NOTE: Technology Directions also contains provisions for recognizing students who exceed the standards. The criteria for Certificates of Advanced Proficiency are not included in this publication, for sake of brevity.

Our shared belief is that computers and related technology are tools that should be used across the curriculum as follows :

K-6	7-8	9-12
At this level, we want to have the computer used as a tool for:	At this level, we want to have the computer used as a tool for:	At this level, we want to have the computer used as a tool for:
Communication Expression and Creativity Simple data access	Communication Expression and Creativity Accessing more sophisticated data An aid to thinking Basic data collection	Communication Expression and Creativity Accessing more sophisticated data An aid to thinking Data collection Data analysis Whenever appropriate, construction

TO REALIZE the aforementioned visions, we must focus on the following goals at each level:

K-6	7-8	9-12
At this level, our goals are:	At this level, our goals are:	At this level, our goals are:
1. To enable students to view technology as a tool to improve learning. 2. To instill sound habits and attitudes toward technology. 3. To create a process of teacher and student empowerment that has as its outcomes both competence and comfort with technology. 4. To promote the transparent integration of technology into daily activities. 5. To provide for the updating of this document at regular intervals so that it may reflect the current trends in technology and curriculum.	1. The introduction of basic information processing skills across the curriculum --Identifying the need for information --How to access and retrieve information --How to evaluate, organize, and interpret information to address a problem --How to communicate the synthesis effectively 2. To provide for the updating of this document at regular intervals so that it may reflect the current trends in technology and curriculum.	1. More rigorous practice of information processing skills across the curriculum, aimed at achieving proficiency levels cited in the following: A. SCANS --The ability to acquire and evaluate information --The ability to organize and maintain information --The ability to interpret and communicate information --The ability to use appropriate technology to process information B. ALA --To understand the role, power, and value of information in a democratic society --To develop the capacity to retrieve information from a variety of systems and in a variety of formats. --To be actively involved in the following processes: knowing when they need information; identifying the information needed to address an issue; finding the information; evaluating the information; organizing the information; using the information effectively to address the problem at hand. 2. To provide for the updating of this document at regular intervals so that it may reflect the current trends in technology and curriculum.

TO REACH OUR GOALS, our teaching objectives must be focused on the following at each level:

K-6	7-8	9-12
K-2: 1. Introducing students to basic terminology (the "language of technology") 2. Modeling the proper procedures for using classroom technology. 3. Encouraging and creating "Fearless Users": . We must model and promote: --The computer as an aid to creativity --The computer as the foremost tool of the author --The computer as tutor --The STUDENT as worker --The STUDENT in control of the machine --The STUDENT as Decision Maker Grades 3-6: __Use the computer to create messages in a variety of formats (posters, greeting cards, simple reports, e-mail postings, journals, etc.) __Use the computer to assist in introducing rudimentary Information Processing Skills. EXPECTATION: Teachers will actively use computers as a tool to enable students: 1. to recognize their need for information, and 2. to widen their awareness of the sources of information to satisfy their need. . By Grade 6, it is entirely reasonable for teachers to expect students to: Find and print information from electronic sources Use selected software applications that relate directly to curricular goals.	1. Assisting students in the successful retrieval of data from electronic sources 2. Guiding students to apply that information to solve problems related to the curriculum and to create Information Age knowledge. 3. Enabling students to work with a global audience via technology 4. Enabling and encouraging the construction of authentic projects, including electronic, multimedia presentations. 5. Whenever possible, enabling students to add value to the global database.	1. Promoting the regular use of e-mail, the Internet, and other online services of the Information Network. 2. Enabling students to know they have the right information for their task. 3. Enabling students to use data collected by electronic means to support decision making. 4. Enabling students to communicate decisions effectively in a variety of ways, including via electronic multimedia.

Our visions, goals, and teaching objectives can be translated into student achievement. These greater program goals, applicable to all learners, are called standards. The concrete manifestations of these abstractions are otherwise called benchmarks. Benchmarks at all levels indicate a student's verifiable progress toward achieving the standards. _______________________________________________ . The following standards express our visions, goals, and expectations, while the benchmarks indicate how we will know when they are met:.

