ISTE Standard 3

            Standard 3 of ISTE-NETS for teachers is to model digital age work and learning. Accordingly, teachers should be professionals that are innovative in their use of technology so that they may become mavericks of digital tools as they are used in a society that is linked globally. Teachers are able to demonstrate this ability by gaining knowledge and skills that may be then applied towards the usage of a variety of technologies. Not only should they demonstrate their abilities in their current technologies in use, but they should also be able to apply their knowledge to new technologies as they are presented. Also, when situational changes occur such as individual student needs, district mandates, school initiatives, or departmental changes, teachers should be savvy enough in their knowledge to fluidly address these changes.  Maneuvering through technological resources, teachers should increase students’ personal success and creative abilities by providing a collaborative digital environment that is connected with students, parents, classmates and members of the community. This collaboration should provide all individuals with information that is authentic, current and clear; this information should be disseminated in multiple digital formats such as texts, emails and web sites to increase the overall ability for individuals to correspond. Finally, teachers should be able to model and assist students in the use of new technologies so that they may become more effective in their learning and research as it pertains to accessing information from technological and digital resources.

            My readiness to meet this standard is gaining momentum as I further my studies in the use of technology. Reading current journals that discuss the use of technology in education, collaborating with my peers on the usage of applications that are new to me and participating in class technology readings/projects are all contributing greatly towards moving me closer to meeting this standard. I definitely see the need and student gains that can be had when providing educative opportunities using digital tools. Hindrances to meeting this goal are more personal issues tied into motivation, but are also student related in that not all students have digital devices that tie into the internet while out of the school setting due to financial reasons. Currently, I use Smartboard technologies to engage students in direct instruction activities. I also have students use the internet for interactive learning, research and project development. I email a few students’ parents, but have lacked the motivation to attempt this with all of my parents. I plan on making it a goal to not only set up an email group for parents, but also set it up with student email so that all can be participants in receiving and discussing current class goals and objectives. The current research motivates me to use these tools to become more communicative with parents to add another dimension to the collaboration but not to take the place of personal communication.