Technology Applications TEKS Summary

The Texas Pre-K Technology Guidelines appear to be quite important to developing those personal skills and behaviors necessary for learners as they continue through their education. The five domains described in these guidelines include: 1) Social and Emotional Development; 2) Language and Communication; 3) Emergent Literacy: Reading; 4) Emergent Literacy: Writing; and Mathematics. In the first domain, Social and Emotional Development, teachers work on the students’ social and emotional development. Establishing who they are and what they can do, along with positive relationships with others is important in future skill development. Learning rules, self control help students understand acceptable behavior. In the second domain, Language and Communication, Pre-K students are taught listening and speaking skills. These skills are crucial in learning across the learning domains. The third and fourth domains, Emergent Literacy: Reading & Writing, the foundation for reading and writing is fostered by motivating them to read and write by watching adults engage in those activities. As students learn to draw, it motivates them write when they begin to understand that their writing conveys meaning. Mathematics is the fifth domain in the guidelines for technology for Pre-K. Teachers support children’s interest in mathematics by incorporating short, focused math activities in small groups. It appears that these Pre-K guidelines are the base for the TEKS in subsequent grades. Each level adds onto the last like a scaffold. The base being the foundation for all the levels to come. In the Pre-K guidelines students are expected to learn rules and responsibility. Those same concepts are spiraled all the way through a student's technology classes and TEKS as they become aware there are certain ethical behaviors and laws that must be followed. As students begin to research they are taught that they must give credit to the authors of information they acquire. They must also decide what information is valid and useful. As they continue to learn more, they must decide how to use the information they find, what format to use, and how it will be presented. As students get into middle and high school, they are expected to work independently, and to collaborate and work in groups, to access information, and to creatively exhibit their learning. Along with these skills, students build the ability to evaluate their own work as well as the work of others by building evaluative tools such as rubrics. So, technology begins in Pre-Kindergarten with basic concepts such as self-awareness and responsibility. It continues with ethical and proper behavior while using technologically acquired information. As students learn to work with others in group settings, they eventually learn how to create and use their own evaluation tools. All of the skills gained from the scaffolding of the TEKS creates learners who can work alone or in collaboration with others. All of this teaches them to be independent and global learners Technology Applications for Pre-K Retrieved from: http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/technology/ta/stustd.html