National Education Technology Standards for

Students (NETS-S)

The Old & New

Ed Barry

The History & Connections

• Created in 1998 by ISTE

• Adopted by almost every state– In Vermont, used as the basis for the

Technology Grade Expectations.

• “Refreshed” by ISTE in 2007

Why Refresh?

• "The standards' age, the globalization of education, new developments in technology, and changing demographics of learners … were all good indicators that the standards should be updated," said Don Knezek, the group's (ISTE’s) chief executive.

Christopher Dawson, ZDNET

http://education.zdnet.com/?p=838

NETS-S - 1998

• While the original NETS identified skills and knowledge every student needed to succeed in the technology and information environment that was emerging in 1998, there was still a tone of concentrating on the tools--the technology [itself].

NETS-S - 1998 - Vermont

• “...there was still a tone of concentrating on the tools--the technology [itself].”

• In Vermont it was more than a “tone.” It was very intentional. The “Technology” in this case meaning the applications of it... the software and its applications in the curriculum.

• We felt the “use of the “technology” should be measured. Thus the VT Tech GEs

NETS-S “98” and NCLB Act• What does “every student will be technologically

literate by the time they graduate from the eighth grade” mean?

• Vermont’s definition of “technologically literate.” Technology literacy is the ability to responsibly use appropriate technology to communicate, solve problems, and access, manage, integrate, evaluate, and create information to improve learning in all subject areas and to acquire lifelong knowledge and skills in the 21st century.

NETS-S 2007In contrast, "these new student standards focus on skills and knowledge that students need to learn effectively and live productively in an increasingly digital society ... Cognitive and learning skills, as well as creativity and innovation, are the focus now--and information and media literacy are also elevated [in importance]."

The Shift

• (ISTE CEO) Don Knezek described the changes as a shift away from a focus on "competency with [technology] tools" and toward a focus on the "skills required in a digital world to produce and innovate" using technology.

eSchool News

ISTE releases draft of new tech standards By Laura Devaney, Associate Editor, eSchool News

http://www.eschoolnews.com/news/top-news/index.cfm?i=44849&CFID=224190&CFTOKEN=61289911

Category Comparison

NETS-S - Old NETS-S - New

1. Basic operations and concepts 1. Creativity and Innovation

2. Social, ethical, and human issues 2. Communication and Collaboration

3. Technology productivity tools 3. Research and Information Fluency

4. Technology communications tools

4. Critical Thinking, Problem-Solving & Decision-Making

5. Technology research tools 5. Digital Citizenship

6. Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools

6. Technology Operations and Concepts

Is there any Alignment?NETS-S - Old NETS-S - New

1. Basic operations and concepts o Students demonstrate a sound

understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.

o Students are proficient in the use of technology.

6. Technology Operations and Concepts

Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems and operations. Students: understand and use

technology systems. select and use applications

effectively and productively. troubleshoot systems and

applications. transfer current knowledge to

learning of new technologies.

Alignment continued

2. Social, ethical, and human issues Students understand the ethical,

cultural, and societal issues related to technology.

Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.

Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity.

5. Digital Citizenship Students understand human, cultural, and

societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical behavior. Students:o advocate and practice safe, legal,

and responsible use of information and technology.

o exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.

o demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.

o exhibit leadership for digital citizenship

Alignment continued

3. Technology productivity tools o Students use technology

tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity.

o Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.

No Apparent direct Alignment – except possibly Technology Operations & Concepts.

Appears to be embedded in others including Technology Operations & Concepts.

Alignment continued

4. Technology communications tools o Students use telecommunications to

collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences.

o Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.

2. Communication and Collaboration Students use digital media and environments to

communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others. Students: interact, collaborate, and publish with

peers, experts or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.

communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.

develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.

contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.

Alignment continued

5. Technology research tools o Students use technology to locate,

evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.

o Students use technology tools to process data and report results.

o Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.

3. Research and Information Fluency

Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students: o plan strategies to guide inquiry.o locate, organize, analyze,

evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.

o evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.

o process data and report results.

Alignment continued

6. Technology problem-solving and decision making tools Students use technology resources for

solving problems and making informed decisions.

Students employ technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world.

4. Critical Thinking, Problem-Solving & Decision-Making

Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources. Students: identify and define authentic

problems and significant questions for investigation.

plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.

collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.

use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.

Alignment continuedNo Apparent Alignment to Old NETS-S

1. Creativity and Innovation Students demonstrate creative

thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products and processes using technology. Students:o apply existing knowledge to

generate new ideas, products, or processes.

o create original works as a means of personal or group expression.

o use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.

o identify trends and forecast possibilities.

The Problems• "The devil is in the details," he says. "How do

we implement these standards?" (Alan) November cites the vagueness of the term digital media, for instance. "That could mean PowerPoint to one person or designing a Moodle course to share online to another," he says. Moreover, he decries the time and effort it will take for all 49 states to go back and "undo implementation" of the original standards.

techLEARNING

http://www.techlearning.com/showArticle.php?articleID=196604312

The Question

• What are the implications of the “Refreshed NETS-S” for Vermont educators?