Week+5+Discussion5364

My favorite quote this week was from Web 2.0 New tools, New schools when the authors (Solomon and Schrum) asked, "Can assessment be authentic and simultaneously prepare students to succeed in the standardized testing that they will face? Absolutely!" (P. 168) Educators and lawmakers are so caught up with having students be able to perform to a set standard, that they have created an environment where teachers ' hands are tied. We are teaching detached, isolated concepts with no overall or unifying application. Students don't see the point, and it's getting harder and harder to answer the question of "when are we ever going to use this?" The video from last week showing the art and physics teachers team teaching and working on the same unit is a step in the right direction. Now, I and many teachers do try to experiment with different media and mediums to teach the information, but the TEKS are the TEKS. We are required to teach certain concepts dictated by the statewide curriculum. Since the explosion of technology and the fact that Texas has approved and initiated the Long-range Technology Plan, do we know if state education agencies are considering rewriting the curriculum to include the integration of technology? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?