NATIONAL
EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS FOR ALL TEACHERS (NETS-T)
I.
TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS AND CONCEPTS.
II. PLANNING AND DESIGNING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
AND EXPERIENCES.
III. TEACHING, LEARNING, AND THE CURRICULUM.
IV. ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION
V. PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
VI. SOCIAL, ETHICAL, LEGAL, AND HUMAN ISSUES
I. TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS AND CONCEPTS.
Teachers demonstrate a sound understanding of technology operations and concepts.
Teachers:
A. demonstrate introductory knowledge, skills, and understanding of concepts
related to technology (as described
in the ISTE National Education Technology Standards for Students).
Upon beginning my student teaching experience, I felt
confident in my ability to utilize most of the software and hardware that was
made available to me by the Southgate School District. I believed that
my courses at the University of Michigan-Dearborn provided me with a solid foundation
to implement all of the Microsoft programs and many of the student orientated
software such as Kidspiration, KidPix, and HyperStudio. I also believed
that this foundation afforded me the skills necessary to learn any new piece
of software or hardware that could be set before me. I understood that
the greatest challenge for me would be to successfully incorporate this
assortment of technology into my lessons.
B. demonstrate continual growth in technology knowledge and skills to stay abreast
of current and emerging technologies.
My greatest growth in technology knowledge can best
be displayed in my utilization of the LCD projector. My solid knowledge
base was within the area of software manipulation. The actual setup of
hardware was a skill that I had never developed. While working on the
MITTEN project, I became very familiar with the use of the LCD projector which
we used to model many of our lessons. The use of the projector often required
the arranging wires and establishing connections on a variety of different computers.
All of the computers within Chormann are Macintosh computers. Since all
of my previous computer experiences were on IBMs
I had to quickly learn how to successfully navigate on these machines.
Although the premise for all of the programs was the same, differences still
existed so that in order to successfully implement the lessons I had to familiarize
myself with the characteristics that are unique to Macintosh computers.
II. PLANNING AND DESIGNING
LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND EXPERIENCES.
Teachers plan and design effective learning environments and experiences supported
by technology. Teachers:
A. design developmentally appropriate learning opportunities that apply technology-enhanced
instructional strategies to support the diverse needs of learners.
The main focus of a multi-aged classroom is to address
the student at his/her own developmentally appropriate level. A 2nd/3rd
multi-aged classroom encompasses a broad spectrum of abilities. In order
to ensure that we included all of our students within this program, we attempted
to choose lessons that provided each and every student with the opportunity
to be successful. This included working in pairs such as in our
fourth lesson, the WebQuest, and our
fifth lesson, Stretching Shadows.
Beyond academic development, the multi-age classroom attempts to meet the multiple
intelligences that can be found within each student. The lessons that
we decided upon often addressed the requirements of many of these students.
Linguistic Intelligence "word smart": PowerPoint,
Composition, WebQuest
Logical-Mathematical Intelligence "number/reasoning smart":
WebQuest, Shadow
Spatial Intelligence "picture
smart": Sound Web, PowerPoint,
and Shadow
Body-Kinesthetic Intelligence "body
smart": Shadow
Interpersonal Intelligence "people
smart": WebQuest
Intrapersonal Intelligence "self
smart": PowerPoint, Composition
Naturalistic Intelligence "nature smart": WebQuest,
Shadow
B. apply current research
on teaching and learning with technology when planning learning environments
and experiences.
One
article that we found extremely useful when planning our lessons for the project
was “The Learning Power of WebQuests” by Tom March.
This article provided us with the information necessary to create a WebQuest
in which the learners experience a scaffolding process. This process provides
the students with an authentic learning task and through the manipulation of
the WebQuest, the students “transform newly found knowledge into a more sophisticated
understanding.”
C. identify and locate technology resources and evaluate them for accuracy and
suitability.
The ISTE-CEO
Forum STaR Chart
provided us with valuable information regarding the resources that were available
to us through the Southgate School District. With this information we
decided which types of software would best be used within our project.
We decided that we wanted to introduce our lower elementary students to programs
that they would be using for the rest of their lives such as Microsoft Word,
PowerPoint, and Excel.
D. plan for the management of technology resources within the context of learning
activities.
We were often reliant
upon the programs that we planned on using being available on the computers.
Occasionally due to changes to the computers made internally by the district,
programs would not work as expected. We would then have to think quickly
and make adaptations to the lessons.
The management of technology resources was also extremely
important especially while choosing websites for the
WebQuest lesson, Our World Without the Sun.
