Commitment to Enhancing Education Through Digital Technology

Lamar University’s educator preparation programs are dedicated to innovative curricula with in-depth learning opportunities in digital literacy and application. The Texas Education Agency puts forth in §228.30. Educator Preparation Curriculum that the following subject matter shall be included in the curriculum if you are seeking initial certification in any certification class: instruction in digital learning, including a digital literacy evaluation followed by a prescribed digital learning curriculum.

Through digital processing systems integrated in the curricula and promoted in the broader community, candidates in the Curriculum and Instruction program recognize that active learning, knowledge construction, inquiry and exploration through technology are foundational in the education process.

During the first course of the Curriculum and Instruction program, students’ digital literacy/competency is measured through a seven-part Technology Assessment. Data from this assessment help determine pathways for higher usage of technology in pre-service teaching. Curricula in the program are aligned with the ISTE standards for addressing digital teaching traits.


  • Empowered Learner
  • Knowledge Constructor
  • Innovative Designer
  • Global Collaborator
  • Digital Citizen
  • Computational Thinker
  • Creative Communicator

Read more about ISTE standards.

ISTE Standards

Integrated Technology for Candidate and K-12 Learner Success

Each course in the Curriculum and Instruction program is aligned with digital technology and presented in this attached chart (XLSX).

Online resources are available to pre-service teachers for utilizing digital technology to enhance teaching and the learning process. These recourses include organizational tools, resources, lesson plans, virtual ideas and visits; creativity tools; books, e-books and online textbooks. Download a list of digital resources available to you now (DOCX).

Technology to Collect, Manage & Analyze Data

Online tools are available to pre-service teachers to assess digitally quantitative and qualitative data relating to the teaching and learning process. See our resources for digital assessment tools (DOCX).

The culminating experience in the Curriculum and Instruction program is clinical teaching. Clinical teachers are equipped to use technology in their classrooms, based on the ISTE standards. Clinical teachers use a district’s online gradebook, if available and at the minimum use Microsoft Excel to store and analyze grades. A formal observation is conducted specific to how clinical teachers integrate technology in the classroom. See our technology integration rubric (DOCX).

Clinical teachers plan, teach and analyze lesson plans throughout the field experience and utilize Taskstream-Tk20 electronic portfolio system to store related documents. Using this digital system, you can retrieve and act on feedback from field supervisors and cooperating teachers, as well as create an E-Portfolio for professional purposes.

As part of the E-Portfolio, clinical teachers are reflective practitioners using qualitative (perceptions) and quantitative (scores) data for self-reflection and student success.

Questions for the Reflective Practitioner

Lesson Analysis – (to be added once the lesson has been taught)

Summarize Impressions and Recall Supporting Data

  • What's your impression of the lesson?
  • Share the data from your lesson to support that.
  • In thinking about some of the particulars you saw from students, what stands out for you?
  • Given the planned objectives (learning outcomes), what’s your reflection of actual results?

Analyze Casual Factors and Cause/Effect Relationships

  • What stands out for you when you look at that data?
  • In reflecting on the data, what specifically contributed to the lesson outcomes? What went well and why?
  • What would you refine and why?
  • What are your thoughts about the pacing (sequencing, questioning, transitions, etc.)? Provide data to support.
  • So, when you think about some of those structural pieces, what was the impact on student learning?
  • When you think about this data and those particular students, what do you think they walked away saying about this lesson?

Construct New Learnings

  • What are your new learnings? Key takeaways?
  • What did you learn from this lesson? Why? How will these learnings impact your practice?
  • How will this impact your personal growth (development)?
  • What is your personal learning focus as a result of this lesson?

Commit to Application

  • What do you commit to do as a result of your learning?
  • How will you apply this in the future?
  • What difference do you expect to see? (TEA, 2017)