STaR Chart

To me the entire point of taking the STaR Chart survey and researching all of this, is to improve technology instruction. Technology instruction will improve when students are engaged in meaningful assignments that reinforce technology skills. That is why I have chosen to discuss the Key Area of Teaching and Learning. The state, my district and my campus all score mainly in the Developing or low Advanced range for that area. Just under 70% of all campuses in Texas rated themselves Developing in 2008-09. My district had scores that ranged from 13 to 20. Most campuses rated themselves in the high Developing (13-14) to the low Advanced (15-17). Very few campuses had scores of higher than 17 and only two campuses had scores of less than 13. Over the past 3 years my campus has moved from a Key Area total of 14 to one of 15 in 2008-09. Our school in this area is on the rise, but we are not progressing as quickly or as much as we would like to. We have the infrastructure and desire, but somehow that does not translate into teachers doing meaningful assignments in their classes.
Although our scores have not improved dramatically, I have personally seen a difference in our students over the past five years, especially in the Foundation area of the TAs. Students coming to me in 4th grade are much more capable than they used to be. Going to the computer lab was often frustrating because each little thing became a mini-lesson. Now, however, students begin signing onto the computers immediately with little help from me. They can open and save documents and work easily in MS Word, Powerpoint and Excel. After leaving me they are also often proficient with MS Publisher. There is definitely a commitment to use the technology on campus, however, sometimes other commitments take priority over others.