Technology Standards and Competencies:
A Comparison of North Texas School Districts
This project was created for ETEC 597: Restructuring Schools with Technology,
an online course offered through Texas A&M University - Commerce,
under the instruction of Dr. Sue Espinoza.
Project Contents
Sherman ISD
Compiled by Jenniefer Jones
As our world becomes more technologically advanced, more and more is required of both students and teachers in the area of technology competencies. In order for our students to learn such things, it is necessary for teachers to be competent in technical areas. But who defines what is technologically competent and what is not? It seems to be a bit different in different states, different districts, even different schools. In order to establish some sort of standard among its employees, some districts have come up with a list of competencies that each employee must demonstrate. One such district is Sherman ISD, located in Sherman, TX.
Technology Standards
In 1997, all current Sherman ISD employees were given a set of 12 technology competencies. Each employee has until December of 1998 to demonstrate that they are proficient in the 12 areas. Hopefully, these 12 competencies will help Sherman employees become technologically literate and perhaps they will introduce some employees, who may not have ventured into the realm of technology, to its many benefits. The 12 competencies are:
- Legal Issues/Acceptable Use Policy
- Ability to use standard operating system; Use File Manager/Win95 Explore Feature
- Ability to use a word processing program
- Ability to use a graphic program
- Ability to use CD ROM's
- Create a multimedia presentation
- Use the media retrieval system
- Use the Internet; Use Search Engines
- Send and retrieve e-mail
- Perform minor troubleshooting
- Curriculum Integration
- Use of classroom/administrative phone system
District Assessment
Upon demonstration, each employee receives a $150.00 stipend. This incentive is only for employees who were employed by Sherman ISD when the competencies were initially introduced. Starting in the spring of 1998, all new employees were required to demonstrate the same competencies within a given amount of time and without the incentive stipend.