As the twenty-first century approaches, the literate citizen is increasingly expected to use computer technology to access and manipulate information. Knowing how to manage electronic information from an ever-widening array of resources and in proliferating formats is essential. To be fully prepared to function productively in a technology-oriented society, students must develop not only fundamental computer skills but also proficiency in using a variety of technology tools to solve problems, make informed decisions, and generate new knowledge. The development of these skills, as in other basic areas of knowledge, is the responsibility of the schools and their instructional staff.

To ensure that teachers are prepared for this challenge, the College of Education at the University of Texas at Austin, in collaboration with the Austin Independent School District, established a task force to study the need for a technology component in pre-service and in-service teacher training programs. This unique task force, known as the Teacher Technology Competency Committee, brought together the expertise of a university, several school districts, and a regional educational service center in developing a set of technology competency standards for current and future teachers. In addition to the College of Education and AISD, the other members of the committee included Region Service Center XIII, Dallas ISD, and Leander ISD. The standards are designed to support and advance the long-range technology plan of the State Board of Education and are now a cornerstone of the College of Education's teacher preparation program as well as AISD's professional development plan for instructional staff and administrators.

The Teacher Technology Competencies are a set of technology standards that define proficiency in using computer technology in the classroom. The competencies consist of computer-related skills grouped into four general domains: (1) Basic Technology Operation, (2) Personal and Professional Use of Technology Tools, (3) Social, Ethical, and Human Issues, and (4) Application of Technology in Instruction. Each domain consists of a subset of specific skills; these are sequenced from simple to complex so that mastery of the skills is cumulative.

Fundamental skills come first - like managing electronic files, using computerized databases and spreadsheets, sending and receiving e-mail messages, and creating documents with graphics. These skills are prerequisites for more advanced skills, such as accessing on-line resources, creating desktop publishing documents, developing multimedia presentations, selecting and customizing instructional software to fit students' needs, streamlining record-keeping and other administrative procedures with electronic tools, and observing the correct protocols in sharing intellectual property.

Research tells us that the single most important factor in determining the success of technology in the classroom is a teacher who is comfortable with and knowledgeable about computers. Yet many teachers, especially those who entered the teaching profession before technology assumed such a pervasive role in society, have had little or no special training in computers. Even teachers who can demonstrate basic computer literacy are unlikely to be familiar with the full range of tools that technology can offer, from spreadsheets to digital graphics to instructional software.

Kids already seem to get the hang of computers faster than adults. Won't they pick up computer skills on their own if they just have access to the right hardware and software?

It's true that most children take to computers quickly because they've grown up in an electronic age. But being a wizard at playing computer games or cruising the Internet isn't the same as possessing the sophisticated technical skills that will be needed in the highly computerized workplace of the future. To develop these skills, students must be able to use computers to collect data, solve problems, make decisions, share ideas, and manage and present information - all with an understanding of the real-world application of these activities. Such abilities are rarely intuitive; they must be fostered by teachers who appreciate the value of technology in the classroom and can provide guidance in using these tools productively.

Just as technology pervades all walks of life and almost every field of human endeavor, technology skills are becoming essential in all subject areas because the computer is now the universal vehicle for the acquisition and dissemination of information in all fields. What's more, technology belongs throughout the entire curriculum because of its extraordinary potential for enhancing learning. The learning process becomes active instead of passive because students control their own learning: they must think about and interact with what is on the computer screen. Since computers can radically expand information access and communication, they especially benefit students with disabilities by increasing their participation in the learning process. Just as other professionals utilize specific technologies as tools to enhance their work, teachers must likewise become adept in putting technology to use as the field of educational software evolves with the various academic disciplines. Regardless of grade level or subject, technology can support teachers in numerous professional activities - first and foremost in stimulating learning in the classroom but also in simplifying their administrative duties, improving personal productivity, and advancing professional growth.

At the pre-service level, the competencies are taught in a required course as part of the teacher preparation program in the UT-Austin College of Education. This lab course is reinforced in the methods courses, where professors apply instructional technology in the various subject areas to demonstrate the integration of technology in the classroom.

At the in-service level, teachers have multiple opportunities for obtaining technology competence. They can attend training sessions offered through Austin ISD's professional development program, work with a mentor, design a self-study plan, or pursue a combination of these approaches. They can also visit model classrooms throughout the district where teachers have successfully merged technology with more traditional modes of instruction. This framework of flexible and varied training strategies accommodates each individual teacher's needs and learning style; yet the way in which the skills are precisely defined and cumulatively structured guarantees consistency across training formats.

