Candidates manage the classroom learning environment to create success for all students.

The candidate makes appropriate use of educational technology to evaluate student learning and make curricular and instructional decisions in order to create a successful learning environment.

I demonstrate proficiency in managing the classroom learning environment to create success for all students by utilizing educational technology such as the STAR Reading assessment program to provide students a starting point for advancing their reading skills by reading books within their zone of proximal development. Then, by monitoring their progress through Accelerated Reader, I am able to see if they are making efforts to advance, and whether those efforts are successful. Though not an absolute measure of development, using these programs greatly streamlines the process of tracking student reading progress. Additionally, as Nunnery, Ross, and McDonald (2006) describe, information like that provided by STAR Reader may be beneficial to student accuracy and alertness in reading.

As described above, the technology tools are not absolute measures. However, they do provide an additional insight into student progress, and have raised clues about student reading discipline that allow me to pursue issues with students that either show a distinct lack of progress, or who are doing well and need further guidance on what to read, how to process what they read, and so forth.

This exhibit was verified by Mark Griffin, Technology Coordinator for Morrison Academy Kaohsiung.

The STAR Reading growth reports show an overall increase in student Grade Equivalent reading level of .6, bringing the average level for the class to 9, which indicates an average reading level consistent with a 9th grader at the beginning of the school year.