There are a couple of quotes related to technology and learning that I keep in my list of reminders and after reading the ‘2008 Internationally Accepted Standards’ fact sheet I thought it pertinent to pull out the one that seems to connect to all 5 elements listed so I can use it as a guide to help me decide my personal goals for the MET program.

“The top 10 in-demand jobs of 2010. . .did not exist in 2004.We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t exist yet. . .using technologies that haven’t been invented. . .in order to solve problems we don’t even know are problems yet.”

Being a very busy tech teacher in my current school does not leave much time for reading or reflection on policies and so I found myself lacking in some areas more than others. When trying to facilitate and inspire student’s to become better learners by fostering their creative side you don’t have to go very far outside of the computer lab. Having some software or an Internet connection can be motivation enough.

With that in mind, I have used websites likeWolfram MathWorld to help engage as many students as possible when showing them how to solve authentic problems using digital tools. Students were given notes previous to the lab and then I would setup the second class in the form of a WebQuest where students would research their answers. After finding their information they would compile it to show to the class via slideshow using either Powerpoint or an online version much like SlideRocket. From there, students would get into groups and compile their findings by creating an account on FakeBook. This educational-like spinoff of Facebook would give them the ability to customize and personalize their learning activities which might help address the diverse learning styles. Assessment would be in the form of individual and group work rubrics along with an online digital portfolio post or tweet.

This activity, in itself, seems to cover most of the steps within the first two performance indicators however I do see room for improvement. In my tech class I have been trying out a new activity with my grade 7’s (as of last year) whereby students have to organize an election campaign and create an election video where one member in the group will be running for an imagery school/class president. All members in the group have duties (lighting/video recording/video editing/video publishing/props/script writer…etc..) all using a camera, green screen, Apple computers and an iPad as a teleprompter. The kids love it! It takes time but well worth it in the results. Within this entire process, students have the ability to learn by watching videos, video conferencing with local film producers (hoping to get someone from The Republic of Doyle this year), and take an online survey/tutorial on the importance of copyright and digital citizenship. This last element is where I do believe I fall a little short and might be where I begin my MET goal of concentrating my efforts a little more.

After reading the post by Justine “..get a thorough understanding of intellectual property..” and have it verified by Alexis when she says “..What does it mean to be a responsible digital citizen..” (thanks for the link to your site as well), I feel that I should truly re-visit this area and dedicate more efforts on informing myself and students of their rights and responsibilities. With so many peer-to-peer file sharing programs out there students need to know the do’s and don’t’s in this digital age. For the past 7 years at our school we have been very lucky to host an intermediate provincial Skills Canada competition which is open to all registered grade 7-9 students in Newfoundland and Labrador. This is a full day of competition, workshops, and demonstrations and it normally takes place at the end of November. It is organized every year by Skills Canada, a not-for-profit organization whose main focus is to encourage young people to consider careers in skilled trades and technologies.

Areas of competition include: 1. Lego Robotics 2. 2D/3D Animation 3. Graphic Design 4. Job Interview 5. Job Skill Demonstration 6. IT Network Systems Administration 7. Prepared Speech 8. TV/Video Production 9. IT Software Business Applications 10 Website Design 11. Model Wind Turbine

This Intermediate Challenge offers much more than just student competitions. There are also on-site demonstrations in areas such as automotive service, carpentry, welding, plumbing, aesthetics, and hair styling. The community really seems to get involved! At this point in the year Skills Canada has registered over 350 competitors from nearly 40 schools across the province and as acting school organizer I normally have my hands full. I’m sure this year will not be any exception! After reading over the last performance indicator in the list, it looks like some of the work and effort put into the Skills Canada competition can be applied to engaging in professional growth and leadership by connecting with local and global learning communities.

Again, I do see room for improvement here as well. So, in light of the competencies listed in the NETS, if were to pick two of my weak areas that I would like to further develop it would have to be performance indicators 4 and 5. Within those some key skills, approaches, and goals I would like to further develop would be the following: 1. Finding ways to promote digital etiquette and responsible social interaction related to the use of technology and information. 2. Learning how to be more of an advocate and begin more creative on how I teach safe, legal, and ethical uses of digital information. 3.

Finding time and ways to evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use of existing and emerging digital tools. Be that as it may, I can’t help but go back to my initial quote and then be reminded of how diverse and ever-changing the area of technology is. At this point in time, knowing that I can at least provide a foundation for learning using the current technologies while exploring the areas that are most important to my own goals in becoming a digital-age teaching professional is enough to keep me going. Hey, did anyone notice that the NETS 2008 standards are 4 years old? Would you think they should be updated a little more frequently to reflect the changing technologies?