The times they are a-changin'

In 1998, I was a junior in high school. I had never heard of a blog, nor did I own a webcam. Digital cameras were something we could only dream of affording. I had just gotten my first CD burner and was struggling to view webpages with a dial-up connection. The Freedom of Information Act would not be updated until 2002 (updated with standards for electronic media). In a nutshell, a lot has changed in 9 years.

As I sit here with my flatscreen LCD monitor, with a webcam pointed at my face and the LED lights on my cable modem blinking at me, I update my blog (which I've had since 2001, in one incarnation or another) and think of the ISTE standards for teachers and students, standards which have not seen an update or amendment since 1998.

Looking at the student standards, there are so many that need amending to reflect the current technological advances.

According to the ISTE Student Standards:

1. Basic operations and concepts
   • Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.
   • Students are proficient in the use of technology.
     
     To this, I would add that students are not only proficient in the use of technology, but have a working knowledge of both the hardware and software of technology, especially computers. Not only do I know how to operate a computer, I know what a motherboard does, as well as a processor. I know the number of megabytes in a gigabyte, and if something breaks inside of my computer, I know how to identify the problem and fix it (or at least call my tech and be able to give him more information than 'it broke'.) I think this standard should be for both teachers and students. It should read like "Students are proficient in identifying components of technology and able to troubleshoot should a problem arise"
   
   
2. Social, ethical, and human issues
   • Students understand the ethical, cultural, and societal issues related to technology.
   • Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
   • Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity.
     
     Standard 2 seems to adequately address issues that are prevalent today. Though, I would put in an amendment that would directly address issues relating to the Internet, specifically downloading, and have students be familiar with the terms of "intellectual property" and the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act of 1998). I would also put in a standard for appropriate use of message boards and chat clients. Basically, I think that the ideas of intellectual property and respect should be emphasized.
     
     
3. Technology productivity tools
   
   • Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.
   • Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.
     
     I think that Standard 3 adequately expresses the use of productivity tools.
   
   
4. Technology communications tools
   • Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences.
   • Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.
     
     For standard 4, I would include something also relating to effective use of forms of media in building web pages, specifically, including the use of 'free' graphics, plug-ins, and software. I would perhaps include something relating to intellectual property here, as well. I would also have students familiarize themselves with types of communication tools and not just instant messengers.
   
   
5. Technology research tools
   • Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
   • Students use technology tools to process data and report results.
   • Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.
     
     Standard 5 is probably the least-followed of all standards. Students need to familiarize themselves with not only "educationally appropriate sources", but also need to know how to cite such sources in a research paper.
     
   
   
6. Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools
   • Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions.
   • Students employ technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world.
   I think that this standard adequately expresses the use of technology for problem-solving and decision-making.

All in all, I think these standards are far outdated. Also, I wish they would be more specific and not just lump all things digital under the heading of 'technology'. A digital video recorder is far different from a webcam, which is far different from a computer. There need to be sub-standards or separate sections for specific types of technology. I find these far too broad.

TEACHER STANDARDS:

1. TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS AND CONCEPTS.
   Teachers demonstrate a sound understanding of technology operations and concepts. Teachers:
   1. demonstrate introductory knowledge, skills, and understanding of concepts related to technology (as described in the ISTE National Education Technology Standards for Students)
   2. demonstrate continual growth in technology knowledge and skills to stay abreast of current and emerging technologies.
      
      
2. PLANNING AND DESIGNING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND EXPERIENCES.
   Teachers plan and design effective learning environments and experiences supported by technology. Teachers:
   1. design developmentally appropriate learning opportunities that apply technology-enhanced instructional strategies to support the diverse needs of learners.
   2. apply current research on teaching and learning with technology when planning learning environments and experiences.
   3. identify and locate technology resources and evaluate them for accuracy and suitability.
   4. plan for the management of technology resources within the context of learning activities.
   5. plan strategies to manage student learning in a technology-enhanced environment.
      
      
3. TEACHING, LEARNING, AND THE CURRICULUM.
   Teachers implement curriculum plans, that include methods and strategies for applying technology to maximize student learning. Teachers:
   1. facilitate technology-enhanced experiences that address content standards and student technology standards.
   2. use technology to support learner-centered strategies that address the diverse needs of students.
   3. apply technology to develop students' higher order skills and creativity.
   4. manage student learning activities in a technology-enhanced environment.
      
      
4. ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION.
   Teachers apply technology to facilitate a variety of effective assessment and evaluation strategies. Teachers:
   1. apply technology in assessing student learning of subject matter using a variety of assessment techniques.
   2. use technology resources to collect and analyze data, interpret results, and communicate findings to improve instructional practice and maximize student learning.
   3. apply multiple methods of evaluation to determine students' appropriate use of technology resources for learning,communication,and productivity.
      
      
5. PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE.
   Teachers use technology to enhance their productivity and professional practice. Teachers:
   1. use technology resources to engage in ongoing professional development and lifelong learning.
   2. continually evaluate and reflect on professional practice to make informed decisions regarding the use of technology in support of student learning.
   3. apply technology to increase productivity.
   4. use technology to communicate and collaborate with peers, parents, and the larger community in order to nurture student learning.
      
