After researching and presenting a twitter list that is directed at providing resources for both technology and literacy I started to feel strongly that having a working knowledge on the background and fundamentals for technology and literacy were necessary to push forward in this learning quest. Developing a twitter list of resources only provided potential guidance; I needed to know how to use the resources and why they were important. I pondered on certain questions that I felt needed answers. These questions were: Are their guiding standards in implementation of technology into the classroom? What is literacy? What is literacy, as it pertains, to technology? How can both technology and literacy be combined to enhance a lesson in any academic discipline? These are all hard questions but viable for any educational professional that is dedicated to teaching in the 21st Century style of instruction. In the remainder of this blog I hope to shed some light on the first question mentioned above and explain why it is absolutely necessary for educational professionals to gain a working knowledge on the basic fundamentals of technology standards and their place in the 21st Century classroom.
In researching an answer for the first question, “Are their guiding standards in implementation of technology into the classroom?” I found a website that explicitly explains technology standards as they are set forth by national goals. I also found information on technology standards for the state of Alabama as this is where I teach, however I know only addressing the Alabama technology guidelines limits the information to just Alabama teachers. Therefore, I present the institution known as the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). At ISTE’s website teachers can access the National Education Technology Standards (NETS) and examine the current national technology guidelines. There are five overall goals and each goal is broken down into multiple subcategories to narrow the choices in helping teachers know which technology standard would best fit their current lesson. I think that teachers must familiarize his or herself with these standards in order to gain an understanding of the fundamentals of technology and its place in modern education. The biggest challenge for teachers is to find the time to read over these tech standards and brainstorm how they can mold any of these strategies into their instruction helping students gain experience with the tech they will potentially utilize throughout their careers. I highly recommend teachers look at NETS on the ISTE website, and familiarize themselves with the content. The knowledge gained from NETS will make utilizing technology resources, such as the ones found in the twitter list linked in the previous blog, easier to implement into lesson plans. If anyone gets a chance, please, take a look at the following educational website as there are more advantages than just accessing and learning the National Educational Technology Standards.
International Society for Technology in Education
http://www.iste.org/
Hi Brad,
ReplyDeleteThank you for providing this concise information and list of technology standards. I plan on printing a copy and refer to it often during lesson planning. Every section I related to my grade level or to my own children’s grade level, to determine if some of these goals were being met. I think teachers are working very hard to meet classroom objectives, but often continue to see technology as an extra rather than an integral part of their teaching. At first glance, it can be very understandable, but I found an article listing all the reasons why teachers think they can’t, but they really can implement technology in every subject area….regardless of budget. For example….Skype
Skype is a great example of extending a lesson with experts or other classrooms across the world in a budget friendly way. I enjoyed the section in your link about facilitating and inspiring student learning. If educators (including myself) could inspire and facilitate students’ learning in virtual environments as much as face-to-face environments, what a difference 21st century learning would be. When my child was in 2nd grade, she had an innovative teacher with a Master’s Degree in technology. She was taking spelling tests online and was using technology throughout her day. Technology wasn’t seen as an extra in this classroom. It was valued. It was a very inspiring year for my child and for me.
Unfortunately, we can put self-imposed limits on ourselves by thinking of technology integration as a word processing tool and rarely thinking beyond power point presentations. The list of standards you provided is a great way to start thinking of technology in many different ways. Have a wonderful Spring Break!
What a great resource your blog is this week ,Brad? With so many of the Standards listed for technology and the great information you provided...I found my wheels once again turning about the way I could incorporate these things into my classroom and blog! I have to admit...although I work hard to meet the Technology Standards for my grade, I have to refer back to the list often to make sure I am covering all of the benchmarks. I have worked really hard this year to try and incorporate some type of technology into every aspect of my day. The students are so much more engaged when technology is utilized. I hope you have a great Spring Break...Enjoy!
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