Standards Shaping Your Preparation as an Educator
You may be using these resources in a course that is part of a teacher certification program or perhaps in an advanced program to prepare technology specialists. If so, there are standards that have been developed to guide the education that you receive. Many institutions preparing K-12 educators in the United States seek accreditation from the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). An accrediting agency promotes and monitors quality educational experiences, and standards are an important component of this process. Institutions wanting to list programs as NCATE accredited are required to demonstrate through documentation and periodic discussions with a visiting team of reviewers that established standards have been implemented.
Here are some ways in which NCATE standards shape the preparation of educators to teach with and about technology. As you examine this list, you will note that NCATE sometimes adapts standards prepared by other professional organizations with more focused content-area interests.
1. General expectations for knowledge and skills required by NCATE include the following Unit Standards: 1b - Pedagogical content knowledge for teachers - They are able to select and use a broad range of instructional strategies and technologies that promote student learning and are able to clearly explain the choices they make in their practice. 5b - Modeling best professional practices in teaching - They integrate diversity and technology throughout their teaching.
2. ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) offers specific standards this organization propose as necessary for teachers.
3. NCATE standards are also available to describe the skills expected of those serving as technology facilitators (defined as building or campus level facilitators), technology leaders, and those described as computer science educators. Program standards for these areas are provided by ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) and AECT (Association for Educational Communications and Technology).
4. Standards that apply to the preparation of candidates to teach specific content areas (for example, math, social studies) are also relevant because these standards establish implications for how technology might be used in classroom settings.
ISTE National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for teachers