Technology Integration In Texas

As the nation's economy continues to shift towards being a tech centered entity, several states throughout the country are evolving into tech hubs where tech jobs are growing at record rates. In the past, California and Washington stood as the two most prominent destinations for America's most powerful technology companies. Today, the tide is shifting, and the primary beneficiary looks like it's going to be Texas.

Statistics also indicate that our school is located in one of the most deprived areas of income deprivation affecting children thus many of our students do not have access to technology at home. This means we have a responsibility to provide such access in a controlled school environment.

Federal Reserve Chair, Janet Yellen, spoke at the Economic Club of New York yesterday. As a result of this speech, the stock market jumped and the dollar depreciated. Chelsey Dulaney of the Wall Street Journal reported that, "The WSJ Dollar Index, which measures the buck against a basket of 16 currencies, fell 0.4% to 86.65. The euro rose 0.3% to $1.13295." The key part of Janet Yellen's speech that triggered the dollar depreciation was when she said:

I hypothesize that these findings can be translated to show similar methods of teaching and assessment cause increased performance as well. If students of any level of education are taught through computer-based educational resources then they are assessed with a computerized test, they will perform at a higher level than if they were assessed through pencil and paper.

Research shows that the use of standardized testing has spanned centuries, some of the earlier studies include data from the early 1900’s. According to Frazier (2009), “there is a significant difference in scores on standardized tests when students have completed a technology education program”. This study shows a correlation between the use of technology within the school system and achievement on standardized tests. Students that are exposed to technology education are more likely to do well on standardized tests.

A teacher associated low-income children with discipline problems. The teachers did not motive or believe in their student’s success. Students were just given information without explanation or were not encouraged to become independent thinkers. If the students are not performing on their academic level or on the state standards, the schools are not going to receive funding to provide these students with technology. Society tends portray minorities as being destructive and ungrateful. Some believe that providing technology to students in urban school will result in damage and stolen digital devices.

Because this was the first year of a technology-based assessment, students who struggled with the use of the technology may

Also, the amount of teachers qualified was a concern. The ratio of student to teacher in the classroom was an issue. Many classrooms were overcrowded which makes it hard for teachers to focus on students individually if assistance was needed. Teachers in turn were not able to receive assistance from teacher aides. Strength of all individuals is culture. The ethnic background of the children was taken into consideration. Federal funding was used to provide more training to teachers in relation to cultural competency and technical skills. The teachers will take into consideration a child’s culture and their ability to learn and retain information. In addition, the use of technology provided a full range of technical skills to analyze data to improve quality of decision-making skills and classroom experience (United, 2010).

Technology is deemed a strength but it is also a weakness because the tools used are outdated or the system does allow teachers to have more control of the students chrome books outside of school, so even though they are sent home, some students are still fallen behind academically.

O’Hanlon (2007) conducted a technology study for Texas immersion program for high- risk, high-need areas of the state, where middle school students were equipped with laptops for learning. The program yielded positive results and reflected in better communication skills for the students, teachers, administrators and their community.

Technology in the classroom is important for teachers, parents, and students alike, because technology use has become a necessary skill for survival in today’s vastly expanding technology driven global economy. Research has shown an increase in student’s success rates when exposed to technology in the classroom. Also technology has opened lines of communication between educators and parents to keep students on track, and help teachers educate better.

For example, there has been admirable improvements in the level of access to technology in schools severing predominantly minority and L-SES student populations; however, students in these classrooms still have significantly less access to technology (Barton & Coley, 2009). Besides, the use of technology in innovative manners that effectively supports teacher’s instructional objectives is still infrequent, even in L-SES schools with increased access to computer technology (Ertmer, & Ottenbreit-Leftwich, 2010). As a result of budgetary restraints, L-SES schools have less access to the kind of full-time technical support needed to maintain school technology. Therefore, teachers are apprehensive about incorporate technology into their lesson plans due to unreliable machines and untimely technical support (Warschauer, & Matuchniak, 2010). Unfortunately, along with technology shortfalls, schools serving minority and L-SES students also have fewer certified teachers in their classrooms (Barton & Coley, 2009; Clotfelter, Ladd & Vigdor, 2010). In fact, students from underserved populations are more likely to be taught math by teachers lacking focused degree training in mathematics (Barton & Coley, 2009). There is strong evidence demonstrating a long-term patterns of failure related to teacher quality, including economic models that linking the impact of teacher proficiency and dramatically stunted

Technology is everywhere, it is involved in almost every part of our culture. It affects how we live, work, play, and most importantly learn. With technology being such a fundamental part of our lives and growing each day, it only makes sense that schools incorporate technology in the classrooms. Even though many people support the use of technology in schools, there are those that have concerns about the effectiveness of technology and whether or not it undermines education to solely prepare students for the workforce. Despite the concerns, technology is being integrated with classroom lessons daily, and proving how beneficial it is for student success.

As we navigate through the 21st century, technology in the classroom is becoming further predominant. iPads are replacing our textbooks, and we can research any desired topic on our smartphones. The impact that technology has had on today’s schools has been utterly momentous. Educators have now seen firsthand the numerous benefits of technology in the classroom. According to a study by IT Trade Association CompTIA, around 75 percent of educators have come to the conclusion that technology has a positive impact on the education process. Educators have also recognized the significance of developing these technological skills in students so they will be prepared to enter the workforce after they graduate (Cox). By incorporating technology in the classroom, teachers are setting our students up for a successful life outside of school. The increase of technology has even changed how teachers teach along with how

Chapter three will describe the methodology selected for an applied dissertation study, the participants, research design, instruments, data collection procedures, and limitations informing the research. The purpose of the proposed study is to determine the effectiveness of the i-Ready® computer-based reading program used at a Title I school in a large urban district for relationship to increases of student reading achievement. i-Ready® is an interactive computer-based instructional program designed to accelerate reading and language skills at the host school. According to Curriculum Associates (2014,) i-Ready® combines assessment and individualized instruction in a single web-based format ensuring accessibility anywhere a computer or tablet with internet access is available. i-Ready® screens all students for reading difficulties by first requiring students to take a computerized diagnostic test to determine a personal i-Ready® ability level. Thus, the diagnostic can monitor individual performance throughout primary and secondary education by analyzing specific needs for students. The adaptive technology analyzes test response patterns to derive information in order to pinpoint needs more efficiently than traditional fixed-form testing methods.