2007 National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS-S)

The six (6) National Educational Technology Standards for Students (NETS-S) for 2007 are:
1. Creativity and Innovation
2. Communication and Collaboration
3. Research and Information Fluency
4. Critical thinking, Problem Solving, & Decision Making
5. Digital Citizenship
6. Technology Operations and Concepts


Of the six (6) technologies those that are well met within the classroom today are 1, 2, and 6. With the amount of information out their on the internet most teachers can create a lesson plan on just about anything with the assistance of the internet and various technologies tools available, provided that the school has the budget and willingness to include such things within the curriculum. However for the sake of this blog, we will assume that the cooperation of all invested parties is their as well as the cost to faciliate this integration of technology within the classroom. Of the 6 however, I believe that we can reach 3 and 5 with practice, the more frequently we incorporate technology in our day to day classroom curriculum them more we will reach the "fluency" within the standards.

The one though that stands out the most as being the most difficult and creates concern of my ability or readiness to meet this standard as a future educator is #4:

http://www.iste.org/Content/NavigationMenu/NETS/ForStudents/2007Standards/NETS_for_Students_2007.htm
4.Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making

Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:

a. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation.
b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
d. use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.

This is something that needs to be thoroughly taught to students as well as educating the parents in how this hidden curriculum will be addressed. This is not something that we will beable to address with each lesson, however any good teacher knows that problem solving for the furutre is extremely critical, as well as critical thinking what I like to think of as "thinking outside the box" and decision making, how does a student choose responsibly? These are all concepts that need to be addressed with the student. This will be difficult and resistance may be inevidable, however we must continue to plug along and develop the students in such a way, not only to prepare them for the the future, but also prepare them for everyday life. These core foundations, which truly havenot changed in over the last few centuries, just needs to be addressed to meet the generation that will be affected the most. Technology is changing at the speed of lightning, we need to provide our students with the tools to meet those changes.

Internet Safety

More and more we find ourselves faced with challenges beit within the classroom or outside of the classroom. Internet Piracy is one of the areas that certainly concerns me as well as many others. How can I as a future eductor protect my students from those that look to feed off of those that are innocent?

One way is teaching responsibility within the classroom, acceptable practices both agreed upon by parents, administrators, teachers, and students in order to manage themselves online in order to further develop the Digital Generation. One website that I found to be extremely helpful in allowing educators as well as parents, law enforcements, and those looking to protect our students from those looking to prey on the innocent to reach this goal is through http://www.wiredkids.org/ . This website is set up for any age group to keep children safe online. It is written in a way that would be engaging to students (catering to those in their teens and under.) It also has an advice column managed by the students to other students, similiar to that of a peer to peer.

Another website that was very interesting was http://www.safekids.com/. This website tended to be towards the parents and the active participation of families on the internet. Posting responsibly is one of the things that the site really focuses on. It also help parents to enlist tools and web chats with other parents to ensure their childs safety.

But more importantly; parents and teachers need to continue to keep the line of communication open. All to often in our busy days, parents tend to overlook the face to face time with their children. Start the practice now and make it part of their everyday occurence, not just when there is something that "needs" to be discussed. Open family discussions should be as easy as getting online... 1....2.....3....

Digitial Generation... Dig Gen Kids

I have had the unique experience to grow up in a generation that has seen amazing things, technological things grow into what they are today. My generation had the first introduction to home arcade games such as pong and asteroids from Atari. My generation saw the first home computer enter into the mainstream at a wopping $7,000 dollars per unit. I have also see those same computers enter the classrooms for the first time. Twenty years ago, I could not have imagined where we are today and for that matter where we will be tomorrow. I thoroughly enjoy the benefits of tecnology and everything that makes my life simplier, however there is a part of me that believes that with this technology a certain level of responsibility must be attached, both personally as well as in the classroom. Things move at the speed of lightning now a days, nothing is ever taken in stride. As a future teacher, especially in the elementary grades, it is important to share with your students the importance of both technology and non-technology applications. That there is a balance between the two of them and as a person of this digital age we need respect this. Now I foresee this to be harder than it seems, since the children that are in the classroom now and those future students, they do not know anything else but what is currently in advanced technology. The first PC that I spoke about earlier, is nothing but a box with a screen and an adnormally sized keyboard. Encouraging students to participate in other mediums of communication will be equally as important as text messaging or online chatting. It is important to ensure that the students of today and tomorrow have the basis of intellect that I, my parents, or my gradnparents were exposed too... this hopefully create symmetry within the educational curriculum.

Technology and Education

Technology is an absolute necessity... in everday life, but more importantly within the classroom. We live in a time where technology is the cornerstone of everything from paying bills online, to checking our bank statements, and to an automated phone service, technology is cpnstantly moving forward and in order for our children/students to be as knowledgeable, we must move along with technology within the classroom as well. Technology is as important as anything else that is taught within the classroom and we should look for more ways to incorporate technology as an everday occurance, as opposed to using it as a motivator or saved for "special projects." Do not turn away from technology, embrace it and try to incorporate it in every lesson, it may be the one student on the back that surprises you the most that succeeds with technology.