D.+Reflection

= Reflection =

Restatement of the problem:
//The goal of this action research project was to determine what impact the process of a teacher seeking NETS*T Certification has on student engagement and achievement. We were excited about the learning we knew teachers would go through. We had no question that by collecting and documenting resources that align with 23 educational technology standards would cause teachers to be more intentional and effective in their use of instructional technology. But what we were unsure of was how this professional learning would impact the students.// //We asked teachers to anticipate what they thought the impact would be on their students and to design a method for documenting the impact. Some teachers designed student surveys and administered these surveys to students at the beginning of their work on NETS*T Certification and then again several months later or when they complete their certification. Other teachers documented anecdotal comments from students or observations from lessons that involved technology. The range of data that was collected gave us a broad view as to the impact the program was having.//

NETS*S Addressed:
This project address many of the NETS*S but the ones I feel it focuses on the most are:

3. Research and Information Fluency //and// 4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making

By asking teachers to design their own process for collecting and reflecting on student data, teachers needed to "apply digital tools to gather evaulate and use information." This was an authentic question we had and teachers all found their own way to pursue and answer as to whether or not NETS*T Certification impacts students.

Teachers also need to "conduct research ... and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources." Professional learning opportunities usually involve a teacher going to a 1 to 2 hour workshop in which they sit and get information. This process instead asked teachers to be researches and problem solvers.

What I learned:
I learned a tremendous amount from this project. I approach NETS*T Certification with a great deal of healthy skepticism. There are a lot of details teachers need to adhere to with the certificaton and I was worried that teachers would be too focused on the details for each standard. I wasn't sure that we would see any impact on teaching or learning.

I was completely wrong. As soon as I began evaluating submissions from teachers, I was amazed at the impact this program has. Right away it was easy to see the impact on teachers. Teachers immediately began to turn over more use of technology to their students. This was one of the most excited changes for me to see. Even teachers that teach very young students had students using the digital cameras, students making the photostories, and students designing powerpoints.

But the best data came from students themselves. Seeing first graders go from "technology is fun" to "I use technology to learn" gave me shivers down my spine. To see students that had no idea how to search effectively to students that are fluent with search features is so rewarding. We know that these skills are essential in the digital world and I'm thrilled to be part of a professional learning experience that increases the amount of this happening in the classrooms.