A Teacher's Assessment of Classroom Technology

District Organization, Vision, and Mission

The writer of this research works for the Special School District (SSD) of a large urban city. Through this employment district, the writer is placed in a large blue-collar district serving over 13, 000 students. The writer's educational institution services approximately 1700 special and regular education students spanning grades 9 through 12.

As outlined in the vision statement, the District seeks "...to be recognized as one of the best school districts in the region as a result of its academic excellence, student achievement, innovative and effective teaching, efficient management practices and extensive community involvement and strong support." Therefore, according to the mission, the District provides "...the supportive environment and challenging opportunities necessary for success in our challenging world" (1). Providing students with a strong reading background affords these individuals a greater foundation for meeting the challenges of society; wherefore, reading comprehension attributes a top priority for school systems. Computers and the Internet have increased the importance of reading across districts worldwide (Lewin, 1999). For technology to impact students, teachers must be empowered by technology themselves (Guhlin, 2002).

According to McLester (2002) k-12 education has had a reputation for lagging behind in adopting new methods of technology. However, state and national standards were formed with the end in mind. Our educational foundation did not begin with textbooks. Thus, the District sought a more technologically advanced foundation upon which to operate. The District noted the implementation of more sophisticated technology resources and services as a focal point for, and turning point in, improving access to advanced information sources, while furnishing further creative outlets for student assessment and success. Teachers assume ownership, which results in teachers using their new technology base to change the way they teach, which will change the way students learn (Guhlin, 2002).