What are the Technology Applications Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)?

Technology applications is the State of Texas required enrichment curriculum area that includes the teaching and learning of technology skills and the use of computers and other related electronic tools. Technology applications focuses on creating, accessing, manipulating, utilizing, communicating, and publishing information during the learning process.

Using the Technology Applications TEKS will provide guidance for schools as they prepare students to be lifelong learners and citizens in a technological age. The knowledge and skills gained through this curriculum may be applied to foundation and other enrichment curriculum areas for Grades K-12.

Within each grade cluster, there are four strands with knowledge and skills and student expectations for each strand. The four strands include:

1. Foundations: Through the study of technology applications foundations, including technology-related terms, concepts, and data input strategies, students learn to make informed decisions about technologies and their applications.
2. Information Acquisition: The efficient acquisition of information includes the identification of task requirements; the plan for using search strategies; and the use of technology to access, analyze, and evaluate the acquired information.
3. Solving Problems: By using technology as a tool that supports the work of individuals and groups in solving problems, students will select the technology appropriate for the task, synthesize knowledge, create a solution, and evaluate the results.
4. Communications: Students communicate information in different formats and to diverse audiences. A variety of technologies will be used. Students will analyze and evaluate the results.

Through these common strands, connections to all foundation and enrichment curriculum are made.

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Grades K-2 Technology Application Resources

The K-2 Technology Applications TEKS are taught at all BISD elementary campuses.

Elementary K-2 students have an opportunity to use computers and gain basic technology applications foundations and skills such as inputting information, beginning touch keyboarding and becoming familiar with the computer. They acquire information including text, audio, video, and graphics. They solve problems and express ideas using word processing and multimedia. In addition, students use computers and related technology to make presentations and prepare projects in other content areas.

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Grades 3-5 Technology Application Resources

The Grades 3-5 Technology Applications TEKS are taught at all BISD elementary and middle school campuses. At the 3-5 level, students build on their K-2 knowledge and skills. Students use proper keyboarding techniques, acquire information by selecting the most appropriate search strategies. They use software programs with audio, video, and graphics to enhance learning experiences. They solve problems using word processing, graphics, databases, spreadsheets, simulations, multimedia, and telecommunications. They communicate information in various formats and to a variety of audiences and evaluate their results. The following list of web sites provides support for teaching this curriculum.

Return to the Instructional Technology Teacher Resource Page

Grades 6-8 Technology Application Resources

The Grades 6-8 Technology Applications TEKS are taught in a 7th grade Computer Literacy course at all intermediate schools. At the 6-8 level, the students build on the 3-5 knowledge and skills. The knowledge and skills at the middle school may be taught in a class setting, integrated into other subject areas, or a combination. Students demonstrate keyboarding proficiency in technique and posture while building speed. They acquire information in a variety of ways. They do word processing, databases, spreadsheets, multimedia, desktop publishing, graphics, and telecommunications projects. They communicate in a variety of formats and evaluate their results. By the end of eighth grade, a benchmark year, students should know and be able to demonstrate the knowledge and skills listed for the middle school level. Students should be "computer literate" before entering high school and enrolling in more advanced technology courses.

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Grades 9-12 Technology Application Resources

The Grades 9-12 Technology Applications TEKS are taught through intense, year-long technology courses at BISD high schools. At the high school level students have a variety of options from the one-credit Technology Applications TEKS courses in Chapter 126 which allow for growth, specialization, integration into other curriculum areas, and preparation for the technological world. Technology changes rapidly, and the Technology Applications TEKS have been developed to address current and emerging technologies. These courses represent a more advanced level and are more rigorous than other technology-related knowledge and skills taught at previous grades. BISD currently offers the following technology applications courses: Web Mastering, Desktop Publishing, Multimedia, and Independent Studies. In addition, Computer Science I and II are offered for dual-concurrent credit for BISD students at Brazosport College.

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Web Sites for Technology Applications Grades K-12

http://www.tcet.unt.edu/START/teks/index.htm
Sharing Technology Applications Resources with Teachers. This web site provides extensive resources on teaching and assessing the Technology Applications TEKS.

http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/bluewebn/
Blue Web'n. This site provides links to web-based tutorials, activities, projects, lesson plans and other resources in technology and other disciplines.

http://www.tcet.unt.edu/START/instruct/index.htm
Classroom activities and curriculum connection links

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