Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills

The Technology Applications Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TA TEKS) are composed of four major strands. The foundations strand is woven throughout the other strands. Mastery of foundation knowledge and skills are essential for users to adequately acquire information, manipulate data to solve problems, and communicate in ways to promote understanding.

Background: 

The Foundations strand is woven throughout the other three Technology Applications strands (i.e., Acquisition of Information, Work: Manipulation of Data/Problem Solving and Communication/Publishing).

The Foundation strand includes three related areas of knowledge and skills:

  1. Demonstrates knowledge and appropriate use of hardware components, software programs, and their connections.
  2. Uses data input skills appropriate to the task.
  3. Complies with laws and examines issues regarding use of technology in society.

Additional Explanation

Proficient user of technology should be comfortable with using appropriate terminology and concepts associated with hardware devices (computer components, peripherals, network devices, and other devices as available), as well as understanding software applications from a practical and conceptual level.

Student should master skills associated with the input and output of data, (keyboarding, scanning techniques, compression of digital data, manipulation of file formats, and others as available) in order to use technology efficiently. Until the keyboard is no longer the common method for the input of data, students should master touch keyboarding strategies. Teaching keyboarding skills should start when the student first begins to use the keyboard in order to minimize habitual mistakes. By the time a student leaves the eighth grade, adequate keyboarding speeds with accuracy should be mastered. Students should also become familiar with other input devices (e.g., mouse, tablet, etc.) and develop corresponding proficiency.

A thorough understanding of the laws and policies associated with technology applications must be modeled and practiced. The intellectual property concepts found in the Copyright Law of 1976, Fair use Guidelines for Multimedia of 1996, and associated Acceptable Use Policies should be explained, illustrated, modeled, and reinforced in a consistent manner.

Instructions: Three representative samples are listed for each grade cluster (K-2, 3-5, & 6-8) and selected high school Technology Applications courses. The samples represent the three related knowledge and skills for each strand at each grade cluster and for two selected high school courses.

Foundations:

  1. Demonstrates knowledge and appropriate use of hardware components, software programs, and their connections.
  2. Uses data input skills appropriate to the task.
  3. Complies with laws and examines issues regarding use of technology in society.

Examples:

DISCLAIMER - Samples listed below are representative samples only. Many other examples could be also be used. Users are encouraged to think about additional ways to present and teach specific TA TEKS student expectations.

K-2

 1. Students open an application and create a document. The students name the file and save the file to the desktop.
2. Students create a story using a word processor and trade stories with other students. 
3. Teacher reviews and explains the school's Acceptable Use Policy.
   

3-5

 1. Students open two documents created by the teacher. Students copy identified passages from one document and paste these into the other document.
2. Teacher creates a story with many intentionally misspelled words. The story is loaded on all student computers. Students edit the document, correcting as many mistakes as possible.
3. Students open a report that includes text and graphics from the Internet. Students write essays discussing copyright issues. Students cite the locations of collected resources.
   

6-8

 1. Students create a document and then saves the document in various formats allowing cross platform use.
2. Students demonstrate digital keyboarding standards while publishing documents at the keyboard.
3. Students create a report using Internet sources and cite sources appropriately. 
   

9-12

 Multimedia
1. Students identify and use standard compression schemes for video, audio, graphics, etc.
2. Students use memory conservation strategies that retain image integrity.
3. Students demonstrate respect for intellectual property when manipulating, morphing, or editing text.
  

9-12

 Digital Graphics / Animation (DGA)
1. Students distinguish between process color and spot color and use the most appropriate type for a specific DGA product.
2. Students demonstrate the use of a variety of input devices to create a DGA product.
3. Students research and report on the impact of digital graphics on society.