In formulating this set of standards, the Teacher Technology Competency Committee has established a concurrent process for reviewing and validating the competencies. As the affiliated institutions incorporate the competencies into their respective training programs, the Committee will periodically evaluate and refine specific elements of the competencies to ensure that they are not only congruent with the ever-changing shape of technology but also effective in achieving the desired training outcomes. The modular design of the competencies makes it easy to revise the components and performance criteria within a domain to reflect technological advances in specific areas as well as students' learning needs. Periodic updating of the competencies, with corresponding adjustments in the teacher preparation and professional development programs, will keep teachers abreast of the most recent developments in educational technology. Most important, the organic structure of the competencies and their action-based orientation will encourage teachers to make technology tools an integral part of all their professional activities.

Mastery of the Teacher Technology Competencies is demonstrated entirely by performance-based assessments. These involve satisfactory completion of a series of tasks that give evidence of proficiency in each skill. Teacher candidates are assessed in the first three domains; classroom teachers are assessed in all four domains, including technology integration.. Assessment instruments will vary from district to district or according to setting; however, for samples of assessment instruments see Appendix A.

The Teacher Technology Competencies are the outgrowth of a unique consortium of educators, all representing different perspectives but sharing a common goal: the wise use of community resources. Keeping up with the pace of technology isn't simply a matter of upgrading equipment and infrastructure; it also demands a parallel investment in human resources by continually upgrading the knowledge and skills of teachers as they apply the technology in the classroom. Since this issue confronts all types of school districts throughout the state, the competencies have wide applicability as a model.

These competencies are based on the ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) National Standards and support the TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) for all content areas which require the integration of technology throughout the curriculum.

The Teacher Technology Competencies Committee envisions these competencies as the building blocks of an exemplary system of educational technology that combines pedagogical integrity with real-world relevance, fostering a teaching and learning culture in which the computer is a tool as basic as the three R's. In this culture, teachers will no longer have to struggle to adjust constantly to the rapidly changing technology environment. Rather, as part of a larger user community of professionals, teachers will possess the technical competence that enables them to enjoy the benefits of technology, understand its infinite potential, and look forward to new technological practices and products for improving the quality of students' learning experiences.

Each of the following relates to Technology Competency Framework Domains, descriptions of the Domains, and a list of Technology Topics which address the Domains. The pages following reflect the competencies related to each topic.

1. 1.1 Basic Operations
   1.2 Technology Tools
   

Domain 2: Personal/Professional Use of Technology Tools - Instructional staff will apply tools for enhancing their own professional growth and productivity. They will use technology in communicating, collaborating, conducting research, and problem solving.

1. 2.1 Word processing
   2.2 Graphics
   2.3 Database
   2.4 Spreadsheet
   2.5 Multimedia applications
   2.6 Telecomputing
   2.7 Teacher/administrative Applications
   

Domain 3: Social, Ethical, and Human Issues - Instructional staff will demonstrate knowledge of equity, ethics, legal, and human issues concerning the use of computers and technology.

1. 3.1 District guidelines - ethics / Acceptable Use Policy
   

Domain 4: Application of Technology in Instruction - Instructional staff will apply computers and related technologies to support instruction in their grade level and subject areas. They must plan and deliver instructional units that integrate a variety of software, applications, and learning tools. Lessons developed must reflect effective grouping and assessment strategies for diverse populations.

1. 4.1 District vision
   4.2 Classroom integration

Domain 1: Basic Technology Operation

Topic 1.1: Operating Systems

Purpose: Essential to using any computer is a knowledge of its operating system. Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) allow the user an easier method of working with programs and data files. Whether using MacOS or Windows 95, users need to learn how to organize files, run applications, save and retrieve files, select printers, and operate a mouse.

Prerequisite/Entry skills: Minimum keyboarding

Competencies:

Assessment: Operating Systems
 

Purpose:: In addition to computers, technology users often have other devices available to them.

To fully utilize the multimedia capability of computers, users need to learn how and when to use the various equipment in conjunction with the computer.

Prerequisite/Entry skills: Keyboarding fluency to be productive,
Operating systems (1.1) Word Processing (2.1) and Graphics (2.4)

Competencies:

Assessment: Technology Tools
 

Assessment: Word Processing
 

Assessment: Graphics
 

Assessment: Spreadsheet
 

Competencies:

Assessment: Multimedia Applications
 

Assessment: Telecomputing
 

Assessment: Administrative / Teacher Applications
 

Assessment: Attending this session constitutes mastery of this competency.
 

Assessment: Attending this session constitutes mastery of this competency.
 

Assessment: Technology Integration