Technology Assessments

It is very beneficial to assess educator and student technology proficiency. The Texas Star Chart is a great tool for this purpose. The results will show the needs of the staff, and it will inform the administration on what programs need to be funded, so that the staff can be brought up to par. Professional development can also be determined by the results of the StaR Chart. It is important for teachers to have certain skill so that they can make informed decisions about how technology is used in their classrooms.
Sometimes technology gets pushed aside because of high stakes testing. Teachers feel rushed, so they do what the feel is in the best interest of the class. Teachers have to understand that we live in a world where students need to be proficient in technology use so that they can be college/career ready when they leave school. So it is important that we make sure that teachers and students are receiving adequate training on industry standard software.
The STaR Chart is a survey that gathers information on a couple of key Items. First, it checks teacher proficiency, by asking if teachers know the basics about using technology. Second, the survey inquires about student use of technology. The chart tries to determine if technology is being used by the teacher or the students. Then, the STar Chart inquires about the tools that teachers have available to them. It asks about the internet connection, the number of computers in the classroom, and the level of tech support available. Finally, it inquires about some of the training that is provided to the teachers. Overall, the STaR Chart is a great tool to determine the level of proficiency of Teachers, and Students.