The Use of Technology Related to the ISTE Standards - Report Example

The Use of Technology Related To the ISTE Standards al affiliation The Use of Technology Related to the ISTE Standards ISTE International Society for Technology in Education ) is an organization responsible for setting the national educational technology standards for students. The body operates under the following basic concepts; One, learners demonstrate a coherent understanding of the nature of and way technology systems work. Second, students are also proficient in the use of technology. The body experiences the following social, ethical, and human issues: first, students have to understand the ethical, cultural, and societal issues related to technology. Second, students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software. Third and finally, students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaborative, personal pursuits, and productivity. Some of the uses of technological productivity tools by students comprise of; enhancing learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity. Secondly, students may also use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works. However, technology communication tools maybe used as well by students. Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences. In addition, students may also use a variety of media and format to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences (Roblyer, 2000). In technology research tools, students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources. Students may at times use technology tools to process data, and report results. Finally, students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks. In technology problem-solving and decision-making tools, students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed and concrete decisions. Students may also employ technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world. The integration of technology into the educational setting has helped to foster learning and facilitate student’s problem solving, scientific inquiry, and communication skills. Technology has also helped to advance learning theories and instrumental practice. Yet lack of technology skills among teachers, lack of funding, accessibility issues, and the ever-changing nature of technology have slowed the comprehensive integration of technology into the educational setting as suggested by Twomey, Shumburg, and Zieger (2006). Governing bodies such as the National Association for Sports and Physical Education (NASPE) and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) have identified essential experiences for teacher preparation that includes the attainment of specific standards related to the use of technology. An ISTE initiative founded by the United States Department of Education’s Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers to Use Technology (PT3) grant program resulted in the publication of the National Education Technology Standards for All Teachers (NETS-T). The purpose of these efforts was to advocate for the appropriate use of technology in educational settings to improve student learning as well as teacher efficiency as suggested by and Fiorentino (2008). The ISTE standards have a multipronged focus that includes teacher attainment of skills, the integration of technology to enhance learning, assessment, teacher efficiency, and the ethical issues related to technology (international society for technology in education and U.S. department of education, 2003). The NCATE/NASPE standards identify the minimum competencies that all teachers should exhibit within an instructional environment. Specifically related to physical education, NASPE has recommended that programs in physical education teacher education produce physical teachers who use information technology to enhance learning and to enhance personal and professional productivity in terms of communication and collaboration, creativity, problem solving, and digital citizenship among others (Brooks-Young, 2004). ISTE recognizes that educational computing and technology foundations (NETS for teachers) are essential for all teachers. ISTE also acknowledges additional standards are necessary to define programs preparing leaders for integration of technology in the educational system. In partnership with NCATE, ISTE provides program standards for preparation in technology facilitation and technology leadership. These standards outline performance expectations for individuals who will serve as building-level technology facilitators and district, regional, or state directors for educational technology. As one way of motivating learners or educators to prepare for positions of leadership in educational technology, the ISTE Accreditation and Professional Standards Committee has developed accreditation standards for teacher educational programs preparing specialists in educational technology. These programs should prepare candidates to keep a breast of changes in educational computing and technology and their effect on education. In a addition, candidates should be equipped to utilize and integrate a broad range of educational computing and technology applications to enhance student learning. Finally, candidates should be prepared to work effectively as professional leaders to advance in their specific fields within a culturally diverse society (NETS Project, 2002). The educational technology specialization guidelines, revised in 2002, have been adopted by NCATE and are currently used for evaluation of advanced teacher education programs desiring accreditation. The two programs are as follows: educational computing and technology facilitation (ECTF), and educational computing and technology leadership (ECTL). According to the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers Series International Society for Technology in Education report (2004), the above mentioned two sets of technology program standards correspond to two educational technology leadership positions frequently cited as providing essential support for integration of technology in schools. The educational leadership standards and their corresponding rubrics assist teacher education units, professional organizations, and agencies in understanding and evaluating the educational preparation needed for specialization within the field of educational technology. ISTE provides standards for programs preparing teachers of secondary computer science education. Consequently, the technology facilitation and leadership standards are guidelines for developing programs to prepare candidates for positions of leadership in the school, district, region, or state educational technology arenas. These standards are also often used as