EdTech Connect blog

K-5 EasyTech Technology Applications Curriculum

jmguhlin — 2011-11-30T15:56:23-06:00

Note: Please disregard this email if it's not relevant to your grade level range. It is intended for K-5 educators.

Greetings,

This is a friendly reminder of an online Technology Applications curriculum that's available for use by K-5 classroom teachers!

Background information (originally shared August, 2011) on EasyTech can be found online at http://itls.saisd.net/blog/doku.php?id=blog:estateks_info

ABOUT EASYTECH EasyTech can easily and effectively integrate technology into Math, Science, Language Arts and Social Studies by providing teachers and students critical technology skills in the context of core curriculum and real world challenges with a self-paced, interactive curriculum.

EasyTech provides comprehensive, scoped and sequenced lessons and activates that incorporate 21st century skills and technology skills into their curriculum.

TO ACCESS EASYTECH

As a K-5 classroom teacher, your login information would be:

Username: The first part of your email address (Example: tmills)

Teacher Password: password123 (You can change it once logged in)

If you have any difficulty logging into the system, please contact the Office of Instructional Technology at 527-1400.

HOW TO USE EASYTECH IN THE CLASSROOM

Training Materials Continue to be Available!

Please recall that you can find training materials online at the ITLS EasyTech resource page at http://bit.ly/uI55nX. There are videos and PDF instructions to walk you through step-by-step.

If you have any questions please contact Tonya Mills or Molly Valdez at 527-1400; ITLS Dept.

Principals

CTRS

TATEKS

Instructional Materials Allocation

jmguhlin — 2011-08-30T09:18:35-06:00

The State Technology Allotment of $30 per student was established in 1992. For seventeen years this allotment has helped fund the increasing need to integrate technology into the education of Texas children. The Technology Allotment was repealed during the 2011 legislative session and the Instructional Materials Allotment, a.k.a. instructional materials allocation (IMA), was created.

Some of the highlights of the IMA include the following:

SB 6 - Instructional Materials Allocation

New instructional materials allotment created for district to purchase materials.
“Textbook” replaced with “Instructional Materials” in the Texas Education Code
Allows ISDs the flexibility to buy textbooks, technology, and technology services.
ISDs are entitled to an annual allotment for each student to be determined by TEA
TEA will maintain an account for IMA funds. Money not used will be carried forward to the next biennium.
ISDs must annually certify to SBOE and TEA that Instructional materials satisfy TEKS for each subject (except PE)
Permanent School Fund distribution will be 50% next biennium
IMA can be used for technology support personnel
For grades other than PreK, publishers must provide samples in electronic form.
Technology grant ($10 million) available to low wealth ISDs
Equipment purchased by ISD belongs to the District
Technology allotment (TEC 32.005) is repealed

TCEA Resources

The Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) has created additional resources to help schools understand the use of the IMA.

A school district may use the IMA in the following ways:

Purchase Instructional Materials
Pay for the training of teachers in the use of technology:
Contracted services
Salaries (payroll) for a FTE
Pay for the technical support of equipment thats use is directly related to student learning:
Contracted services
Salaries (payroll) for a FTE
Technological equipment for instructional use

Announcements,, August 2011,, CTRs,, IMA,, TATEKS

Middle School Technology Applications: TEKS Information

jmguhlin — 2011-08-25T13:41:29-06:00

To: Grade 6-8 Campus Principals

Re: Technology Applications:TEKS Assessment

Before 8th grade students go to 9th grade, they must complete an NCLB mandated assessment on technology literacy. Prior to the end of the 2011-2012 school year, you are expected to conduct an online technology literacy assessment of all eighth graders at your campus, not just those in Technology Applications courses. This memo outlines expectations as they pertain to the following areas of Technology Applications:TEKS instruction on your campus:

Is your TA:TEKS teacher using the district curriculum?
Is your TA:TEKS teacher up to date on their certifications?
Are your TA:TEKS courses coded as Technology Applications or Career & Technology?
Does the learning environment meet the ISTE-aligned TA:TEKS standards?

Let's explore these briefly.

1- Using District Curriculum?

Over the last few years, the SAISD Instructional Technology & Learning Services Office has provided online curriculum for middle schools to use. The use of this curriculum has been largely voluntary and left up to campus principals to adopt. Unfortunately, lack of a district mandate meant that most 8th graders failed the NCLB technology literacy assessment with less than 10% of SAISD 8th graders passing the assessment. While significant gains have been made, increasing the pass rate to 62% as of last year, not every campus is using the new curriculum.

The online, blended curriculum is available and ready for use. It has been used to improve student achievement on the NCLB Technology literacy assessment but it has only been effective when it has been required. Campuses not using the TA:TEKS blended curriculum will NOT receive support from the Office of Instructional Technology & Learning Services. Simply, if your campus is not using this curriculum, then SAISD students are ill-prepared in the use of technology.

View curriculum and assessment information online.

2 - Is your TA:TEKS Teacher certified to teach Technology Applications?

Students need access to highly qualified, certified teachers who have Technology Applications certification. If for some reason you have a teacher serving as a Technology Applications instructor who lacks certification, expect a separate email contact about what you and that teacher can do to help them get certified.

View requirements online.

3 - Courses coded as Technology Applications?

One of the errors campuses make is “coding”–assigning the wrong TEA Service ID–CATE high school classes as Technology Applications courses, then teaching them using CATE curriculum (or whatever curriculum the teacher devises). Or, another situation that arises is that Technology Applications courses are taught using TA:TEKS but are coded as CATE.

Please make sure that if you are coding a middle school class as Technology Applications, that the SAISD TA:TEKS blended curriculum is used for that class.

View TEA Service IDs for Technology Applications classes.

4 - Is the classroom learning environment up to National Standards?

The Technology Applications have been revised to reflect the ISTE National Education Technology Standards for Students (NETS-S) and Teachers (NETS-T). It is critical that the classroom environment meet those standards to ensure a healthy, safe, and productive learning environment. A rubric to help you assess your TA:TEKS classroom is available.

View rubric online.

Questions?

Please contact the Office of Instructional Technology Services, or Miguel Guhlin via email at mguhlin@saisd.net or at 527-1400, if you have any questions.

Principals

August 2011

CTRS

TATEKS

jmguhlin — 2011-08-02T15:23:31-06:00

jmguhlin — 2011-07-27T14:56:36-06:00

jmguhlin — 2011-07-23T14:18:57-06:00

jmguhlin — 2011-07-23T14:17:05-06:00