ISTE NETS, 21st Century Skills, and SAMR Reflection

Upon examining the ISTE NETS, 21^st Century Skills, and SAMR model I have come to the conclusion that teachers should aim for higher levels of Bloom’s revised taxonomy and the transformation area of the SAMR model when planning technology tasks.  These three frameworks are intertwined by their dependence on technology, higher-order thinking skills, and their overlying goal of preparing students to be productive members of society while thriving in our global economy. All three of these frameworks focus on infusing digital learning experiences that will result in higher levels of achievement for students. As stated by Kay (n.d.) “only people who have the knowledge and skills to negotiate constant change and reinvent themselves for new situations will succeed” in the 21^st century (xvii). Thus, students who can quickly adapt to change and collaborate to accomplish a task will be greatly valued in today’s society. According to Ruben Puentedura (2105), “we will see patterns among all subject areas including math, P.E., and Social Studies whereby all areas will be using visualization tools to make tricky concepts more concrete for students.” Puentedura further states that “we will observe greater gains in comprehension, greater possibilities for using knowledge, and increased peer mentorship” when actively engaged in the transformation level of SAMR.

Using social networks to collaborate is becoming the norm. As mentioned in ISTE standard 2 (2007), working collaboratively through digital media has a profound impact on the classroom because it extends the learning environment by allowing students to communicate and interact outside the classroom. By allowing students to communicate in school the same way they choose to communicate outside of school they are afforded an essential connection between what they’re learning in school and how it relates to the real world.

Due to the fact that today’s learners are digital natives it is imperative that teachers provide students the opportunity to use technology to enhance their learning experiences. A key factor for implementing technology is to ensure that students are cognitively engaged and not just merely actively engaged, performing rote tasks mindlessly. Teachers can facilitate this growth by offering students the opportunity to use technology to elicit creativity, collaboration, problem-solving and critical thinking skills all of which are vital to the above mentioned frameworks.

As an educator it is my goal to use technology in a planned and purposeful manner that supports learning objectives and engages students with content while evoking higher-order thinking skills. I have come to understand that integrating technology into learning experiences can have a significant impact on student outcomes. 

Resources:

ISTE. (2007). Standards for Students. Retrieved September 7, 2015 from: http://www.iste.org/
        standards/ISTE-standards/standards-for-students.

                                                              

Common Sense Media Inc. (2015) Ruben Puentedura on the Impact of the SAMR Model. Retrieved  
         October 28, 2015 from: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/ruben-puentedura-on-the-
         impact-of-the-samr-model


Kay, K. (n.d.). 21st century skills: Why they matter, what they are, and how we get there (pp. xii-xxix).