You’ve probably experienced a situation similar to this in your own classroom: You assign a project and a student is excited about using a specific technological tool, but he or she can’t explain how to use the tool appropriately to improve learning. While our students might be able to teach us the ins and outs of how to use specific types of technology, educators still have to ensure that all students master the skills to use technology appropriately.
In North Carolina, all educators are required to incorporate the Information and Technology Essential Standards into their classrooms, which will allow students to develop the skills needed for using technology appropriately. Let’s explore the Information and Technology Essential Standards.
During 2009, NCDPI Instructional Technology staff members worked with LEA representatives and other DPI staff to create Information and Technology Essential Standards (ITES) for media and technology. These standards were developed using Bloom’s Revised Technology and replace the Computer Skills and Information Literacy Standard Courses of Study.
These standards are critical building blocks for the education of our students. ITES represent the “must have” information and technology skills and knowledge that each student needs in order to achieve success at the next level. The standards are designed to be delivered by classroom teachers in all curricular areas and grade levels. As the ITES are taught in all classrooms and across all curricular areas, it is essential that classroom teachers collaborate with media coordinators and technology facilitators in delivering this instruction. Media coordinators and technology facilitators should be active participants in grade level and/or curricular area planning groups as these teams analyze student data, identify learning goals, plan and deliver instruction, and assess student progress.
The Information and Technology Essential Standards are posted on the ACRE section of the NC Public Schools website as well as on the Instructional Technology Division website. The Instructional Technology Division website provides additional resources for unpacking and understanding the ITES, including editable documents that may be useful in developing local curriculum and for embedding the standards within other grade-level instruction. For your convenience, we’ve linked to those documents below.
The ITES consist of five vertically aligned strands: Sources of Information, Informational Text, Technology as a Tool, Research Process and Safety and Ethical Use. Linked below are documents showing the K–12 learning progressions for each strand. (Informational Text is only found in grades K–5.)
| Strands of the ITES | Learning progressions | Strand alignment forms |
|---|---|---|
| Sources of Information | Progression | Alignment |
| Informational Text | Progression | Alignment |
| Technology as a Tool | Progression | Alignment |
| Research Process | Progression | Alignment |
| Safety and Ethical Use | Progression | Alignment |
Now that you have a general idea about what is in each strand, explore the Information and Technology Essential Standards for the grade level(s) that you teach.
For more about the ITES and their implementation, read this letter from Dr. Rebecca Garland, Chief Academic Officer, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.