ISTE Standards

At C. Middle School we have about 35 computers in the library, another 60 or so in the computer lab, and another 35 in a Science computer lab. We cobbled the Science lab together at the end of last year. The computers are old, but they work. Microscopes are linked with the computers and the lab is in regular use. In fact, all the computers in the school are heavily used. Teachers generally sign up weeks in advance to get into one of the computer labs. Some classrooms have computers for student use, but not many. My room has three aging and slow computers as well as my own personal computer.
Most students come to the school from elementary with a basic knowledge of computers. Their level of knowledge depends very much on the school they have been to, as well as their own family background. We don’t have any computer classes in the school which would give students knowledge about the more technical aspect of computers (Standard 1 – Basic Operations and Concepts - I’m using the broad Standards Categories for Technology – there are six of them.)
We offer sixth graders three weeks of typing on alphasmarts for fifteen minutes a day. This happens during their study hall. Therefore we have some real hunt and peck typists, and some who do much better. I think this is a weak point for our school, as students learn very bad habits which I know have to be “fixed” when they do the required computer class in 9th grade. What other computer knowledge students acquire at our school depends very much on the teacher they have.
But how can I, personally, help my students meet the standards. Most of my job is as reading specialist, trying to get students up to benchmark levels in reading. As part of my class last year I did have students do a short research paper, following the steps from finding a topic, to note taking, to drafting, editing and publishing (Standard 4 and 5 – Technology Communication Tools and Technology Research Tools) However, I am not doing this year, because we have new teachers who are doing a lot more computer research than the teacher in the past. One way I do use technology is that I give my students the option of posting book reviews online, an option many of them take (Standard 4 –Technology Communication Tools.)
I also use articles which I find in newspapers, magazines and online that have to do with technology, because I find this is very motivating, especially for the 8th graders. For instance, I noticed an article in today’s GT called, “Firms try new ways to engage Generation Y.” My objectives in using this would be for comprehension monitoring, vocabulary, but also for generating a discussion about how technology is being used (Standard 2 – Social, ethical and human issues.)
I do co-teach one class of supported humanities. These students just finished putting together a PowerPoint presentation based on research they had done using books, encyclopedias and the internet (Most of the articles on the internet were way beyond these students – yet they want to use them, just because they are on the net.) They were instructed in how to insert pictures and graphics, create their own graphics, animate graphics, insert a movie, insert a chart, and use sounds. (Standard 3) They also used Citation-maker to set up their bibliography. We were very careful to stress the importance of not plagiarizing and our research process discouraged direct copying (Standard 2 – Social, ethical and human issues.) The finished products LOOKED great. I have reservations about the content. Too much medium and not enough message.
We have jumped up in the technology world this year because our school has purchased smartboards. Our training has been minimal unless you happen to be in a department with a teacher who has used smartboards before. I am using my smartboard on a regular basis and my students are learning with me (and often know more than I do.) This type of interactive technology can really help students be motivated to take part in a lesson. They realize how technology can change an environment and they will also be more aware of using an appropriate tool for a task.(Standard 5, 6, 2.)
My last comment is on what I could do given the time and materials. I have wanted to put together a different reading curriculum for my 8th graders which would be based around media and technology issues. Students would look at the role of technology in shaping society (Standard 2), and at the accuracy, relevance, appropriateness, comprehensiveness and bias of electronic information sources concerning real-world problems. I think this would hook this grade level student and might up their interest in being a better reader. I have also thought, in my role as reading specialist, of talking to teachers about presenting these issues through the three grades as an actual part of the curriculum. This would reach more students than those in my class – but, being selfish, I would like to have something different to offer the reading students.