When I first inquired about the NETS-S, she said she was unaware of these standards. She stated that she did not know of any specific changes within the school to accommodate the standards, but she does know that the teachers in the schools are required to include technology into their lessons in some way. The teachers are to include technology into their lessons daily, and she also mentioned a test in 8th grade to assess the students knowledge of technology. She imagines that if these standards were to be fully implemented, the school would need funding for a lot more technology based devices. Because of the area, many families cannot afford to own these devices at home, so if the students are required to learn to use them, they would have to be within the school. She finally states that its somewhat impossible for a school to "finish" a transition into these standards because technology is always changing, improving, therefore the standards will never be permanent.
I actually was not surprised at the responses. I was more surprised to learn of the existence of these standards. I was still in high school in 2007 (graduated in 2009) and I never saw any change towards more technology in the classes. It was really considered a "good day" when we were allowed or required to use the computers in our science classes to complete labs/assignments.
In the future, I will plan to include technology into my lessons wherever they may fit. I feel that the problem with including technology, especially in music, is that it lowers the value of the actual act of creating and listening to live music for my students. At the same time, it offers an opportunity for them to listen to different musical cultures and music around the world that they may not have been able to experience before. So I believe that technology, while part of our evolving world, is better used in moderation, no matter the subject matter or content area. I will speak within my school about the importance of knowing how to use technology to better their students education, but I would also warn them about the possibility of technology being a crutch or an easy way out of an assignment or class.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Atb02nrpTTXpdHI0SkJYWWp3WHRHQ1J0QzI2RngzUmc
(link to original spreadsheet with NETS-S standards added)
I like the phrase you use, "the standards will never me permanent." I wonder if you feel that any standards will ever be "permanent?" Music, as an example, is constantly changing and the way we express ourselves changes often. For example, many of the NJ standards for music education are quite specific. Are there any new standards that you think need to be added? I can't help thinking about how infrequently world music is addressed in standards and the stereotype of classical music that it perpetuates.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your blog I thought your interview results were unique. You mentioned your teacher is from a low income district that also has a high population of students with disabilities. Her comment about funding for more devices sounds like a reasonable concern relating to implementing these standards. If the test is standardized then you would think each school would also need standards and requirements to have enough devices and current technologies for all students to access. In a low income area, students won't have access to these devices at home and therefore will need more time in the classroom becoming familiar with and educated on these technologies. It will be interesting to see what issues will arise as the demand for technology in the classroom increase..
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