Standards and PLN's

1. What does the research say about this? One of the articles that I read called, Digital Natives, Yet Strangers to the Web written by Alia Wong, discusses that technology needs to be entered into the conversation and curriculum of teaching because while students know what technology is, and some of the ways it can be used, they don't know how to fully take advantage of it, and they aren't being taught of all the ways that technology can be useful. Wong quotes Reuben Loewy, a teacher who is arguing for better treatment of technology, when he compares the teaching of technology to the teaching of sex ed. He says, "it entails a smattering of information about their reproductive organs and a set of stern warnings about putting them to use" (Wong). Too often we ignore the standards of teaching technology and go straight to warning them about sexual predators and strangers. This could be rectified with making sure that all the ISTE standards are being taught. On the ISTE website, it talks about how being a digital citizen is no longer a choice. Technology is everywhere, and learning about how to be a responsible digital citizen is essential for survival in this world. 
2. How can this be effectively integrated into your teaching? This can be integrated into my teaching because I want my students to leave my class feeling like they can comfortably contribute to the world around them. I want to make sure that they know the positives and values that technology can bring to the table. One of the standards that I want to integrate into my teaching is the standard of Creative Communicator. I think that the sub standard where students are responsible for communicating complex ideas clearly and effectively through digital objects, is super important. English seems like such an "old school" subject since it revolves around paper and old texts. However, being able to use the original texts and then use digital tools to create something new from that seems meaningful to understand English. 
3. How will this help your students? I think this will help my students relate to the world around them. Knowing that there are standards that need to be met helps me get a handle on how I can support my content with technology. Also, letting the students know that they need to be responsible for being a digital citizen that knows the web will help them to know ways they can use the internet as they go out into the world. For me, if I had understood different programs on the internet rather than the same couple of programs, then when I got to higher education, I think I would have been able to do things a little bit better when I first started. 
4. What are your goals with regard to this topic? I think my goals for technology standards are to help myself as an educator. The idea of PLN's are helpful for me to get ideas to teach different subjects, and see what ideas are out there. As far as goals for my students, I think that to sum it up shortly would be to help students contribute to the world through technology. 
5. How does this shape your vision for empowered learning for your students? I want to empower students through technology so they can feel like they are effective. I want them to be able to feel like they don't have to just deal with not understanding something.

Works Cited 

1. “ISTE Standards FORSTUDENTS.” ISTE | Standards For Students, www.iste.org/standards/for-students
2. Wong, Alia. “Digital Natives, Yet Strangers to the Web.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 21 Apr. 2015, www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/04/digital-natives-yet-strangers-to-the-web/390990/.