.  First, has the other entire stakeholders invested adequately in the educator? Has the school district administrator’s allotted adequate time and money to meet the short-term goals for Texas Long-Range Technology Plan by 2010?  The standard set by TLRTP is that 30% of the districts technology budget be devoted to professional development. That exceeds the standard established by NCLB Title II Part D that 25% technology formula and grant funds are dedicated to professional development. To maximize the states and district’s investments, professional development must be sustainable, ongoing, high quality, and accessible 24/7; therefore, it must be provided for in the Technology Allotment and the local technology budgets. Who is making sure accounting tricks are mot done when accountability comes to the Texas Education Agency or to U.S. Department of Education?  I may have missed that in my reading and hope my esteemed colleagues will politely direct me to the answer. At this point, the only assessment of educator’s technology knowledge and skills is the STaR Chart, which we all know is a self-assessment tool.  The educators in Alvin School District approach the competition of the STaR Chart as another burden with absolutely no understand of the ramifications it will have on funding.

When it comes to assessing the technology knowledge and skills of the student, there is this vague and ambiguous statements made in the TLRTP and NCLB Title II Part D that all students must be technology literate by the end of 8th grade. The Alvin School District, answer to this is issue a netbook to all Junior High students in the 6^th grade, and to best of my knowledge, student receive little if any instruction on ethical use of the netbooks for research purposes. There is a interesting statement in the TLRTP under Accountability, “Require reporting of student Technology Applications proficiencies for appropriate grade levels as required for No Child Left Behind and state accountability.” The question is who is responsible for reporting and I like to see a copy of this report. I fully agree with students needing technology skills and literacy for 21^st century, but how to do assess this knowledge and skills when Information Technology doubles in capability and performance every 18 to 36 months.