NETS: New Standards

The NETS (National Education Technology Standards) have recently been redesigned to maximize effectiveness. The former NETS were in place for a decade, so an update was necessary and perhaps even over-due. In light of the ever-evolving aspects of technology specifically in the educational arena, ten years is an eternity to go without even a slight change in scope or structure. The new NETS for 2007 are designed to increase teacher and administrator accountability and enhance student performance through technology integration. Standards have been developed to identify the specific objectives necessary for students, teachers, and administrators to achieve success. Standards for students are now more focused on the productivity and abilities of the student to create, design, and solve problems rather than the focus being on the technology itself.

In reading "Refreshing the ISTE Technology Standards" by Gary Stager (http://www.districtadministration.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=1186&p=6) I was struck with the sense that he had lost site of something instrumental to the learning process, student motivation. While the new NETS do require more sophisticated and widespread use of technology in education they also offer a new way to ensure that technology is being utilized within the classroom in a way that is challenging and motivating for students. Yes many of the concepts can be and have been completed in classrooms without the use of technology, but many of the students of the Digital Age fail to be interested in such tasks void of technology integration. The bottom line is the implementation of the new NETS and the use of innovative ways to teach our students is what helps us as educators reach our students and provide meaningful and inspirational learning opportunities for everyone.