National Technology Standards and FSH
Friends School Haverford adheres to the National Educational Technology Standards as put forth by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).
At this summer's NECC Conference, the International Society for Technology in Education completed their revised standards for Technology Education for Students. These standards were first published in 1999. The changes reflect the changing nature of technology's role in education since 1999.
While in 1999 many of the standards were based on becoming adept at using certain equipment and software, those skills are now taken as a given for students in grades 6-12. The major focus now is for students to understand how to gather and organize information from a variety of sources, most prominently from the Internet, and to develop their ability to discern the credibility of the various sources they encounter.
At Friends School Haverford, we place great emphasis on these skills in our technology classes and our library & media classes. Students begin as early as second grade to use Internet resources compiled by their teachers. By fourth grade, our students are doing most of the research themselves, and are learning how to find information effectively, and then organize that information in ways that facilitate their understanding of the material. For example, we spend a lot of time working with a software program called Inspiration in third and fourth grade.
Originally developed as a tool for business meetings, this software allows students to organize the information they collect in a variety of ways. They can make colorful organization charts which provide strong visual connections between pieces of information. With a single click they can also convert the entire web diagram to a standard [Roman numeral style] outline format, much like those their parents and teachers likely used in school. Inspiration also allows students to add images and links to their diagrams. This is very useful when students need to revisit a site they had been using after several weeks of research. Imagine if they would have to go back to the local library to find the book they had been using, and hope that no one else had checked it out in the meantime. This is how I had to work on research papers when I was in fourth grade. Working with text, images, links, audio or video clips online offers our students a far richer educational experience than if they were only taking notes on paper from their reading. This style of enhancing opportunities for visual, auditory, and tactile learners is the way we like to learn in computer class at FSH. We incorporate as many modes or styles of learning as possible. This multi-modal form of learning also allows teachers to identify how students learn best by observing the learning method to which students most readily gravitate.
The ISTE National Educational Technology Standards (NETS•S)
and Performance Indicators for Students
1. Creativity and Innovation
Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes
using technology. Students:
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
c. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
d. identify trends and forecast possibilities.
2. Communication and Collaboration
Students 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:
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments
and media.
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
c. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.
d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.
3. Research and Information Fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:
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.
d. process data and report results.
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make
informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students:
a. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation.
b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
d. use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.
5. Digital Citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical
behavior. Students:
a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
b. exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.
c. demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.
d. exhibit leadership for digital citizenship.
6. Technology Operations and Concepts
Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and operations. Students:
a. understand and use technology systems.
b. select and use applications effectively and productively.
c. troubleshoot systems and applications.
d. transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.
© 2007 International Society for Technology in Education. ISTE® is a registered trademark of the International Society for Technology in Education.