Campus Technology Plan

Campus Technology Plan
Our district has a 30 % economically disadvantaged student subpopulation. This subpopulation has a 66% passing rate on the Grade 10 Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) for science compared to the state average of 65%. It has a 74% passing rate on the Grade 11 Science TAKS compare to the state average of 81%.
Based on informal interviews with students, administrators, technology specialist and teachers, it is apparent that the majority of technology use on the campus by teachers in the class room is to present teacher directed lessons. The majority of student technology use is to prepare formal papers or visual effects for class presentations. There is currently little or no student centered technology based learning, on-line collaboration with students from schools across the country, or technology driven problem solving critical thinking projects in the nontechnology based classes.
The major reasons cited included: the network filter settings, the amount of computers available for class room use, the time required to log on to computers via the wireless lap top labs, and the scope and sequence pacing requirements of the district curriculum guides.
An action plan to improve these areas would be expected to increase the teachers’ perception of technology use. This should increase teacher use of technology based student directed learning in the classroom. This increase should improve the amount of student engagement by meeting the individualized needs of learners.

The action plan includes:
• A student to computer ratio of at least one computer per every two students in a science class
• Each class room has a set of appropriate Vernier probes for the subject matter taught
• Teachers use at least 40% of class room instruction time for hands on labs using the probe ware system
• A comprehensive teacher professional development program on technology use in the class room, cyber safety and cyber ethics.
• Implementation of technology based problem solving lessons that are student centered
• A softening of the district filtering parameters to allow for teacher and student access to blog sites, video conferencing, and educational games
• The ability for teachers to create podcasts and students to access them while at school
• Implementation of a program to allow supervised access by students to district computers after school and on the weekends

The action plan above in conjunction with the professional development outlined previously will be implemented by the stake holders throughout the district as outlined on the District Organizational Chart for Technology Implementation.