Obviously we had varied reading abilities within the classroom, but it was important
to us that the websites that we directed the students to contained appropriate
content for them to view.
E. plan strategies to manage student learning in a technology-enhanced environment.
For our first lesson, making a web using Kidspiration,
we decided to work with a small group of children. This group then became
our "experts". We used our TV monitor in the classroom to display the
"experts" completed projects to the rest of the class and discussed some of
the components (inserting a graphic, inserting a picture from the desktop, and
inserting text). The "experts" assisted in trouble shooting with the rest
of the class. We utilized the LCD projector in the computer lab to guide
the students through the WebQuest, creating a Word document, and creating a
graph. Another way we managed student learning was by ability grouping.
We chose to partner a computer savvy student with a beginner. For our
WebQuest, we partnered a fluent reader with an emergent reader.
III. TEACHING, LEARNING,
AND THE CURRICULUM.
Teachers implement curriculum plans, that include methods and strategies for
applying technology to maximize student learning. Teachers:
A. facilitate technology-enhanced experiences that address content standards
and student technology standards.
Over the course of three months we taught science
to both our class as well as to another 2nd/3rd multi-age classroom in the building.
Each class has a scheduled two hours within the science lab. It would
have been impossible for us to use those two hours to implement MITTEN lessons
for each class. We decided that the best alternative to using technology
was to actually teach the content in science lab and then to use the technology
based lessons to enhance the concepts being taught.
We made sure that all of our lessons were supported by both the
Michigan Curriculum Framework approved by the Michigan Department of Education
as well as the newly developed
Grade Level Content Expectations. Finally, we ensured that our lessons
met the ISTE Student Technology
Standards. To view the specific standards addressed visit our Exhibits
page.
B. use technology to support learner-centered strategies that address the diverse
needs of students.
Teaching
in a multi-age environment requires an educator constantly create learner based
strategies that address the diverse needs of the students. We constantly
searched for techniques and methods that allow all of our learners to receive
the most from each lesson. Therefore, when it came time to make the appropriate
accommodations for our technology integrated lessons, we were not met with many
challenges. We understood that some learners would require more time manipulating
the computer while other students would need alternate activates in order to
keep them out of trouble when they finished early. In order to meet all
of our learner’s needs, we had to greatly individualize expectations.
This requires an intimate knowledge of the abilities of each student.
C. apply technology to develop students' higher order skills and creativity.
Many of our lessons promoted higher order thinking
skills and creativity through the use of technology.
The Web Quest encouraged students to synthesize information they
gathered from electronic resources. By producing a graph in Microsoft
Excel students examined trends and patterns concerning the length of their shadow.
Projects which required creativity were the Kidspiration webs and
the PowerPoint presentation which allowed students the freedom to change font,
color, and background.
D. manage student learning activities in a technology-enhanced environment.
Management within the technology-enhanced environment
posed many roadblocks during the beginning of the project. We were not
prepared for the varied ability levels and the sheer excitement that the students
would have while working on the activities. With every lesson, we became
stronger in managing the students. The better managers we were the more
the students learned from the experience. We began to discuss with the
students the importance of the programs that they were using and that adults
use these programs. We also began to utilize the red cup system that the
computer teacher employs. The students place a red cup upon their computer
monitor either when they need assistance or once we ask them to complete a certain
task. This allowed us to monitor the students much closer. We also
began to have the students progress through the lessons together step-by-step
rather than independently. This provided us with the ability to ensure
that the students were completing the activities to our expectations.
IV. ASSESSMENT AND
EVALUATION
Teachers apply technology to facilitate a variety of effective assessment and
evaluation strategies. Teachers:
A. apply technology in assessing student learning of subject matter using a
variety of assessment techniques.
As
I had described above, we used our MITTEN experience as an extension on our
Sound & Light Unit. Therefore, our assessments
were extremely informal. We often outlined our expectations and upon the
finishing of an activity we determined on the spot if each student met our expectations.
Any learning or concept reinforcement beyond what was taught in science lab
was considered a success.
B. use technology resources to collect and analyze data, interpret results,
and communicate findings to improve instructional practice and maximize student
learning.
The lesson that best fit this standard was the shadow
lesson, Stretching
Shadows. Before the students could utilize
the use of technology, they had to collect data about how their shadows changed
throughout the course of one day. The students took that information and
input it into an Excel graph. They then analyzed and interpreted their
data in order to predict the length of their shadows at 4:00p.m. The shape
of their graphs quickly communicated to the students if their predictions were
appropriate. The students then watched a quick tutorial on how our shadows
change throughout the day. They then returned to their graphs and adjusted
their predictions as they deemed fit.
