Ed Tech Standards

First I would like to start out by saying that after looking at these standards that are "law"...I find it hard to understand why Willamette University is the only Univ. to make Ed. Tech classes a requirement...although this does give me and my fellow cohorts a leg up when it comes to being marketable. In a world where schools are turning to virtual classes to save money it is absolutely necessary for children to know how to access and be proficient in technology and not simply for academic use but also out in the professional world. A person has to know how to use technology to even apply for jobs now. Technological literacy is invaluable in todays society...everything is computerized and if a person does not know how to utilize technology, they will be left behind.

The OETS and NETS were created to make sure that teachers are prepared to teach technology to students so that they can not only improve their academic achievements but also be able to maneuver in the professional world because they will have strong technological skills. However, I feel that in order to make sure that 'all students have access to technology", as stated in OETS, schools need to have access to technology...which means more funding.

Learning technology has been challenging for me but I am grateful to have had this course because I can now impart this knowledge to my students. I can use googleapps to do a variety of things in my classroom. I will be starting a teacher blog in order to keep parents updated on what was done in class, on a daily/weekly basis. This will also help students who are out for extended periods. I will be able to upload/download information into my blog so they can work from home. These applications will also be useful for students to use on collaborative assignments/projects/presentations. Googleapps will also help me to compute grades easier/faster in order to see how students are doing test to test and help me to understand if there are any assignments or tests that need to be adjusted. I can use technology to do online discussions with the kids and god forbid if our district ever has to go to an online setting I will be able to do this without hesitation.