Technology Application Standards

Cendie Stanford

Standard I: All teachers use technology-related terms, concepts, data input strategies, and ethical practices to make informed decisions about current technologies and their applications.

Technology Application Standards 1.2k refers to data input skills appropriate to the task. I use this on a daily basis in my classroom. Applications such as Excel, Microsoft Word, Access, and many more programs installed on a computer are serve some type of function for inputting data. Teachers are expected to know what program is most appropriate for particular tasks. Things such as inputting grades, Excel would be the most appropriate program. If you wanted to create a database of student demographics to organize and share information, Access would be the most appropriate program for this type of program. There are several free tutorials that I have taken advantage of to learn these programs. Each program has had it on benefit for me in my teaching experience.


Technology Application Standards 1.5s refers to using technology terminology appropriate to the tasks. I practice this on a daily basis as well, not just with my students, but with colleagues also. There are many terms out there that I am still trying to get acquainted with, but for everyday terms such computer hardware components and screen functions, these are simple tasks that every teacher should have a solid foundation of. I believe once you get in the habit of using these terms it becomes second nature to your students and people around you. In my basic skills computer class, I find myself constantly repeating to the students, “Find the Menu Bar, or look for your cursor, and some still ask me, "What’s that”? I usually give my students a random quiz on a daily basis to test their knowledge on terminology. I figure that it keeps my vocabulary up to date as well.

Technology Application Standard 1.10s refers to using a variety of input devices such as mouse/track pad, keyboard, microphone, digital camera, printer, scanner, disk/disc, modem, CD-ROM, and joystick. A computer won’t work properly without a mouse or track pad, you must have a keyboard in order to input information. As a teacher, I have the most experience with simple devices such as a mouse, keyboard, and disks. I have enhanced my knowledge with tools such as scanners, cameras, printers, and other input devices. Digital cameras are fun ways to bring learning to life, and I try and give students the opportunity to enjoy the uses of these technologies as often as possible. I also use Adobe Professional to scan worksheets into the computer for my physically handicap students to complete their work digitally.

Standard II: All teachers identify task requirements, apply search strategies, and use current technology to efficiently acquire, analyze, and evaluate a variety of electronic information.


Technology Application Standard 2.1k requests that teachers know a variety of strategies for acquiring information from electronic resources. I have practiced this using advanced search engines, online catalogs in our library, online dictionary and thesaurus’. I have become accustomed to using electronic catalogs to find journal articles for my graduate courses. If a teacher has a working knowledge of this proficiency, he/she can open a whole new world of research capabilities for students in his/her class. I allow my students to refer to the internet for information that is not too detailed, but I see an expression of joy when they are allowed to use the computer to research information.

Technology Application Standard 2.4s requests that teachers know how to access, manage, and manipulate information from secondary storage and remote devices. I have addressed this proficiency by using a flash drive that holds up to 256M. It is small, compatible to any computer with a USB port, and it allows easy retrieval of information. I also use CD’s that are rewritable; they allow me to save a lot of information that can be accessed later. All these are more commonly used today, than the 3.5 floppy disk. In my district, we have a network that allows teachers and students to save to their folder on a network. Most teachers in my school use this feature to share information with others as well as to save large files. The only downside to this feature is that if the networks are down, so are your files.

Technology Application Standard 2.7s requests that teachers resolve information conflicts and validate information by accessing, researching, and comparing data from multiple sources. I have addressed this proficiency by visiting multiple resources on the web and comparing the content. For instance, we were looking up how many time zones were in the US, and found a few different answers from different sources on the web. Finally, after visiting personal websites, we went to a science website maintained by NASA a found out the actual number. This is always a good search strategy to use when you have conflicting information. As a part of our proficiency test with the district we had to review information from a web page and determine if the information was false and how we came up with that conclusion, what tipped us off that the information was incorrect. I teach my students to be careful and to think critically when evaluating web sites with content that is questionable.

Standard III: All teachers use task-appropriate tools to synthesize knowledge, create and modify solutions, and evaluate results in a way that supports the work of individuals and groups in problem-solving situations.

Technology Application Standard 3.1s requests that teachers plan, create, and edit word processing documents using readable fonts, alignment, page setup, tabs, and ruler settings;
I use word everyday; in fact, I am using it now. I know my way in and out of word, the only thing I want to get better at is the tab adjustment bars. Sometimes word can do crazy things and put your tabs any and everywhere. I have to learn the default application. I use word to type my lesson plans, communicate with parents and teachers, and type up professional documents. In my classroom, I try and let my students use it a least once a week to complete assignments. I actually prefer them typing their assignments because some of the handwriting is atrocious. I have just learned a new feature in word this year in my graduate classes, and that is how to use track changes to check a document. I also love using the net to download cool new fonts. I taught one of my students, that I trust dearly, how to install new fonts on a computer.

