We are living in a world that seems to be changing at a fast pace. The advancements we have seen in technology have been tremendous and has impacted all of us in one way or another. Today's student is very technology savvy. For that reason it is important that we as educators familiarize ourselves and become knowledgeable of the technology out there. According to the Texas Education Agency (2006) and their long range for technology plan "teachers must be able to prepare students for their future in a manner that assures that all students will not simply survive, but truly thrive in the world that awaits them" (p. 23). In order for the students of today to be able to compete in the global market as adults, they will have to know how to navigate and use technology to collaborate and interact with others. Before educators can step up to the plate they must first familiarize themselves with this. As educators we have to keep up with the current trends in education. For this reason the state of Texas has put an emphasis on preparing teachers for the 21st century learners. New teachers are required to meet the technology applications educator standards and veteran teachers are required to have ongoing professional development to master SBEC technology application standards. I believe that ongoing professional development is vital for all teachers. Without appropriate professional development, teachers will not be able to meet the needs of the 21st century learner. The type of professional development that I think would be most beneficial to teachers would be those that are done face to face using technology. Not only that, but it would also be beneficial for these to be done in a span of a few days, as opposed to being done in a few hours. This would give teachers the opportunity to ask in depth questions and will provide them with time to "play" with the different programs, so that they can get a better understanding.
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