GACE Instructional Technology Study Companion

Instructional technology coordinators need to be aware of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) because:

• a. they assist in providing accommodations for students with Individualized Education

  Programs (IEPs).

• b. their computer technology programs may qualify for additional funds, depending on the

  number of students with disabilities in the school.

• c. they identify students with disabilities from among the general school population.

• d. they are required to design parallel curriculums for students with disabilities.

Answer explanation

Option (A) is correct. The instructional technology coordinator may be asked to advise IEP teams about the selection of assistive and adaptive technology and to provide technology training for teachers, students, and families.

An instructional technology coordinator is presenting a workshop to help teachers set up individual Web pages for posting on the district’s website. The presentation should contain a caution about which of the following practices?

• A. Posting homework assignments and test dates

• B. Hyperlinking to Web pages containing class-related resources

• C. Publishing students’ classwork

• D. Including a calendar showing class and school events

Answer explanation

Option (C) is correct. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) restricts the information school districts can make public about students. Publication of students’ work is not permitted.

Which of the following is an ergonomic concern of an instructional technology coordinator observing students at work in the computer lab?

• A. Are the students looking at their fingers as they strike the keyboard?

• B. Is the filtering software preventing students from accessing harmful text and images?

• C. Are the students positioning their chairs and feet properly to provide adequate support?

• D. Are the students producing a work product that demonstrates creative or critical

  thinking?

Answer explanation

Option (C) is correct. Ergonomics is the science of designing and arranging things so they can be used easily and comfortably. The positioning of chairs and feet addresses users’ ergonomics.

Which of the following documents is the best guide for determining whether a digital resource is being used legally?

• A. Its licensing agreement

• B. Its warranty

• C. The district’s acceptable use policy

• D. The ISTE Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics

Answer explanation

Option (A) is correct. A licensing agreement is a legal document that outlines how a digital resource can be used.

Full text is a valuable feature of an online periodicals database because it:

• A. displays graphics as well as text.

• B. provides access to articles in their entirety.

• C. displays the periodical exactly as it appears in print.

• D. allows searching using Boolean operators.

Answer explanation

Option (B) is correct. Viewing an article in its entirety is always preferable to an abstract or citation because it reduces the number of steps leading to information.

Which of the following features of an online grade book system is most likely to benefit students?

• A. Supporting transparent, constructive relationships between teachers and parents

• B. Safeguarding against discrepancies between grades written on papers and grades

  recorded online

• C. Providing students and parents with constant access to grades

• D. Showing the immediate impact of a missed assignment on students’ cumulative grades

Answer explanation

Option (A) is correct. Parental effort is consistently associated with higher levels of student achievement.

A school district is seeking a computer application that delivers training to learners and tracks their progress. Which of the following applications best meets the district’s need?

• A. Learning management system

• B. Content management system

• C. Student information software

• D. Enterprise content software

Answer explanation

Option (A) is correct. A learning management system delivers online courses or training to learners, while managing students and keeping track of their progress and performance across all types of training activities.

Which of the following is the best reason for an instructional technology coordinator to join a professional association?

• A. To become acquainted with the leaders in the profession

• B. To participate in a forum for professional discourse and discussion

• C. To gain entrance to association gatherings and meetings

• D. To be eligible to receive grants and scholarships offered by the association

Answer explanation

Option (B) is correct. Joining a professional association provides support and help in teaching professional goals. Associations sponsor events that allow professionals to share ideas, ask for advice, learn about trends and best practices, and meet and brainstorm with peers.

Which of the following is the primary function of an educator’s reflective journal?

• A. To conduct an internal dialogue about the planning, delivery, and outcomes of teaching

• B. To recall the educator’s experiences of being a student and being taught

• C. To describe what happened during a particular lesson or course of study

• D. To apply research to lesson design and delivery

Answer explanation

Option (A) is correct. A reflective journal is a written record of an educator’s experiences of and feelings related to planning and delivering teaching and learning.

Which of the following cables provides both a communications connection and power supply between personal computers and peripherals?

• A. HDMI

• B. Fiber-optic

• C. Parallel port

• D. USB

Answer explanation

Option (D) is correct. A USB cable is the most widely used hardware interface for communication between peripherals and a computer. It is also capable of transmitting power.