Welcome to Tap-In 2 NETS
Who am I and Why am I writing this?
THE OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT: Karen Wester has been technology coordinator at Franklin Township Elementary School in Washington, NJ for the past 6 years. Previously, she was a 4th grade teacher in a full-inclusion classroom at Franklin Township School. Karen wears many hats in her district, including assistive technology coordinator, webmaster, network support, technology integration specialist, and computer teacher. Her credentials include: K-8 teacher certification, Teacher of the Handicapped K-12 endorsement, and a Masters in Education with an emphasis on Learning and Technology. Karen is currently pursuing her post-masters in Administration and Supervision with a concentration in Technology, at Johns Hopkins University.
THE REALITY CHECK: I hope that I am not the only one... but I am a bit overwhelmed these days! How can we connect all of these dots in a meaningful way for our students and teachers, without re-inventing the wheel? Let's use the collective power of the Internet, Web 2.0 and our passion for education to work together on this one.
WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THIS? This website is truly about integrating education technology to increase student achievement across the curriculum. It is weaved around the National Education Technology Standards for Students (NETS-S), the National Education Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T), the NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards (NJCCCS) and a process for assessing the 8.1 Computer and Information Literacy Standard, known as New Jersey Technology Assessment for Proficiency and Integration (NJTAP-IN).
Assessment, in its own right, is a vital part of the educational process. Formative assessment helps us to direct our path and make sure that the learning is effective; summative assessment is a conclusive indicator of whether our instruction, in its entirety, met its objective.
Numerous standards apply to educators, regardless of what state we teach in. Nearly every national professional organization for educators has its own set of standards, in addition to state core curriculum content standards, and "umbrella" standards, such as the National Education Technology Standards and 21st Century Standards. How do we integrate those standards? How do we teach in a meaningful way with students making connections, rather than learning in isolation?
Now it is no longer a matter of good educational practice, but also a matter of legislation that we are assessing technology literacy. Title II-D: Enhancing Education through Technology (NCLB Act of 2001) mandates that all students are technology literate by the end of grade 8. NJ Department of Education developed the Technological Literacy Standards (8.1 Computer and Information Literacy Standards) in order to provide standardized criteria for assessing proficiency.
Citation: Educational Technology Unit of New Jersey Department of Education. Assessing the 8.1 Computer and Information Literacy Standard. [Online] Available http://www.pdcbank.state.nj.us/education/techno/techlit/, October 1, 2008.
Image Citation: graphic created by Karen Wester, using the Portrait Illustration Maker
http://illustmaker.abi-station.com/index_en.shtml
