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.
Monday, June 25, 2007
NETS - S Unveiled
SETSIG Preconference Workshop a Success!
Sean Smith, Kathleen McClaskey and I had the privilege to work together for a SETSIG sponsored preconference session. It went very well! We covered topics related to strategies to differentiate instruction using tools that are readily accessible. There were a few technology glitches but what is a technology workshop without a few glitches?!? The thing I found most amazing during the preconference, beyond the information presented, was the use of the wiki. During the workshop, participants and leaders both allowed the wiki not only to be a structure for the workshop but also used the wiki as a living document during the workshop. As people had additional information, it was added to the wiki in real time! Such power there is in collaboration!
Some photos from the workshop:
All and all, a great workshop. Participant comments indicated the worskshop was wll received. Here's the link to our workshop wiki: http://differentiatingnecc2007.wikispaces.com. Feel free to sign in and add additional content!
Friday, June 22, 2007
The Night Before...
Tonight is the night before the SETSIG preconference session at NECC 2007 on Differentiating Instruction for Students with Diverse Learning Needs with Readily Accessible Technology...now that's a mouthful! It is being co-presented by Sean Smith, Katheleen McClaskey and myself. Specifically, it is focusing on technologies related to reading, writing and math.
The workshop is coming together well and I look forward to a full day of great experiences!
There is a wiki that we are maintaining for the workshop...check it out at http://differentiatingnecc2007.wikispaces.com. Feel free to add content!