Thanks, ISTE, for saying what we were all thinking

When reading the ISTE standards for students, I felt like it put into words an underlying tension in the academic world that many school districts (Spokane included) know need to be addressed but aren’t willing to fully face yet. Adding the technical standards that ISTE embodies presents the opportunity for major backlash from teachers that are already aggressively overloaded with work. While the introduction of technology into the classroom is becoming, and arguably already has become, vital to adequately preparing students for their post-high school life, naming it explicitly as a state or national standard still seems to be a factor that would tip the scales and send everyone into a fit. On Monday, we discussed the general differences that exist in interactions with technology, and how to navigate communications with parents across those generations within the context of technological use. I think that an essential part of potentially integrating ISTE standards for both students and teachers into curriculum is recognizing how these generational differences impact teachers and teaching styles.

Training exists, ideally annually, in districts to familiarize staff with the technology being introduced. These types of conferences equip teachers with tools to integrate technology usage into their classes, it does not guarantee that teachers will actually use the training that they receive. In my experience as a student, the instructors of stem subjects did the best job of integrating technology. However, I had numerous teachers who integrated very little technological use simply because they did not like it, or they themselves did not understand it. Thus, I began college with no foundation for how to utilize basic computer programs to conduct and produce research, presentations, or properly cited papers. While aversion to technology is not age specific, this mindset needs to be identified and combatted so that our students will graduate 12^th grade, able to function within todays technological demands. The ISTE standards identify all of the ways in which children are expected in todays society to interact with technology, and how that impacts their communities. Having these expectations integrated into already established units would not be difficult; any research project requires students to perform as digital citizens appropriately, communicate creatively with sources, and interact with the global collaboration of information in the virtual world. However, I do not feel that all teachers will take the plunge and integrate this wording and knowledge into their curriculum until they are forced to legally. I think that ISTE states in clear terms what is necessary for this generation and those that come after them, and thus should be embraced and supported by lawmakers and the education community.