The Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology: Teaching and Learning (Week 2, Part 2)

The Texas Long-Range Plan for Technology is ambitious. It is based on a vision in which all learners have 24-hour access to technology tools to provide individualized instruction, produce knowledge, solve real-world problems, use research-based strategies in all subject areas, and effectively utilize a variety of forms to communicate with a wide range of audiences.

This is certainly a wonderfully effective learning environment! As I think about my own campus, I see a few classrooms that are close to this ideal. Many more, however, are similar to the ones most people over 30 sat in years ago. The teacher is the center of attention, the students are sitting and listening. There are computers in every classroom in my school, but too many of these are used only when a student takes an Accelerated Reader test. The STaR chart data for my campus supports my opinion.

The issue of ensuring all students access to technolgy tools is somewhat controversial in my district. Our new superintendent, Dr. Terry Grier, has issued every student laptops in a previous district. There has been speculation that he will do the same here, even though there has been no official decision to do so. The comments on this have been mainly negative, consisting primarily of concerns that students or their parents will steal and sell the laptops for drug money. With such a low view of the students and their families, it is no wonder that the classrooms I see bear little resemblance to the one envisioned in the Texas Long-Range Plan.

It is my opinion that a cultural change is necessary in order for my campus to come close to achieving the goals set forth in the Long-Range Plan. I do know that at my school this cultural change is being attempted. I do see a small decrease in the negativity and resistance to change that has been pervasive on our campus for years. Fewer staff members mention "the way it used to be", yet not much discussion takes place on what we can do about the way it is. I feel that our campus is at a crossroads in this area. I remain optimistic that over the coming years our classrooms will look more like the student-led, teacher-facilitated environment set forth in the Long-Range Plan.