Standard Two: ISTE-NETS

          Standard two of the ISTE-NETS for teachers states that teachers should design and develop technological learning experiences and assessments by using modern tools and resources.  This means that teachers should be more creative in building more technologically based learning environments and evaluations.  This standard also explains that teachers need to build learning activities to fit different learning styles of students.  Modern tools and resources can help develop knowledge and help effectively measure learning comprehension.   Additionally, students should be active participants in their own learning goals and assessments.   This standard also states that teachers should use resulting data to better measure students and to sharpen their teaching.

            A hindrance for some teachers to comply with this standard might be that they don’t know where to find credible, modern resources.  One course of action for these teachers is to start exploring nationally recognized educational websites that offer creative, user-friendly resources.  Teachers could research tools by navigating the US Department of Education site or the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards site.  Through this type of research, these teachers might find creative online technological teaching tools such as math minutes found on Mathdrill.com or social studies webquests from Scholastic.com.  I had a lot of success using geography webquests as creative teaching tools that engaged students in different grades and students with different learning abilities.

            This ISTE-NETS standard encourages teachers to allow students to pursue their own educational goals and assess their own progress.  For example, a teacher might develop a project rubric with the help of students.  A few advantages become obvious to reluctant teachers.  If students participate in the assessment, they would be engaged and more empowered in a project from beginning to end.  Also, by involving students in the assessment, they should never be surprised by a grade.   If teachers don’t know where to find basic rubrics for projects, a remedy is for them to do a simple search on the Internet for rubric samples and they will likely find a site such as Rubistar.  Rubistar offers templates for rubrics.   A teacher who visits this site could select a specific project and customize the assessment with the help of the students.  I readily implemented this concept by designing my own rubrics with the help of templates found from online sites and with the help of students.  This encouraged “buy in” from students while building legitimate rubrics.  I got rubrics, tailored them with the help of students, and the students had clear roadmaps of expectations that they helped articulate.     

            This standard states that teachers should use resulting data from assessments to better measure learning and teaching.  In other words, by using quickly formatted data, it would be easier and quicker to see a snapshot of student progress and results.   Teachers would see where a student’s baseline is and how they progress with objectives.  I would use digital tools and resources to help me communicate better and faster with students, parents, and administrators.  Faster, more detailed feedback would help me focus on specific student issues that need attention.   This feedback would also highlight which teaching styles have more success.  A hindrance for some teachers to comply with this standard might be a perceived lack of time to tailor lessons and assessments.  I would feel anxious about time consuming searches, myself.   One course of action I would take is to suggest that this particular ISTE-NETS standard be discussed during a department meeting.  We could discuss examples of how colleagues design authentic lessons and assessments through technology.  After exploring some tested sites, I’m sure I would find that many tools are easy and quick to implement.