The two lessons that allowed the students to communicate their findings were
the PowerPoint presentation and the WebQuest.
The PowerPoint presentation gave the students the opportunity to share with
the principal and their parents all that they discovered at the Detroit Science
Center. While the WebQuest allowed the students to share their findings
within their own classroom setting. The Sun Summit allowed the different
science experts from the different fields an opportunity to inform their peers
of their findings.
C. apply multiple methods of evaluation to determine students' appropriate use
of technology resources for learning, communication, and productivity.
We did not formally
evaluate the students. At the beginning of each lesson, we communicated
to the students our expectations. Then throughout the lessons, we informally
assessed the students as they completed each task. We checked to
make sure that the students had completed the activity not only to our expectations,
but to the best of their abilities.
Evaluation and assessment do not follow the multi-age philosophy. In a
multi-age environment, the students work at their own ability levels.
It is unreasonable for us as teachers to expect a second grader to perform at
the same level as a third grader. Plus, we believed that formal evaluation
would take away from the free spirited use of the technology and would produce
a carbon copy final product of what the students believed would be our expectations.
However as the educators, Mrs. VanHauter and I did hold ourselves to certain
expectations. We utlized a self-evaluation form
in order to ensure that we were meeting standards that were important to us
as we were implimenting the lessons.
V. PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
Teachers use technology to enhance their productivity and professional practice.
Teachers:
A. use technology resources to engage in ongoing professional development and
lifelong learning.
Although I am still young in my professional development,
I believe that my time at the University of Michigan-Dearborn provided me with
the desire to continue my technological education. The MITTEN program
will be the first in many technology courses that I hope to participate in.
B. continually evaluate and reflect on professional practice to make informed
decisions regarding the use of technology in support of student learning.
To make informed decisions in the use of technology,
I kept a journal regarding the strengths and areas to modify concerning my lessons.
This has enabled me to assess my objectives and determine different possibilities
for the future.
C. apply technology to increase productivity.
An example of an application of
technology that increased productivity was utilizing Microsoft Excel software
to accelerate the graph making process. On a weekly basis, thirty-five
minutes of classroom time was devoted to create a graph of the week. By
incorporating the Excel lesson the students were able to see that a graph can
be made in a matter of seconds.
D. use technology to communicate and collaborate with peers, parents, and the
larger community in order to nurture student learning.
Throughout the course of the MITTEN Project, we have communicated
and collaborated with peers, parents, and the community in various ways in order
to help promote and nurture student learning. They include:
VI. 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:
A. model and teach legal and ethical practice related to technology use.
Possibly the greatest area where we could run into
legal and ethical problems was within the displaying of student work on the
internet. In order to ensure that we would not run into any problems,
we had each of our parents sign a permission slip. We made sure to indicate
to the parents in our permission slip that we may be using their child's name,
picture, or voice.
B. apply technology resources to enable and empower learners with diverse backgrounds,
characteristics, and abilities.
All of the technology resources we utilized with the students
played an important role in addressing the needs of our students.. We understood
that students need to work at their own pace therefore when the students worked
independently, they were given as much time as they needed to complete the activity.
Often times when some of the students finished their projects early, they
were encouraged to assist other students that were struggling with the technology.
C. identify and use technology resources that affirm diversity
Our students were often encouraged to go above and beyond what
we defined as our expectations. If the students finished and extra time
was availabe they were allowed to insert clipart, change background colors,
and manipulate text to their own liking. This is just one way that we
encouraged diversity in our student work.
D. promote safe and healthy use of technology resources.
We had little concern about the safety of the software
that we used with out students. However, we did have concerns about the
websites that the students may visit. To ensure that our students only
visited appropriate sites, we made sure that the websites used for the WebQuest
were age and ability appropriate. This was not an easy task, but it ensured
a smooth experience. We also did not allow our students to stray from
the specific website. This ensured that the students would not run into
websites that were not suited for them.
E. facilitate equitable access to technology resources for all students.
Our
students were provided with ample time to complete all of their activities.
Often times, the students worked with a partner so the two students could rely
upon each other to complete a particular task. However, when the students
worked independently a specific time limit was not placed upon them. They
were permitted to work as long as they need to and often times they were allowed
to return to the computers in the classroom to place any finishing touches on
their work.