ISTE NETS

       The ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) provides standards that set the bar for how technology should be used in a school. They call this set of standards "NETS" (National Educational Technology Standards). The NETS for students focuses on six categories; Creativity, Communication, Critical Thinking, Research and Info. Fluency, Digital Citizenship, Tech. Operations and Concepts. These are in order as to how important i feel they are in today's students.
       The first and most important category they point out is creativity and innovation. Creativity is the gasoline that fuels the growth of technology. If it weren't for people that think outside the box, people would still be sitting in caves writing with rocks on a wall. Developing creativity in students is ensuring that those who will shape the future have the qualities to break through on new levels and continue to advance us as a society.
      The next quality that ISTE recognizes is Communication and Collaboration. This is another extremely important quality in a student. Ideas are rendered useless if they cannot be communicated and articulated clearly. Students have to learn to share their ideas and critique them in order to find the best possible solution. Technology has completed changed the way we communicate as a society and it is necesary for students to understand this.
     Another crucial skill in today's culture is Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making. Now that computers have revolutionized the way we do calculations, we have to move on to more complex thought.We have to teach students to use technology to assist them in their problem solving and critical thinking. With the use of technology we can take our critical thinking to another level and continue to push the limits to human thinking.
    Research and Information Fluency is the next ISTE standard in the NETS. This in my opinion is important but not anything too new. Today all it takes is a couple of Google searches to find out anything you could ever want to know. Yes it is important to teach students how to differentiate between good and bad information but i feel that computers have made research and info. gathering so easy that any literate human being can acquire almost any piece of information they desire.
    The last two standards are Digital Citizenship and Technology Operations and Concepts. I feel that these two categories can be melded into one. They entail effective, safe and efficient use of technology systems. All of these qualities are necessary to a productive member of society.