Post #2--EDLD 5352

Texas has always been very good at composing plans to meet the needs of education. Those plans actually being feasible and reasonable is another thing altogether. Yes, we need to advance our use of technology in education to ensure our students stay abreast of today’s knowledge, and can compete equally with our country’s counterpart, but how realistic is the long range plan? Technology has huge potential within our schools. Technology has the potential to advance our children’s minds and knowledge, and also increase academic achievements. Technology has the potential to broaden our minds, and increase communication skills in regards to all stakeholders, such as parents and community members. Technology can increase the educator’s base of knowledge, and provide a vital information link to the curriculum being taught. Technology can increase collaboration amongst the stakeholders as well. Basically though, the most important aspect of technology is the financial benefits it could produce. In this time of budget crisis, technology is being looked at to save us, in the form of online and campus-based computer classes which reduces the number of teachers needed. That’s a scary thought! The progress report has two sections: the long range goal which includes Teaching and Learning; Educator Preparation and Development; Leadership, Administration, and Instructional Support; and Infrastructure, and the second section describes the services that education service centers across Texas offer the schools. I was surprised at the varying levels of support the service centers offered their schools. The range of services offered went from little services offered to extreme.