Nancy

Technology has invaded each and every field of our life, to make the lives easier. But in spite of a widespread public perception that technology use is common in our nation's schools, surveys indicate that only about half of U.S. teachers use technology in classroom instruction. The evidence obtained from school technology specialists and education technology proponents indicates that the effective use of education technology is even less common than those surveys indicate.

In this age of advanced technology, harnessing the power of broadband internet resources and making them accessible as tools for teachers in the classroom is very crucial. The Center for Houston’s Future evaluated the teacher’s specific technology requirements and objectives, in collaboration with Houston Independent School District Superintendent (HISD) and its technology teams.

The two priority areas identified by the organizations were, in this respect were:
1) A platform to deliver a standard curriculum to teachers for use in the classroom
2) A platform to deliver vital student information for better assessment.

The result of the initiatives was the implementation of HISD’s Project Clear Suite. Project Clear Suite provides a single online destination for all HISD teachers to access TAKS-aligned curriculum and model lesson plans, student performance information, communication systems, and human resources and administrative tools. As a result of this, the State of Texas awarded HISD a grant of $8.8 million from the State Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund to purchase new high-end laptops for all 13,000 HISD teachers.

The Center for Houston’s Future receives charitable donations, funds from corporations, individuals and the board of Directors, which is utilized for the strategic planning and future of the business in Houston. Some of its sponsors are Amegy Bank of Texas Bank of America, Mr. Edward R. Allen, III & Nancy C. Allen, Dr. Max Castillo, Meg & Dick Weekley, Ed Wulfe among many others.

http://www.centerforhoustonsfuture.o...=cms,c,24,1,13