NETS Standards for Students
According to the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) website the National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for students were developed to help educators evaluate if their students had developed the essential skills and knowledge required to live productively in a digital and global world (2014). As educators are creating their lessons these standards can be guidelines for what is taught and how it is implemented. As students are learning in a technology enriched classroom communication, collaboration and the ability to publish web 2.0 applications should be skills that are being created and developed as a result of what is being taught. If they are being taught and implemented correctly then the ISTE standards are being met. The following paragraphs state what the standards are as they are listed on the website and how communication, collaboration and web 2.0 tools effectively help students meet the standards.
Standard #1, which is creativity and innovation, states that students are able to “demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology.” When students are using technology to communicate and collaborate with others then new and exciting ideas have the potential to be created because multiple minds are working together. As the students interact with web 2.0 tools then the new ideas and can often become a reality.
Standard # 2 is communication and collaboration. The goal of this standard is for students to “use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.” Students have the potential to learn how to communicate and collaborate with others all over the world through many of the available web 2.0 applications as long as the teacher is designing lessons around this standard.
Standard #3 is research and information fluency. When students are given the opportunity to communicate and collaborate with others while using web 2.0 tools they have the chance to learn how to gather, evaluate and use information that will benefit them in the real world. Being able to ”a) plan strategies to guide inquiry, b) locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media, c) evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks, and d) process data and report results” can all be gained as abilities through communication, collaboration and the use of web 2.0 tools.
Standard #4 is critical thinking, problem solving and decision making. As students work with other students on projects and they are communicating to each other their thoughts processes while using web 2.0 tools, they have the potential to learn critical thinking, problem solving and decision making skills. When students work together they have the opportunity to “use creative thinking to create a plan, conduct research, manage projects, solve problems and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools.”
Standard #5 is digital citizenship. When students are asked to communicate and collaborate with others using web 2.0 tools then they should be taught by their teacher proper digital citizenship before the process begins. Once the actual project begins the students are given the opportunity to practice what they were taught. Proper digital citizenship is important knowledge when preparing students for whatever job they may have in the future.
Standard #6 is technology operations and concept. When teachers implement projects that require communication, collaboration and web 2.0 tools, then students are given the chance to “practice and learn technology concepts, systems and operations.” Knowing how to use technology systems, troubleshoot systems and applications and transfer current knowledge to the learning of new technologies are essential abilities for the digital world we live in.
References
ISTE Standards. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.iste.org/standards/standards-for-students .
