NETS – Teachers Reflection

I found the ISTE National Educational Technology Standards (NETS•T) to be very interesting, and basically right on the money as far as what I expect a teacher in the digital age to strive for.  We do our students a disservice if we don't acknowledge the world they live in, and try to present them instruction in new formats that a) can enhance and encourage learning, b) can make teaching more efficient, and c) can create closer bonds with students.

Teachers of course will have their own unique experiences, and classroom environments, which determine what types of technology they can incorporate.  Some teachers are much more tech-savvy, and inclined to use new technologies simply by virtue of their own personal interests.  Others may not have much use for technology in their own lives.  The one thing you can count on though is that the students will have skill, interest and knowledge of new technologies, so any attempt to downplay them or ignore them is both pointless (and potentially dangerous, if you are not aware of what a new technology is capable of), and the loss of an opportunity to more effectively engage students.

Another issue that may complicate matters for teachers is access to resources or funds to implement certain technologies.  If there aren't funds for modern equipment then the teacher is left in a tough situation, where they may have to do without, or spend their own money.  This is also true of training for teachers effectively in the use of new technologies.  If we are going to provide teachers and/or students with all the fanciest gizmos, then we need to provide training for them on how to use them most effectively.  As technologies advance and prices fall, we will hopefully be in a position to provide all students and staff with the most advanced technologies to enhance the learning process (as they've done at the University of Stanford Medical School, where new students receive new iPads with all of the course material - leveraging technology and cutting out paper waste - win win!)

One other aspect of the standards that I very much agreed with is the Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility section.  Many students may not understand the impact of things they do online, and an effective educator will help them understand the potential hazards/risks when using/submitting public information.

For Mr. Quinton

Essential Conditions Reflection

My present school, Carlmont High, seems to have a promising technology program in place.  The classrooms that I've seen all have SMART Boards installed, and while the teachers may use them with varying degrees of skill, they seem to be in use in all classrooms.  The next step to me seems to be getting teachers utilize their full potential in delivering instruction.

It is hard for me to say exactly what the proper steps are for them though as I have only been at the school for a week, and I really have more questions than answers.  How much training have they had?  Has any of the training been subject area-specific?  How much does the administration actually push the teachers to use the technology to its fullest extent?  There obviously is some level of support at the administration/community level, as there was a significant financial investment in order to install the devices, however it is not clear to me at this point how much of a push there is to use them as effectively as possible.

Beyond the SMART Boards, I see little technology use that would appear more than what I assume is standard at this time in most California school districts, which is the use of an online database/network to handle things such as grading, attendance, email, etc.