Educator Preparation & Development

Students must be prepared to function in the 21st century technological age. In order for this to happen, educators must equip themselves to flow with this trend toward incorporating educational technology in the curriculum. The use of educational technology is directly related to the amount of technological experience and expertise a teacher brings to the classroom. To gain this experience, it is incumbent upon each educator to increase personal learning through continual staff development in this area. Individuals enrolled in educator preparation programs should meet the Technology Applications educator standards and model the appropriate use of technology. Veteran teachers should participate in ongoing, job-embedded professional development that meets SBEC Technology Applications Standards for all teachers. One way to achieve this goal is through distance learning.

Marshall Independent School District has improved its rating in the area of Educator Preparation and Development from Developing Tech to Advanced Tech over the past three years. According to the level of progress, there is integration of technology into teaching and learning. There is regular use of online resources. At least 60% of educators meet SBEC standards, and 25-29% of the technology budget has been allocated for professional development. In this key area statewide, 5.4% of teachers rate as Early Tech, 74.2 % rate as Developing Tech, 19.9% rate as Advanced Tech, and 0.6% rate as Target Tech.

In order to improve in the area of Educator Preparation and Development, sufficient monetary resources must be budgeted to support relevant, job-embedded professional development for all staff. Educational leaders must ensure the integration of appropriate technology throughout all curriculum and instruction as well. Finally, to ensure that students are prepared for 21st century learning, the educational paradigm must be changed to view technology as the foundation of education and not merely a supplement.