NETS - S Unveiled

One of the first sessions I attended unveiled the ISTE NETS for Students. This version of NETS-S focuses on using technology for learning rather than just learning technology. This is extremely exciting! I do wonder what impact this will have on the education of diverse learners, including those students with disabilities. This version seems much more inline with the 21st Century Skills that have been out for a few years now. There is a great interview with the Don Knezek about the NETS-S Refreach project at http://www.districtadministration.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=1186&p=1#0.

As a teacher educator, I am both empowered and concerned with these revisions. On one hand, I feel this 'refresh' provided validation and leverage to begin discussions about how we can better prepare teachers to allow their students to meet these standards. However, at the rate postsecondary education programs change, I am concerned when these changes will actually impact and be realized in teacher education programs. There is much excitement with these standards, in that, technology is being emphasized as the vehicle by which learning occurs. This has tremendous impact on pedegogy and methodology in the classroom.