Technology Benchmarks and Teaching Web 2.0 Tools

For some time now we have been discussing the best approach to teach students about Web 2.0 tools and internet safety.

While most students experience the internet as young as kindergarten, we protect them from certain sites as a means of keeping them "safe". As students begin to explore the internet for the purpose of searching for information, it becomes increasingly difficult to protect them from unsavory web sites or content that may be inappropriate given their age. Young students (and even some adults) tend to believe if something is found on the internet, it must be reliable. Students need to be taught that this is not always the case and that they must learn how to determine if their source provides reliable information. Sorry, no wikipedia bashing here but it is a perfect example of a site often used by students. There is a great deal of legitimate information on wikipedia but that is not always the case. With respect to safety, we want students to learn as early as possible that there are predators on the web and keeping personal information private is the safest course for them.

We have had great success in exposing students to Web 2.0 tools such as blogs, wikis, social networking and podcasting. There are many educational applications for these tools. Thus far, many teachers are exposing students to these tools while teaching their content. While integrating technology and the tools available on the web is our goal, we have heard from many students they wish they could be exposed to the technology separate from their course content. Each summer we have many teachers doing curriculum development alignment and revisions. This summer a group of talented teachers have come together to identify technology benchmarks for our students at each grade level. In addition to keyboarding, beginning this year students will be exposed to various tools on the web. Obtaining information, social networking, collaboration and internet safety will be a focus both in classrooms and computer classes. It is our hope that by doing so students will have a myriad of tools that will help deepen their knowledge in the content areas as they progress through middle and high school.

It has now been legislated that students are given direct instruction in internet safety. Since we began our technology initiative we have always discussed internet safety but it has not been as prescribed as it could be. In addition to teaching students about predators and safety precautions, they also need to be taught about intellectual property (ownership of information written on the web), copyright infringement as well as how to protect their work posted on the web. By next week, a curriculum guide will be developed for teachers to use at the various grade levels. This is happening as I type this post. I am anxious to see the product our talented teachers develop. Once completed, I will post more specifics. Digital literacy is a 21st Century skill we know our students must acquire. This will be the foundation upon which those skills can learned.

High School's New Face 2008

High School's New Face was again an incredible experience for participants. National presenters such as Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, Giselle Martin-Kneip, Dennis Sparks, Tony Wagner and Ken Kay just to mention those most known to educators and our teachers. The conference once again inspired us to continue to bring our high school, our instruction and our students into the 21st Century.

We know that engaging students in meaningful learning is the key to improving student achievement. We also know that students will do better in school if they feel that they have a connection with their teachers. Students need to feel that the adults around them genuinely care about them. We want to find what students are interested in and make a connection to the content/subject being taught. Our Thoughtful Classroom initiative is helping us to personalize learning much more than in the past. Lessons are being designed that meet the needs of individual learning styles of students and teachers are thoughtful about designing lessons and activities that have something for each type of learner in the class. We want to find more ways to make that personal connection with students. Conversations we will be engaged in during the coming school year.

Our students are constantly engaged with media, technology, text messaging and socializing. Images flash in front of them on computer screens and information is a click away. "Sit and Get" type lectures will no longer capture the heart and minds of students. Lessons need to be creative, hands-on and engaging. More and more students are reporting that our teachers are doing 'something' different. Students are engaged. At the same time, students are being asked to change, and take more responsibility for their own learning. They are being asked to collaborate with each other, create projects instead of writing essays and make presentations as part of their learning to become proficient at public speaking and communicating their ideas and knowledge. I highlight these changes with some sense of pride that at Iroquois, we are on the right track.

A focus of High School's New Face was the need to teach 21st Century Skills. I have written about these skills before in a post about a report Tough Choices, Tough Times. They include skills in collaboration and teamwork, creativity and innovation, and communications skills including reading, writing and speaking. These are a few of the skills our business community tells us that workers in the 21st Century must be proficient in. Added to the list include critical thinking and problem-solving. These are skills employers need their workforce to possess. The skills related to the "product" a business is involved in is something the businesses/companies can teach. As we move forward, we need to emphasize these 21st Century Skills with our students. I believe that many of these skills are being taught as a result of our Thoughtful Education focus. We may not however, identify these skills for students. We need to talk about them and incorporate them into outcomes for students.

Proficiency in Information and Computer Technology is another area we have been integrating with instruction. We are quickly approaching the point where access to technology will no longer be the issue. Many students come to school well versed in the Internet and how to access information. But, are they able to determine if the information they find is from a credible source? Are they able to gather information and share it in a concise and efficient manner? Can they take the information they find and put it into their own words? We also know that the Internet can be a place where predators lurk, information posted can never be retrieved and just as written work is protected by copyright, so is information posted on the web. Students need to be educated to make the best use of the power of the world wide web. We are discussing how we can provide this learning to students. A group of teachers will be meeting in the next few weeks to discuss technology standards and benchmarks, Internet safety and how best we can teach this essential information to our students.

This is an exciting time in education. While accountability is at an all-time high, the environment (and our economy) is demanding that we do things differently than what has been done in previous decades. In a future post, I will discuss the need for 21st Century Skills and the imperative coming from our business community.

We took a great team to this year's conference. I would like to thank Ross Esslinger, Anne Obersheimer, Sean Lauber and Catherine Stojanovich for taking time out during summer to join in the learning and inspiration tha High School's New Face provides to our region.