Week 1 Assignment #4
ISTE Standards are standards for the use of technology in teaching and learning (technology integration) and how to properly include the standards when designing lesson plans. They include the ISTE Standards are dedicated to both teachers and students. Much like Common Core State Standards (CCSS), ISTE is a guide or roadmap that teachers use to ensure that teachers and student follow this roadmap to empower students and how to become good digital citizens. It encourages teachers to communicate with one another for better ideas on how to engage their students. Overall, ISTE-compliant teachers take an active, innovative role in the education process to help students learn more effectively.
ISTE Standards are standards for the use of technology in teaching and learning (technology integration) and how to properly include the standards when designing lesson plans. They include the ISTE Standards are dedicated to both teachers and students. Much like Common Core State Standards (CCSS), ISTE is a guide or roadmap that teachers use to ensure that teachers and student follow this roadmap to empower students and how to become good digital citizens. It encourages teachers to communicate with one another for better ideas on how to engage their students. Overall, ISTE-compliant teachers take an active, innovative role in the education process to help students learn more effectively.
There are two sets of ISTE standards one for educators and a set designed students because the teacher is the facilitator and students are the receiver/audience. As an educator, we wear many hats. Some hats are labeled with invisible ink called Social Worker, Guidance Counselor, Behavior Management Specialist, and nurturer. ISTE standards create other roles for teachers to carry out such as Designer, Facilitator, Analysist, Learner, and the leader who models good Citizenship. As a Designer, teachers are able to use UbD/backward design to create authentic multiple intelligences activities in a learner-driven environment. As facilitators, new literacies are used to support learning. Whereas, the teacher has to keep up to pace with new technology tools and learning. The collaborator hat is normally worn during teacher planning. However, it is enhanced when the teacher shares what he knows with his peers to improve the professional learning community for the greater good of the students and overall school. Then there is the analyst hat when teachers analyze student data and to plan instructions. In my school, we spend quality analyzing a software called I-ready. We upload lessons and interactive multimedia games. Student assignments are based on reading and math levels and students are expected to make gains every 3 or 4 weeks.
ISTE standards for students is about empowering students as active learners to take an active role in their technology education and that they are able to demonstrate what they know how to independently take on the task. In order for students to explore and be supported with new literacies, they must become digital citizens and good stewards of the internet and this carries a heavy responsibility for early childhood and secondary learners. The empowerment allows the student to benefit in all subject areas (Mathematics, Science, ELA, Social Studies, Global Studies) students become problem solvers interacting with other students on world issues. For example, Global Warning; Using podcast, creating Google Maps to locate what regions are impacted the most and having discussions. These standards develop student creativity and critical thinking skills and to also become collaborators with their peers as well as their teacher. In another course at NYIT, I used SMILE to create questions that my classmates had to answer and to rate me. When I received a 3star rating, I wondered what I could do to get a 4. I recently differentiated a social studies packet to fit the needs of Tier 3 & Tier 4 students because it wasn’t challenging enough for them. Tier 1 and 2 responded that it was somewhat challenging but they able to complete it on their own. Tier 3 & 4 had to create a question and to choose a peer to send it to using Google Docs. I noticed that they were more engaged and more in the assignment because of the way I modified the work, but mostly because they got to see whether or not the answer was correct. This made them feel empowered.
Reflections
ISTE set the bar for high for teachers and students because in order for students to be empowered they have to be responsible and keep the understanding at the forefront when they globally interact with peers, conduct research, problem solve or ask questions. Teacher are learners too, by wearing so many different hats, he has to continue to receive professional development, so that he can pass those learning on to students as well as his peers. What I really appreciate about ISTE is that it creates a different relationship with teacher and student whereas, the teacher engages the student as a facilitator instead of a lecturer. ISTE in my perspective is stakeholder driven. It is the checks and balance to the concerns I had when learned what new literacies are 3 months ago. Student performance and teacher trust are a few reasons why I want to become a teacher. My final thought is that we often say that technology is everywhere, so there is no denying this fact. Therefore, educators must be able to improve the classroom culture by expanding the technological landscape and ISTE are the guidelines necessary for effective practices.