      
6. SOCIAL, ETHICAL, LEGAL, AND HUMAN ISSUES.
   Teachers understand the social,ethical,legal,and human issues surrounding the use of technology in PK-12 schools and apply those principles in practice. Teachers:
   1. model and teach legal and ethical practice related to technology use.
   2. apply technology resources to enable and empower learners with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, and abilities.
   3. identify and use technology resources that affirm diversity
   4. promote safe and healthy use of technology resources.
   5. facilitate equitable access to technology resources for all students.

Suprisingly, I found these more specific and far less broad than the standards for students. I think these standards are not as out of date as the Student standards, but do bring up an interesting discussion. How many teachers actually follow these standards? Are more teachers familiar with the interworkings of technology or are many struggling to understand? I wish the student standards would have been this specific and outlined in this manner.

NETS for Teachers

First, let me say that I find it refreshing that there are technological standards that exist for teachers, as well.

One of the sentences that stood out to me was "All candidates seeking certification or endorsements in teacher preparation should meet these educational technology standards." Sadly, this is not the case for some teachers. I agree that there should be technology requirements, perhaps more than there are now. One or two classes in technology are not going to prepare "digital immigrants" for the implementation and effective use of technology in their classrooms. "Digital natives" should also use this requirement, if it were a true requirement, to seek further enrichment in their skills and to review skills that may have waned from non-use.

For example, a pre-service (but digital native) teacher like myself would benefit from a class in HTML and web design. I have not coded HTML, except for a few lines here and there, for about five years. I used to have several personal web pages. However, now, save for the few general HTML codes that are used a lot, I have lost a lot of that knowledge.

Why are there no stringent technological requirements for teachers seeking certification, or current teachers. We are 7 years into the 21st century and I feel that many teachers lack the basic knowledge of technology needed to successfully and effectively implement it into their classes . Without this requirement, I feel we are doing a grave disservice to the students, who use technology daily.

NETS for Students

Since I am not a teacher, I have no lessons of my own to share that relate to these standards. However, I found a great example on the ISTE site. This activity would be excellent for a unit on biographies or autobiographies and can easily be altered for grades 6-8, as well.

The lesson, available here, is a lesson for students in grades 9-12 language arts. This lesson, entitled 'Discovering Ourselves in Literature and Life', asks students to read literature and view creations using other media to discover how print and non-print texts answer the question of 'Who am I?'. They analyze print and non-print texts and compare the ways in which ideas are presented in different media. Students then create a multimedia profile and a personal web page showing who they are.

The standards are already listed on the description page for this lesson, but many of the standards are met effectively.

I think that several of the general standards are easy to implement in the classroom. However, I find that standards 5 and 6 could be the most difficult to implement in some cases.

Standard 5 (Technology research tools) would be difficult to implement because there are many differing opinions on what is considered an appropriate website to gather information from (i.e. Wikipedia)

Also, many students are unaware of how crucial it is to credit Internet sources. Many students think that because information is on the Internet, it is fair game and public information that is free to use without credit. Students need to be educated on the proper way to use the Internet for research. With this, I will go so far as to say that it should be a required class for high school freshmen, perhaps in the Language Arts/Comm Arts curriculum or as an Interdisciplinary class.

Standard 6 (Technology problem-solving and decision making skills) would be difficult to implement because many times, students do not have the first clue as to where to start in problem-solving tasks. Many do not know what search terms would yield the best results. Also, it is hard to craft an activity that caters to real-world problem solving or decision making.

Links:
NETS for Students
Learning Activities

Philosophy of Technology in Education

As I am not a teacher, I have not had as much experience in the use of technology in education, being restricted to using it ONLY in my education.
However, having both observed and worked in schools, I am quite suprised at how little I see technology being used, other than the occasional webquest assignment or classroom video. As a matter of fact, I see technology being used less in the high school and middle school settings and more in the elementary schools, with some students even creating PowerPoint presentations and working at computers during free time and 'stations'.
I find this lack of technology usage to be extremely disconcerting. In this digital age, one would think that educators would embrace technology and find creative new ways to keep students engaged in learning through the use of technology. In the high school setting, students are still doing a lot of work from textbooks, writing essays, and using worksheets. I have talked to several high school students in my work as a substitute teachers. Their only real access with computers in the classroom is through the use of Microsoft Office, which is mainly reserved for typing essays. They use the Internet for research. Many students exposure to technology is through their personal home usage.
My philosophy is that technology should be embraced, rather than seen as something frightening and uneducational. While the Internet can be a dangerous place, it can also be a useful information portal. Teachers should not limit their technological exposure to just the Internet, but rather, embrace other forms of technology, including blogs, message boards, etc. The list is endless.
Often times, students feel like they know more than their teacher or feel that their teacher is not reaching them. Sadly, I feel that this might be the case when dealing with technology. I'm not making this generalization for ALL teachers, but I feel that students are outlearning and outreaching their own instructors in terms of educational prowess.