Education Unveils STaR Chart to Help Teachers Use Technology

U.S. Secretary of Education Richard Riley and corporate leaders this week released a chart to help the educational community ensure that all new teachers have the technology skills needed to manage a classroom in the digital age.

The School Technology and Readiness (STaR) Chart is intended to help educational institutions evaluate their technological readiness and plan ahead to meet technology goals. Schools at all levels, as well as departments of education, can use the chart to identify their current technology profile and set goals for the future, including funding priorities and allocating resources to fill training gaps.

The chart was developed by the CEO Forum on Education and Technology, a group of industry leaders representing computer, communications and educational entities, following discussions with Riley on the role of improved teaching. Recent studies have found that most new teachers graduate with a limited use of technology, and less than 25 percent of new teachers feel well prepared to integrate technology into their curriculum.

The goal on the STaR Chart is for schools to move from an Early Tech ranking, where computer skills are a low priority, up through the Developing and Advanced levels, to Target Tech, where future teachers will graduate with the ability to use the latest technologies on a daily basis in their classrooms.

The chart and accompanying reports are available online at www.ceoforum.org.