Can you observe the NETS for Students
in practice?
Try this exercise: Read the scenario below, and check off any
NETS•S performance indicators (on the right) that you think
the lesson addresses. Then turn to page 38 to see how ISTE’s
Research & Evaluation Department would rate this lesson
against the NETS using the ISTE Classroom Observation Tool
(ICOT, iste.org/icot). You can also do this exercise online at
surveymonkey.com/s/knowthenets.
A U.S. high school life skills class is studying how to buy a car.
As part of a weeklong project, students consider what they
want in a car, the responsibilities of owning and driving one,
what consumer groups and manufacturers say about the
qualities of different models, and the prices of new and used
automobiles. They have conducted most of this research in
the computer lab using websites and online simulations.
The week before the final presentation is due, the class is
working with the big issue: How much is this going to cost?
The teacher gives a short presentation about compound interest. He has the students hand calculate a few compounding
cycles using a $10,000 principal and 10% rate.
The teacher leads a discussion in which the students try to describe all the steps for creating a compound-interest formula.
A student scribe records the steps on the teacher’s computer,
which is projected on a screen. By midperiod, the students
have what the teacher agrees is a complete list.
Now he asks the students to boot up a spreadsheet program
that they have used previously. Reminding students of the software’s formula commands, he leads another group discussion
in which the class recreates the formula a step at a time in the
spreadsheet. Again, a student enters the group consensus at
each stage on the projected computer. Several students, working alone or together, spontaneously work ahead of the class
on their own machines, trying out different solutions for how to
store and display the principal, rate, and balance forward, and
how to use each piece of data in a formula.
With some coaching, the class comes up with a table with cells
for rate and principal and a column for five years of annual compounding. The teacher has the scribe save the file to a group
folder on the school server, noting that the students can access
the file from home. He suggests they may want to copy the file
to use in their report and may be able to extend or improve the
formula on their own computers. He mentions that they will face
penalties if they compromise other students’ work by altering
the original file on the server without permission.
KNOW THEnets
Creativity and Innovation
h 1a. Apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products,
or processes
h 1b. Create original works as a means of personal or group expression
h 1c. Use models and simulations to explore complex systems
and issues
h 1d. Identify trends and forecast possibilities
Communication and Collaboration
h 2a. Interact, collaborate, and publish w/peers, experts, or others
employing a variety of digital environments and media
h 2b. Communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple
audiences using a variety of media and formats
h 2c. Develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging
with learners of other cultures
h 2d. Contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve
problems
Research and Information Fluency
h 3a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry
h 3b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use
information from a variety of sources and media
h 3c. Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on
the appropriateness to specific tasks
h 3d. Process data and report results
Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making
h 4a. Identify and define authentic problems and significant questions
for investigation
h 4b. Plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete
a project
h 4c. Collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed
decisions
h 4d. Use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore
alternative solutions
Digital Citizenship
h 5a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of
information and technology
h 5b. Exhibit a positive attitude toward technology that supports
collaboration, learning, and productivity
h 5c. Demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning
h 5d. Exhibit leadership for digital citizenship
Technology Operations and Concepts
h 6a. Understand and use technology systems
h 6b. Select and use applications effectively and productively
h 6c. Troubleshoot systems and applications
h 6d. Transfer current knowledge to learning new technologies
Find our answers on page 38.
