Reflecting on Michigan Standard 7 and Nets-T-Standards

            First of all, I can already see that in ED483 we have touched on every single aspect of Michigan Teaching Standard 7, which is really awesome. Not only did Eric use all the bullet points in his teaching of the class, but the students are now educated about and aware of the Technology Operations and Concepts Standard. In particular, I think that the course covered part 7a fully and effectively. I now feel more educated about when, why, and how teachers can use technology ethically and legally in the classroom.  

            I think one of the most important aspects of the Nets-T Standards was using technology to engage in professional growth and leadership (standard 5). It is common knowledge that teachers are expected (and required) to continue their education and constantly grow professionally. The use of technology in the classroom is in fact growing professionally, since technology is relatively new, and relentlessly changing and expanding. Also, the amount of information available for educators on the internet in the form of professional journals and teaching sites is outrageous, in the best way.

            Michigan Teaching Standard 7e also stood out to me: the key term there is effective. It is important to remember that technology should not be used in the classroom just for the sake of using technology; rather, it should help and enhance the learning environment and the subject being taught.

            After examining both Michigan Standard 7 and the Nets-T Standards, I feel much more excited about using technology in my classroom someday. Just knowing what the standards are makes using technology much less daunting.

Positive Technology Experience

My entire education happened in a tiny (okay…miniscule) school called North Dickinson that held a max capacity of about four-hundred students, K-12. To say the school had no money would be an understatement. Our sport uniforms were well-used (we called them “vintage” to make ourselves feel better) and our computers even more so (laptops? say what?). The students’ “technological education” was minimal, at best. However, my junior year, I had pre-calculus with the one teacher at North Dickinson who at least attempted to bring technology into the classroom. Now, for the sake of driving home just how helpful technology was to my pre-calc experience, I must tell you that I HATE math. Despise it, actually. I mean come on; math with letters? Letters should form words, words should form paragraphs, paragraphs should form…you get the picture. As for numbers? They should be kept as simple as 2 + 2. In my opinion.

            But anyway. Junior pre-calc. After half a year of struggling to pay attention and maintain a decent grade, our teacher (Mrs. I, I’ll call her), devised a plan to get us all excited about numbers (yaaay). Mrs. I decided that we would form groups, pick a math concept, and create a video that would give future students an overview of said topic. My group made a video to teach sin, co-sin, and tangent (you know, soh-cah-toa?). It was about an Indian tribe who held a great race, which a young underdog won (he was the metaphorical “runt”), despite getting a foot injury which he healed by sticking his foot in a lake and saying, “ah…soak-a-toe-ah”….get it? Well anyway, to high school juniors, it was hilarious. But I digress.

            Mrs. I’s use of technology was genius. That week of creating our video was the most fun I’d ever had in a math class. I learned how to use the computer in ways I never had before; I learned how to record footage and then make a cohesive video with the recordings, by manipulating scenes and adding music. I learned a new way to use technology-not in a computer class as might be expected, but in a math class. I had a newfound desire to discover more fun ways to use technology Not only was I excited to go to math class for that week dedicated to creating our video, but even after that, I found that I had a renewed interest in math itself. It didn’t seem quite so boring anymore. Which, considering afore mentioned hatred of math, is saying something. I began to wish that my other teachers could find a fun way to incorporate technology into their classrooms…they didn’t. But I still carry the hope that when I become a teacher (and undoubtedly some of my students will find Social Studies boring, though I can’t imagine why…), I will be able to awake a passion for the subject in them, with my own creative use of technology.