Technology-Enhanced Community Neighborhood Organizations                          

Through TECNO 2.0, IDRA is establishing computer centers in the Edgewood community of San Antonio to provide community-based college access and computer support to high school students and their families.

The centers that are working in partnership with IDRA are:

Benitia Family Center

Edgewood Family Network
8138 Westshire
San Antonio, Texas
210-435-9323

YWCA

They are providing:

• Direct access and personalized technology support for students, parents and families;
• Resources and information about college access and success;
• A mentoring system staffed by college students and retired high school and college counselors; and
• Support to parents and other nontraditional learners in the community by establishing a bridge between aspirations and access to college and available resources.

Also as partners, Our Lady of the Lake University , San Antonio College and Northwest Vista College will assist in staffing the centers as mentors. The centers will be fully operational on November 3.

Starting with first-phase funding from the U.S. Department of Education (see below), the TECNO 2.0 project is now funded by the TG Public Benefit Program and JP Morgan Chase.

Visit the following link for Internet Resources:

Tecno Links

About the original TECNO Project

TECNO built competency among teachers, parents and students to access online resources and instructional materials that are culturally and linguistically appropriate to prepare students to meet NCLB and state-mandated expectations.

The project provided access to computers, Internet, online resources and multimedia technologies through community technology centers. By providing community technology access, TECNO enabled teachers to fully integrate technology instructional assignments, such as online research, inquiry-based learning and student-initiated projects that involve technology.

With IDRA training and technology integration assistance teachers at the computer centers are available to help students master the TAKS objectives and improve their computer skills. These teachers provided students with one-on-one tutoring, small group coaching, peer teamwork on classroom assignments, extension or enrichment, and peer team projects.

TECNO was created through a partnership of the Intercultural Development Research Association, the Edgewood School District, the Benitia Family Center, the Edgewood Family Network, the West Side YMCA, the YWCA, and the Annie E. Casey Foundation-Making Connections-San Antonio project. TECNO was funded through the U.S. Department of Education as a one-year project in 2004-05.

IDRA’s evaluation shows that the program was overwhelmingly successful. Preliminary numbers show that more than 2,000 pre-kindergarten through grade 16 students, parents and community members used the centers during the six-month period.

Two recent immigrant students won the regional science fair based on work they had completed at a TECNO center.

Teenagers assisted their parents as they completed job applications online, while other parents used the centers to kick-start a business.