National Standards and Movements Towards Renewal

As emphasized in the previous lesson, technology provides a powerful opportunity to teach and learn in new ways. Online collaboration has already proved to be an exciting vehicle for curriculum renewal. However, the use of technology merely as a new tool does not bring about effective change. Most teachers cannot ignore State or District guidelines, most of which are beginning to incorporate some of the national standards that are now in place or current thinking on learning and assessment. Hence, the purpose of collaboration and the use of the Internet needs to be seen as part of a more encompassing goal such as the implementation of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) standards.

The Annenberg/CPB Math and Science Project has been at the forefront in promoting excellence in education. Visit the Project's Home Page and read the articles in the section "Why math and science education must change."

The final section provides a glimpse at some of the standards and current thinking in different content areas. Readings on the improvement of teaching and learning in different subject areas are listed below. Select at least one of these articles to read.

Language Arts
The following reference, developed by the New York State Education Department, contains a set of language arts standards.

Mathematics

The reference below contains the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Standards

Stephanie Smith writes about the implementation of NCTM standards in "What NCTM Standards look like in one classroom."

In a similar vein Martha Stone and Cynthia Levinson write "How teachers are implementing the NCTM standards."

An article by Carole Lacampagne called State of the Art Mathematics provides some useful ideas.

The Colorado Alliance for Science has developed a web page called OASIS. The purpose of this site is to link Colorado math standards with Internet resources.

Science
The reference below contains a discussion of the National Science Education Standards.

The Colorado Alliance for Science has developed a web page called OASIS. The purpose of this site is to link Colorado science standards with Internet resources.

An article by Mary Lewis Sivertsen State of the Art Science provides some useful ideas.

Advocates of the Science-Technology-Society (STS) approach claim that the science curriculum should go out of real world problems that effect the lives of the learners. Read Ost and Yeager "Biology, STS and the next steps in program design and curriculum development."

Do you teach science in a way that encourages girls to become scientists? Read Sue Rosser "Female friendly science: Including women in curricular content and pedagogy in science."

Social Studies
The following reference, developed by the New York State Education Department, contains a set of History standards.

The following reference, developed by the New York State Education Department, contains a set of Geography standards.

The following reference, developed by the New York State Education Department, contains a set of Civics standards.

The Arts
The following reference, developed by the New York State Education Department, contains a set of Arts standards.

Health Enhancement
The following reference, developed by the New York State Education Department, contains a set of Health Enhancement standards.