Put 21st century skills into practice as you help students get the most from their online research by encouraging their critical-thinking and information literacy skills. Explore different information search process models and strengthen your own online research skills.

This course will start you on a path toward ISTE NETS-T proficiency. Through readings, examination of your own teaching practices and the ISTE NETS-T, and exploration of available technologies and sample technology-integration projects, you will increase your understanding of and comfort with the NETS-T and their practical applications in the classroom. This course will empower you to:

• become familiar with NETS.T and have specific strategies for applying these standards in your classroom;


• become familiar with a range of technology tools and have specific ideas for incorporating them into your teaching practices to satisfy NETS-T;


• developed a plan for a project to address the NETS-T in their classroom, with the teacher as the primary user of technology;


• develop a plan for a project to address NETS-T in your classroom, empowering students to learn through technology; and


• become familiar with the goals and requirements of the Capstone I and II courses.

Develop powerful skills for researching, evaluating and using online educational communication tools. Explore Web 2.0 tools such as Wikis, blogs, and social networking and media sites, as well as e-mail, discussion boards, and videoconferencing, while researching several collaborative classroom projects that use these tools.

Learn the Action Team for Partnership (ATP) model and discover how to engage families and communities in children's education. Examine the "connection" issues, acquire tools to integrate partnership programming into your curriculum, and develop a plan that involves parents, family members, and community resources in your own classroom.

This course uses a constructivist teaching model so you can experience this approach firsthand. You'll examine your role as a teacher and that of your students in the legacy model, while reflecting on how these roles may differ from your initial perceptions. You'll become familiar with the principles of constructivism including student-centered, inquiry-based learning, and problem-based learning.