Technology Assessments

Rapid advances in technology are putting new demands on educators and students (ISTE, 2011).  The International Society for Technology in Education has developed technology proficiency standards for students and teachers.  The standards, called NETS provide a framework for educators to use as they transition schools from Industrial Age to Digital Age places of learning (ISTE, 2011).

The NETS standards identify critical digital citizenship and higher-order thinking skills including the ability to demonstrate creativity and innovation, communicate and collaborate, conduct research and use information, solve problems and make decisions, and use technology effectively and productively.  In Texas, the state also identifies technology standards for students through the TEKS.  These standards include six strands covering the same concepts as the NETS standards.

The NETS standards also specify standards and performance indicators for teachers.  They  include the ability to facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity, design and develop digital age learning experiences and assessments, model digital age work, promote and model digital citizenship and responsibility, and engage in professional growth and leadership.

It is impossible to evaluate how well these standards are being met without some form of assessment for both teachers and students. 

In order for teachers to educate and assist students in the effective uses of technology, teachers must be proficient themselves.  Assessing teachers’ technology skills has the benefit of identifying areas where professional development may be necessary.  It can also identify top performers who are capable of delivering professional development and modeling for other teachers.  On the down side, there are many excellent teachers who are digital immigrants.  They may already feel that they are struggling to catch up with technology, and they could be resistant to the idea of mandatory technology assessments which, theoretically, could threaten their jobs.  It is also unfair to deliver high stakes testing to teachers in cases where the district and/or campus may have provided insufficient staff training, equipment, and planning.

For students, it would be very beneficial to have a standardized test that measures how well students are learning the prescribed TEKS and also how well the results compare with students in other campuses and/or districts.  The results of such tests would pinpoint students’ technology challenges, identify best teaching strategies (Learning.com, 2011) and would help with planning courses and schedules.  Currently, 8^th graders in Texas are required to take a technology literacy assessment, however, districts are able to decide what instrument to use for the assessment and the results are not tied to any accountability measures.

As is the case with teachers, it is also not fair to deliver high stakes testing to students in cases where the district has not provided sufficient training and/or has not made equipment available to students in appropriate numbers.

ISTE. (2011). Standards. In International Society for Technology in Education. Retrieved September 2, 2011, from http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers.aspx.

Learning.com. 2011. In Tech Literacy Assessment. Retrieved September 3, 2011, from http://www.learning.com/techliteracy-assessment/.