resources for designing professional development programs, positions, and job assessment instruments. In addition, there is need for building on ISTE NETS for Teachers. The NETS for teachers serve as the foundational standards for all teachers and define the prerequisite requirements for knowledge, skills, and dispositions of candidates planning to enter the facilitation commonly known as the building level leadership and leadership either at district or higher level of leadership programs (Lake and Bean, 2007). Each set of technology facilitation and leadership standards is aligned with the six NETS for teachers, providing indicators at additional levels of proficiency for those standards appropriate to the facilitation and leadership roles. Both facilitation and leadership levels include two additional standards that address the administrative duties that are necessary to perform the additional functions for these roles. This arrangement was developed to facilitate planning and assessment functions especially electronic and portfolio assessment that benefit from a consistent framework that identifies levels of increasing proficiency across the three sets of standards. However, the ISTE/NCATE standards lie at the heart of quality teacher preparation. ISTE has developed performance assessment performance assessment standards for initial and advanced educational computing and technology programs including; the technology facilitation initial endorsement and secondly, the technology leadership advanced program. If an institution offers undergraduate and for/ or graduate programs in educational technology, it must respond to these program standards. It should be noted that, ISTE considers any program to be initial that prepares candidates for the technology facilitation endorsement. These programs may be at the graduate or undergraduate level. Endorsement indicates that these programs prepare teachers for an add-on endorsement to an exciting teaching certificate as documented by National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers Nets Project, International Society for Technology in Education (2003). ISTE standards include but are not limited to evidence of meeting prerequisite standards that is; NETS for teachers and verification that the individual holds a basic teaching license. Advanced programs are those programs at the post-baccalaureate level for the advanced education of personal that have previously completed or are simultaneously completing the technology facilitation endorsement. The technology leadership program is designed to prepare personnel for a leadership role in educational technology at the district or higher level. ISTE standards include but are not limited to evidence of meeting prerequisite standards that is; NETS for teachers and technology facilitation and verification that the individual holds a basic teaching license (standard TL-10. The license requirement vary by state and that this will impact the classification of ones program to NCATE as initial, advanced, or other school personnel. Therefore, one’s TF or TL program can be initial, advanced or other school personnel in his or her NCATE and ISTE applications. Generally, technology facilitation standards are for those who provide direct support to teachers while technology leadership standards are designed for those who have some combination of policymaking, policy implementation, and/ or administrative responsibilities. The ISTE technology facilitation standard s program will prepare candidates to serve as building/campus-level technology facilitators. Candidates completing this program will exhibit knowledge, skills, and dispositions equipping them to teach technology applications; demonstrate effective use of technology to support student learning of content; and provide professional development, monitoring, and basic technical assistance for other teachers who require support in their efforts to apply technology to support student learning as stipulated in the NETS Project, (2007). The ISTE technology leadership standards program usually prepares candidates to serve as technology specialists who are defined at the beginning levels of the leadership standards. Special preparation in computing systems, facilities planning, instructional program development, and other advanced applications of technology to support student learning and assessment will prepare candidates to serve in the technology-based leadership positions at school and possibly district levels. The TL program standards are aligned with the six national educational technology standards for teachers (NETS-T), but extend the performance expectations of each standard to reflect preparation for serving as a director, co-coordinator, or technology integration specialist at the district level, regional, and or at the state level, assisting teachers as well as technology facilitators in their efforts to support student learning and educator professional growth with technology (Provenzo, Brett and McCloskey, 2005). References Brooks-Young, S. (2004). Self-Assessment Activities for School Administrators: A Companion to Making Technology Standards Work for You. ISTE. ISBN 978-1564842053. Castelli, D. M. & Fiorentino, L. (2008). Physical Education Technology Playbook. New York: Human Kinetics, print. Lake, E. L. S. & Bean, K. (2007). Digital Multimedia: The Business of Technology. New York: Cengage Learning, print. National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers: Nets Project, International Society for Technology in Education. (2003). National educational technology standards for teachers: Resources for assessment. Kansas: ISTE (Interntl Soc Tech Educ), print. National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers Series: International Society for Technology in Education. (2002) National educational technology standards for teachers: preparing teachers to use technology. Kansas: ISTE (Interntl Soc Tech Educ), print. NETS Project (2002). Preparing Teachers to Use Technology ISTE. ISBN 978-1564841735. NETS Project(2007). National Educational Technology Standards for Students. ISTE. ISBN 978-1564842374. Provenzo, F. U., Brett, A. & McCloskey, N. G. (2005). Computers, curriculum, and cultural change: an introduction for teachers. London, UK: Routledge, print. Roblyer, MD (2000). The National Educational Technology Standards (NETS): A Review of Definitions, Implications, and Strategies for Integrating NETS into K-12 Curriculum. International Journal of Instructional Media. 27(2). Twomey, R. C., Shumburg, C., & Zieger, B. L. (2006). Teachers as technology leaders: a guide to ISTE technology facilitation and technology leadership accreditation. Kansas: ISTE (Interntl Soc Tech Educ), print. Read More