ISTE NETS

ISTE stands for the International Society for Technology in Education and NETS stands for National Educational Technology Standards .  Who knew?  

ISTE is the premier membership association for educators and education leaders engaged in improving learning and teaching by advancing the effective use of technology in PK-12 and higher education.
Their mission is to advance excellence in learning and teaching through innovative and effective uses of technology.
They have developed the NETS due to the call for technology to be included in all subject areas , Most states are requiring teachers to adapt to standard driven education. Leaders in business and education agreed to request that the Department of Education include technology into standards-based curriculum and establish accountability models for the inclusion of 21st century skills to assure the students receive the necessary skills to become global citizens for the future.
The NETS have served as a road map since 1998 for improved learning and teaching.

The standards for teachers are organized into 5 categories as of 2008.

1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning
4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

There are also Standards and Performance indicators for students, all of which can be found on http://www.iste.org/
ISTE also has a lesson database you can search by grade level, subject, and/or key words.

So, what are your reactions  to the ISTE National Educational Technology Standards. Do you think they are beneficial to teachers or students?