June 2008 — News
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The Future of Instruction: Teacher as 'Co-Learner'
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The expectations of students and the demands of the education community are changing radically in the 21st century. Necessarily, the role of the teacher is changing along with those. But what will that role be? The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is attempting to answer that question with the release this week of the long-anticipated update to its National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T) framework.
Introduced in 2000, NETS-T originally focused heavily on the transition from static learning content to electronic, interactive tools to enhance teaching and learning. While it did emphasize collaboration to a certain degree, the role of teachers themselves remained largely transmitter/facilitator of textual materials, albeit electronic ones, and the primary emphasis of the framework was on technology knowledge and skills--something that seems fairly remedial by today's standards.
But NETS-T 2008 (also known as NETS-T Second Edition), which launched this week at the NECC 2008 conference, takes a decidedly different approach, casting teachers into the role of facilitator, collaborator, and, significantly, "co-learner," rather than information regurgitator.
According to the explanatory materials in the new framework document, "Now and in the future, effective teachers of digital-age learners will be challenged to move away from models of teaching and learning as isolated endeavors. As they model work and learning that reflects inventive thinking and creativity, teachers must become comfortable as co-learners with their students and with colleagues around the world. Today it is less about staying ahead and more about moving ahead as members of dynamic learning communities. The Digital Age teaching professional must demonstrate a vision of technology infusion and develop the technology skills of others. These are the hallmarks of the new education leader."
