Thoughts on NETS for Teachers

Ahhh, technology, it is both helpful and stressful. While I think that in general it is helpful as it facilitates communication with colleagues, administration, parents and students, sometimes it becomes an added stress as people assume we have time to be checking email or doing other things online during our teaching hours. I find that at the elementary level, it is far more difficult and taxing to incorporate the Tech Standards than at the middle and high school levels, with an added benefit whe nworking with communities that are financially better-off and academically more prepared which have regular access to the internet .
1) It is useful in presenting real-world issues to students.
2) It does support increased collaboration if all parties have access.
3) It makes for awesome lessons and presentations when doing Power Point or the like.
4) The variety of formats in which information can be accessed on the web is also helpful in reacing different learning styles.
5) It is definitely critical to carefully monitor sites before sending students to them, as when skimmed over, some that sites appear legitimate and free of innapropriate have pop up surprises.
6) Also, as educators, I am glad that more is being done on our part to instruct students on using technology safely and legally and how to adequately verify a sites' legitimacy.
7) Finally, I do think that technology offers a greater link between local and global communities that can help to expand our point of view.