Progress Report on the Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020
Ricky B. Eades
Lamar University
The progress report for the Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020 was created in December of 2008. The data from the submitted STaR charts was used to create the reports. I was particularly impressed with a few areas of the progress report. In the report, a question was posed to 6th-8th graders of, “Besides not having enough time in your school day to use technology, what are the other major obstacles you face using technology at your school”? (TEA, 2008, p.6) The most prevalent answer was that filters and firewalls blocked web sites needed by students to answer their inquiries. Other concerns were the restrictions placed by teachers, the inability to access personal emails, and slow internet connections. I must agree that the students do have a point in their complaints. I have often had problems of my own trying to access legitimate web sites due to filtering restrictions. Another area that awakened my attention was that of Technology Immersion and the schools involved. This plan benefitted students as it supplied individual laptops to each and every student. The data from the project shows positive benefits; however, as the grants run out in 2011, the school districts involved will have to make important financial decisions. Another aspect of the report shows that distance learning has gained some ground over the past four years. The concept is starting to appear quiet frequently in many Texas secondary schools.
References: Texas Education Agency, (TEA), (2008), Progress Report on the Long-Range Plan for Technology, 2006-2020, p. 1-180
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