Prompt #4

"...describe how you can apply the current use/role technology plays in the day-to-day life of students (to include social networking) in your classroom to help achieve the six educational standards identified by ISTE for students." 

It is true that technology plays a huge role in today's students' lives. Within the classroom, there are almost an endless number of ways in which educators can implement technology to achieve the six ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) educational standards. An educator may use whatever resources available to them to teach their students. Some examples include using laptops to allow students to foster their creativity by creating a website or writing about appealing topics through a blog. Students may use email accounts or instant messaging programs to communicate with their classroom peers, other peers in the classroom, or other people not in the school building. A more specific example of this stems from my own educational experience: my high school Spanish teacher advised my class to use an instant messaging program on the computer, that included a microphone and headphones, to communicate with our peers to improve our Spanish writing, reading, and listening skills. Students may record their voices or make videos then play their creations back for themselves or peers using Windows Movie Maker, iTunes, or other video and music programs.

Students may also collaborate together on a presentation or assignment that includes multiple parts to create one fluid whole. Students may also present their work to their peers which is another form of exemplifying communication using technology. Students may use laptops, iPads, and other devices to find factual information for projects such as research papers. Students may also weed out appropriate websites to find information that is reliable and valid. Students may use social networks, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, not only to connect with family and friends but to make day-to-day decisions and share their opinions and thoughts. Through social network sites, students can learn internet safety and privacy to best protect themselves from bullying, cyber stalking, and more. Overall, educators should want their students to learn using technology that is safe and effective in order to become proficient in the classroom and to prepare themselves for their future education and career.