STaR Chart Summary

The key area that I will discuss is Key Area II, Educator Preparation and Development. This section includes professional development experiences and modeling, access to technology based professional development, capabilities of educators and their levels of understanding, and professional development for online learning. As a campus and school district, we have made little progress with this key area over the last three years. As a state, we are also moving slowly in this key area and are staying in the developing technology level of progress. As a nation, we are continuing to lag behind not only in the area of the STaR chart, but in many aspects of technology when compared to education across the globe. The current trend is remaining in the middle as far as the level of progress. I believe that this section is extremely important to the overall progress of education in my district, the state of Texas, and the entire country.

How can we improve this key area? There are several things that can help. As a school district, pursuing professional development with a focus on not only technology, but actually using technology in the classroom will improve teacher buy in. Following up technology professional development by allowing teachers time to implement new strategies in their classroom will help transfer information learned into actual classrooms. When teachers utilize technology effectively, sharing their ability with other teachers within the school and district is important to build a culture of technology integration. Another tool that is not used enough is online learning. Now that I have some experience with it in this graduate program, I recommend that online learning and training get used by schools and districts to give teachers more access to learning opportunities and more flexibility with their time. The last thing that is necessary to see improvement in this key area and all key areas is great educational leadership and a commitment by those leaders to put technology at the top of the list in preparing students for higher education and careers in the 21st century.