Standards & Benchmarks for Grades K-6 __________________________ . "Promoting awareness and showing possibilities" .
. GOAL: By Grade 6, students will have learned computer basics through applications integrated into the curriculum. .
1. Students will show mastery of basic computer terminology in Grades K-2. BENCHMARKS: Students can identify and state the functions of computer components and peripherals (monitor, keyboard, mouse, diskette, printer, scanner, etc.)
2. Students will demonstrate the responsible use of computer technology BENCHMARKS: Students understand the need for safety around electronic equipment. Students can show each other how to handle and care for diskettes, CD-ROMs, and other storage devices. Students can properly clean monitors, keyboards, etc. Students show respect for the property and for the rights of other members of the community of electronic learners.
3. Students will regularly use the mouse and keyboard as inputting devices. . 4. Students will regularly open, run, and close a variety of appropriate software programs and CD-ROMs BENCHMARKS: Using approved software, students will demonstrate their ability to operate the computer independently. Students will show ease in running practice and drill programs in subject content areas, and they will demonstrate the ability to use the operating system to access and run multiple applications.
5. Students will create and print original work using the available electronic publishing tools. BENCHMARKS: Students will produce signs, posters, simple reports, greeting cards, journals, and other age-appropriate output to demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively.
6. Students will use software or telecommunications to find and print information. BENCHMARKS: Students will gather simple information from any of a variety of available electronic sources (software, CD-ROM, the World Wide Web, VCRs, videodisks, etc.), as evidenced by electronically generated copy or handwritten notes derived from electronic sources.
7. In grades 4-6 especially, students will use computers and computer-related technologies to complete grade-level projects. BENCHMARKS: Students will show evidence of using technology in preparing and presenting simple research projects in the content areas (electronically prepared hard copy, basic multimedia presentations, publishing software, graphics software, etc.)

Standards & Benchmarks for Grades 7-8 ._______________________________ . "Introducing Life-long Information Processing Skills" .
. GOAL: This is the first of two phases aimed at teaching life-long learning skills associated with using computers as a tool to (1) access relevant information, and (2) to communicate effectively. [The second phase of the continuum is in grades 9-12.] .
Here the focus is on using the computer as an aid to thinking.
At this level, we continue to apply and practice all the skills of the previous level, PLUS we add the following skills aimed at making our students competent consumers and producers of information. _________________________________ . Students will demonstrate their ability to: .
.. 1. Access Information BENCHMARKS: Students will consistently use a variety of electronic sources (CD-ROM, online services, videodisks, online catalogs, etc.)
. 2. Retrieve Information BENCHMARKS: Students will show that they can print or save useful information.
. 3. Organize, evaluate, and interpret information BENCHMARKS: To the satisfaction of their teachers, students will apply information to create knowledge and to satisfy curricular demands.
. 4. Communicate their synthesis effectively BENCHMARKS: To the satisfaction of their teachers, students will communicate constructed knowledge to support points of view and to answer questions. Student presentations that may be considered to meet this standard are (1) multimedia, and/or (2) computer-generated hard copy (from a word processor of desk top publishing)
. 5. The availability of suitable facilities permitting, students will regularly communicate with a global audience, including posting information that adds value to the world's database BENCHMARKS: Students regularly use e-mail to discover and share information. Students will share their discoveries with the global community via electronic means (home page, BBS, lists, etc.) Students participate actively in creating electronic postings.

Standards & Benchmarks, Grades 9-12 ________________________________________ . GOAL: Refining and Practicing Life-long Information Processing and Communications Skills .
1. Facilities permitting, students will use e-mail regularly BENCHMARKS: Students send and receive information from the Internet, intranets, lists, and the like to minimize their exposure to communications by paper.
2. Facilities permitting, students will make regular use of online services BENCHMARKS: Students will cite references found online to present both sides of an issue, to support point of view (defend a conclusion), or to clarify a position.
3. Students will use information to support decisions. BENCHMARKS: Students will demonstrate to teachers that they can link appropriate data to authentic tasks in order to (1) create a thesis, and (2) support a thesis.
4. Students will demonstrate that they have the right information for the task BENCHMARKS: Students demonstrate to teachers in ways defined by the instructors that they have gathered information from a variety of approved electronic sources, and that such information is favorably related to the student's thesis or main idea.
5. Students will demonstrate that they can communicate their synthesis effectively BENCHMARKS: Students use a variety of technologies to express their points of view clearly and effectively. Students demonstrate to teachers their persuasive powers (influencing skills) using presentation software, multimedia, and other relevant technologies.
6. Students will demonstrate the ability to keyboard at a specified level
7. Students will demonstrate the ability to use available presentation software
8. Students will work with word processing and desk top publishing at a specified level
9. To the degree specified by succeeding committees, students will show proficiency for applying spreadsheets, databases, and other productivity tools to support authentic projects.