Technology Application Standard 3.2s requests that teachers plan, create, and edit spreadsheet documents using all data types, formulas and functions, and chart information. This is another proficiency test that we must pass in my district in order to continue to receive the benefits of a teacher laptop. Spreadsheets are remarkable, and have so many features readily available. I use spreadsheets to keep track of grades and attendance. I am not as comfortable with the formulas because we keep our grades thru esembler grade book, and it does the calculating for us. I would eventually like to know all there is to do in excel, but for now, I am pretty good at it. I learned Excel back in high school and since then I have gotten a little rusty.

Technology Application Standard 3.14s requests that teachers use technology in self-directed activities to create products for and share products with defined audiences. In our district, we have access to Shared Folders, which allows us to share information that we use or come across with other teachers and students in the district. I currently keep worksheets and videos in my shared folder for my students to access away from class. This is also good because students can find work that they’ve missed or videos that they need to watch inside this folder. We also communicate with district personal through shared folders. In my graduate classes, I have created web quest for students and teachers to use.

Standard IV. All teachers communicate information in different formats and for diverse audiences.

Technology Application Standard 4.2k requests that teachers know how to deliver a product electronically in a variety of media. I have learned how to attach files to emails, send animated clipart, and send video clips. This is something that I learned by either asking or using my search skills to find tutorials. We have a teacher technologist that comes by once a week and teaches you anything that you want to know about technology. Using email in my district is the number one method for communicating with staff and other personnel in the district. I also have learned to use Adobe to send documents that have to be signed digitally.

Technology Application Standard 4.1s requests that teachers know use productivity tools, such as slide shows, posters, multimedia presentations, newsletters, brochures, or reports, to create effective document files for defined audiences. I have used slide shows for different audiences whether it is in higher education, with my colleagues, or in my classroom. This is a fun way to lecture without lecturing. Slideshows are very typical and I personally think their will be another trend that comes into play once people get bored with PowerPoint. We have a software program at my school called The Classroom Performance System (CPS). It allows instructors to receive and instantly grade homework, create tests, and have test reviews.

Technology Application Standard 4.12s requests that teachers evaluate products for relevance to the assignment or task. I would like to become more familiar with evaluating products. I know that there are magazines in circulation that give personal evaluations on software. I believe that having this knowledge will eliminate the teachers purchasing unrelated software. There are several drill and practice software that are feasible for any assignment. I am one of those teachers who are more impressed by seeing it at work before I actually purchase it. I will admit that I have been bought by the graphics and testimonials once before, but today I am much more skeptical about things I use for my learning style of students.

Standard V. All teachers know how to plan, organize, deliver, and evaluate instruction for all students that incorporates the effective use of current technology for teaching and integrating the Technology Applications Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) into the curriculum.

Technology Application Standard 5.3k requests that teachers use instructional strategies for teaching the Technology Applications TEKS and integrating them into the curriculum. I address instructional applications through accessing the web for resourceful information as well as text related material. I have my students search for information on our current objective. Sometimes it can be as simple as letting them use word to type their spelling words several times. When I am trying to teach them how to use spell check to correct their documents, I show them shortcuts and try to get them to understand the meaning of grammar in writing. Most teachers’ edition of textbooks gives technology application standards that are addressed to that particular subject content. I usually refer back to the teachers’ edition to get ideas if I hadn’t come up with any of my own.


Technology Application Standard 5.4s requests that teachers develop and implement, using technology applications, tasks that emphasize collaboration and teamwork among members of a structured group or project team. The Web Quest that I created requires collaborative work. This lets students take each unique ability they posses and help each other. Sometimes we use mapping in KidSpiration as a group project. These are activities that are meaningful to students and require them to use teamwork skills to accomplish it. On a weekly basis, I group my students up to use the thesaurus to find synonyms for their spelling words, as well as parts of speech. I think this is a relative advantage of using a computer instead of a dictionary.

Technology Application Standard 5.12s requests that teachers teach students how to locate the meanings and pronunciations of unfamiliar content-related words using appropriate sources, such as dictionaries, thesauruses, and glossaries. I use http://thesaurus.reference.com/ and Merriam Webster online dictionary at http://www.m-w.com/ when I need to find meanings of words or alternate words to use. I have Merriam Webster bookmarked as the Talking Dictionary, it plays the word for you in real player, this is the coolest and my kids love it. I find myself sending my kids to the net to look up words more now than the traditional method of using a dictionary. As I mentioned earlier, we use the features in word to find alternate meanings for our spelling words as well.