Just at there are National Education Technology Standards for Teachers there are a set of standards for students (NETS-S). They are international standards that have been set to help students gain the skills and knowledge they need in order to be successful in the 21st century.
These standards include:
1) Creativity and Innovation
2) Communication and Collaboration
3) Research and Information Fluency
4) Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making
5) Digital Citizenship
6) Technology Operations and Concepts
(http://www.iste.org/content/navigationmenu/nets/for_students/nets_s.htm, 2007)
Just as we developed goals that were meaningful, realistic and attainable, I would want to help my students do the same process while working towards these set standards. Given that I teach lower grades (2nd grade) my students might not understand the language and or concepts that the standards are talking about. To help my students stay focused and support them through the process, I would probably limit the goal making to one standard. Where my students are currently, in terms of 21st century learning skills, I feel that the greatest need for improvement would fall under standard 1, creativity and innovation. Subsections of the standard include using knowledge to create new thoughts and creating unique products (http://www.iste.org/content/navigationmenu/nets/for_students/nets_s.htm, 2007). The section of this standard that I would really like to focus on would be the creative outlets that my students can use to share and express knowledge. I feel that a classroom goal similar to this might work. Students will learn how to use digital story telling to express ideas, concepts and knowledge that will be shared with the public on a class blog or website. By creating a single goal, I can structure classroom activities and support to meet the needs of my students. Gradually over the course of the year, from unit to unit, students will be able to view the success that they have encountered and develop short term, more personal goals, that will address their individual needs to help develop their personal understanding. Since digital story telling can be used for almost any subject or content area, there will be different projects that students will be able to explore the structure of while creatively sharing their knowledge, understandings and passions.
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I agree with you that it is important to help students get on the right track by focusing on just one classroom goal at the beginning. As you mentioned, as students see their success and become more comfortable with the process, they can work toward setting more personalized goals. I plan to take a similar approach with my students as well. I believe digital storytelling is an excellent tool for helping your students work on the creativity and innovation standard. Digital storytelling enables students to foster their creative thinking skills in various way. Even better, as your students are strengthening their skills in that area, they also have the opportunity to deepen their content understandings. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteAmanda Bryant
8th grade reading/language arts
Amanda,
ReplyDeleteI think that even though your students are young, they would be addressing more than just one standard if they were to work with technology. They might not be meeting the standard to the level it explains, but I think that it will make it easier for them to meet them as they progress through school. I guess what I am trying to say is that even though your students might not meet the standard yet, they can be working toward them.