What+you+need+to+know

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW:
The State Department has specific guidelines for school districts for planning and implementing the Technolgy Course of Study. Since adopting a new TCOS in 2008, our district needed to update the local objectives to match the new course of study. Here are some things to remember - information passed on from the State Department.
 * 1) The local objectives are directly aligned with the 2008 Alabama Course of Study: Technology Education; which is based on ISTE's 2007 NETS: The Next Generation.
 * 2) The State Department's focus has moved from "technology literacy" in the old standards to "technology fluency" in the new standards and from "technology integration" to "technology infusion". This will help move our students closer to where they need to be for the 21st century.
 * 3) A huge focus is on 21st century skills. (http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/route21/)
 * 4) Grade cluster objectives ARE NOT repeated in the next grade cluster. They must be covered completely by the time a student moves to the next grade cluster.
 * 5) Bulleted items ARE NOT optional - they are mandatory.
 * 6) The new objectives are more clear and assessable; hince, the State Department will be expecting some type of technology skills assessment (probably 5th grade and 8th grade - this has not been determined yet.)
 * 7) There are fewer objective than the old TCOS.
 * 8) Keyboarding skills empansizing accuracy and technique must be introduced in Grades K-2 with keyboarding proficiency demonstrated by the completion of Grade 8. The State Department urges a strong keyboarding implementation plan by the school district and each school.
 * 9) Internet safety is also a big concern and will need to be included as part of each schools TCOS implementation plan.
 * 10) Global awareness is a new term that involves preparing our students to become gobal citizens in a highly technological society.

Read this: TCOS from the State Department

Old to New Comparison - 2002 Course of Study VS 2008 Course of Study:

CCBOE Technology Fluency Plan: http://www.cherokeek12.org/technology/tecshop/fluency.htm