Reaction to ISTE’s Technology Standards

The acceptance implementation of ISTE’s National Education Technology Standards (NETS) for teachers necessitates a profound change in the way we approach lesson-planning for students and demands changes in the views and practices of teachers in their professional lives. Standards 2a, 3a & b, and 5a & b all require a personal and professional “buy-in” to the concept that using technology is the way to go.

For example, 5a states that teachers should, “exhibit leadership by demonstrating a vision of technology infusion [italics mine], participating in shared decision making and community building, and developing leadership and technology skills of others.” You need to have a vision for integrating technology (or infusing it) not only into your lessons, but into your community. 5a also demands teachers to “participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to improve student learning.” As a teacher, you need to be active in “global learning communities” which necessitates technology, in short. Most teachers cannot communicate globally without the use of technological tools such as the computer, email, Internet, etc. 1d mirrors this command by telling teachers they should collaborate with colleagues in virtual environments as well as face-to-face. 3a tells teachers they must “demonstrate fluency in technology systems and the transfer of current knowledge to new technologies and situations.” Basically, teachers must update their lesson plans and figure out how to deliver the lesson through a technological vehicle. So, regardless of your personal feelings about utilizing technology in the classroom, if you strive to meet these standards, you must embrace technological tools, become fluent in them, convert your lessons to integrate technological tools, and use them enough to become globally aware and influence those in your community.

The student standards run parallel to the teachers. They are required to “develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures” (2c), which means teachers need to integrate technological tools into the curriculum in order for students to have this opportunity. Students output demands have changed as well; they must “communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats” (2b), so it’s not just about writing reports anymore. Students may be asked to develop a website or a photo story to deliver a report rather than the typical research paper.

A whole host of changes are necessitated once these standards have been accepted as something that must be met. It is a huge administrative commitment that advocates technology in the classroom and requires that advocacy of its teachers, parents, and students.