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ToL Learning Resources and the National Technology Education Standards (NETS)

National Educational Technology
Standards for Students

Treehouse Building
Performance Objectives

1. Basic operations and concepts

  • Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.
  • Students are proficient in the use of technology.

Students will utilize and manage data as part of a digital database system when:

  • Attaching and uploading media and treehouses to the ToL database.
  • Searching for media and information on the ToL.

2. Social, ethical, and human issues

  • Students understand the ethical, cultural, and societal issues related to technology.
  • Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.
  • Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity.

When creating treehouse pages students will:

  • Utilize proper copyright practices (The ToL asks students to choose the terms of use for their work and state the author and copyright, as well as facilitates student use of materials that are available for shared use).
  • Be aware of privacy issues associated with publishing personal identifying information.
  • share data and collaborate with others to create treehouses.
  • Credit other collaborators, references and authors who have helped to contribute to their work.

3. Technology productivity tools

  • Students use technology tools to enhance learning, increase productivity, and promote creativity
  • Students use productivity tools to collaborate in constructing technology-enhanced models, prepare publications, and produce other creative works.

When creating treehouse pages students will:

  • Create their own media and web pages, acting as creative learners rather than passive receivers of knowledge.
  • Connect technology learning across the curriculum.
  • Publish their own games, stories, investigations, art and culture pieces, media, biographies and more!

4. Technology communications tools

  • Students use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences.
  • Students use a variety of media and formats to communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences.

When creating treehouse pages students will:

  • Use telecommunications to collaborate, publish, and interact with peers, experts, and other audiences.
  • Communicate their learning process and products through publishing games, stories, investigations, webquests, art and culture pieces, media, and biographies.

5. Technology research tools

  • Students use technology to locate, evaluate, and collect information from a variety of sources.
  • Students use technology tools to process data and report results.
  • Students evaluate and select new information resources and technological innovations based on the appropriateness for specific tasks.

When creating treehouse pages students will:

  • Learn to search for information that is relevant to their inquiry.
  • Assess the information they find for its accuracy. ToL core scientific content undergoes a peer review process, and each page is marked accordingly. This demonstrates to students that science practitioners take great care in evaluating information resources.
  • Students will be encouraged to find and create data from a variety of sources:
    • by studying the local natural environment
    • by collaborating with local and worldwide communities
    • by finding information on the internet and in print resources.

6. Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools

  • Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions.
  • Students employ technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world.

When creating treehouse pages students will:

  • Have the opportunity to address the world with their research, ideas thoughts and solutions for real world problems.
  • Learn the value of and practice of using technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions via utilizing and sharing information from diverse sources.

Reprinted with permission from National Educational Technology Standards for Students: Connecting Curriculum and Technology, copyright © 2000, ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education), 800.336.5191 (U.S. & Canada) or 541.302.3777 (Int'l), http://www.iste.org. All rights reserved. Permission does not constitute an endorsement by ISTE. For more information about the NETS Project, contact Lajeane Thomas, Director, NETS Project, 318.257.3923, lthomas@latech.edu. )

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