Surveys

Overall technology is an acquired strength for me. When I arrived in my current district, I was certainly technologically deficient. Through a combination of necessity and personal desire I have come a long way in the past ten years. The surveys reflect that improvement.

The first survey addressed Foundations, Information Acquisition, Problem Solving, and Communications. I answered in the affirmative in all the categories more than the negative. My greatest strength was in Problem Solving, sixteen positives and only two negatives. Foundations and Information Acquisition finished second and third respectively. My greatest area of weakness proved to be Communication, six affirmatives and six negative answers. This was a profound shock to me. I had expected to find this was the area of greatest strength for me. With the advent of e-mail as a primary mode of work place communication, I assumed my constant use of e-mail qualified me as technologically savvy. Prior to reading the articles I was largely unaware of the shifting direction of communication. Further, after reading the articles I heard a radio program this week. Much of the radio program's focal topic was dedicated to the death of e-mail use among teenagers and those in their early twenties. E-mail lacks the immediacy of tweeter, IM, and text. Blog also offers the opportunity to communicate in greater depth of dialogue than e-mail.

The SETDA assessment revealed an interesting personal anomaly for me. I both work to acquire understanding of technology and use technology with great frequency. Rarely does a day pass when I don't use technology in class. Even now as I pursue my Master's Degree I have defered to technology rather than face to face instruction. However,the key word from the previous statements is "I." I use technology. I work with technology. I don't often extend that to my students. I am failing to allow my students to use technology with regularity.

Both assessments are extremely beneficial. I agreed with the results. The assessments focus the attention of administrators and teachers on their technological strengths and weaknesses. As a hopeful, future administrator I had not given great thought to the role of a Principal or Assistant Principal in the arena of technology. However, technology is mandated by TEKS. Administrators must understand technology in order to expedite its implementation. Further we must be student centered to be successful. Today's students are predisposed to cyber learning. We must embrace that change or we will fail to reach today's learner.