Are teachers reaching the National standards for technology use?

When I review the teacher standards I always look at them as a challenge for my teaching. How am I going to better my teaching skills to challenge my students in their learning? What are the standards that I can strive to achieve. To me technology brings the element of fun to learning. Most of our students are natives to technology where technology is second nature to them. As for teachers, somet teachers are timid about using technology and are unsure of the benefits towards the learning progress of their students.

The national educational standards for teachers are reasonable standards for those teachers hesitant about using technology in their classroom. The standards provide a platform of what to focus on when presenting technology to the students. Although I am hearing more and more stories of how teachers are using technology to connect their students, there seems to be twice as many teachers who are not. Therefore these standards are not being met. Many of the teachers I encounter are concerned about using technology in the classroom, and after talking I began to realize that they are more concerned with the fact that they do not know how to use the technology or they state “they do not have the time to learn.” I find this a disservice to our 21^st Century Learners. My advice to them is, start small and see the benefits, then move on from there.  

That being said, you can go on the internet and find numerous stories and information on teachers using technology in the classroom to engage their students. Watch the video below to see how, through a two year grant, a whole school system is embracing technology and teaching.

The student standards can be met when technology is applied in the classroom. Using the internet and web tools allows students to explore their own knowledge, use critical thinking skills, make decisions, and provides an arena of collaboration between students and teacher. But most importantly, the use on-line tools in the classrooms allow the teacher to show by example of how students should act as digital citizens. The more and more students work on-line in a professional manner, the more and more they will realize how to behave in a proper manner. With all the cyber bullying stories, this is just another way to guide students in the proper way.   

Do you think these standards provide a starting place for teachers hesitant about technology use? What would you say to a teacher who does not want to use technology in the classroom about the standards? What do you think about the video? Do you think it is realistic for classrooms to be based on web tools? Do you think using technology takes away from or aids in helping those students who do not like to read or write? Why or why not?