Blog Posting #1

The Texas Long Range for Technology 2006-2020: Leadership, Administration and Instructional Support Is this part of the plan being implemented effectively?
The Texas Long Range Plan for Technology is indeed a visionary plan for districts statewide to utilize and ensure that technology goals and objectives are being met by all educational stakeholders; however I am concerned that the Leadership, Administration and Instructional piece of the plan is not being implemented as effectively as it should be. I believe the Leadership Administration and Instructional support component of the plan is by far one of the most important aspects because it focuses on the administrators and instructional leaders on campuses and their roles in modeling the use of technology and ensuring technology goals, objectives and curriculum are truly being implemented and achieved on their campuses. The Leadership Administration and Instructional Support components of the plan include district and school administrators cultivating a shared vision on achieving technology goals; providing important and continuous technology training to all faculty and staff members in a variety of formats and mediums; and making data-based decisions in regards to technology trends and issues.
I am very concerned about district and campus leaders monitoring the progress of the Leadership, Administration, and Instructional Support component of the plan in my district. Many teachers I work with are not learning vital technology skills and thus unable to teach the skills to their students. I believe on a local level the progress can definitely be improved. First and foremost district and campus administrators must ensure they have created and are implementing a viable technology plan in the district and on the campuses as well. I am not sure how progress towards technology goals is being made both state and nationwide since I really do not follow the trends on a continuous basis, but I do believe there are significant problems in my district in working towards the plan. I would recommend that leaders in my district get together, collaborate and closely monitor the district’s technology plan and ensure it is being implemented on campus throughout the district. Campus leaders also need to attend technology trainings to keep abreast of the most recent trends and issues concerning technology in the classroom. They will not be able to effectively model and guide their faculty and staff members if they are not able to use technology themselves.