1. Read the through the Standards link pages and become familiar with the  material on Standards prior to completing this assignment.

Standards

• National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for Teachers from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) - focuses on preservice teacher education.

• National Educational Technology Standards (NETS) for all Students from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) - technology standards for students.

• Guidelines from the Nebraska Department of Education - Nebraska Student Essential Learnings in Technology

2. Select Part 1 through Part 3 below and copy and paste into a Word document. (Let instructor know if you do not know how to do this.)

3. Write a journal in which you introduce yourself and complete a self-assessment of your computer skills using the outline below that you copied into the Word document.

4. Save the file as: Last name, first name, journal. For example my file would be saved as Leavitt Sue Journal.

5. Send the file to your instructor as an email attachment. (Let instructor know if you do not know how to do this.) sleavitt@shf.org or sleavitt@csm.edu

Keep the journal in your files to use with your self-evaluation at the end of the term.  Be sure to use the Scoring Rubric at the end of the assignment to be certain that you have met the criteria for this assignment.

Part 1 - Introduction
Begin with these lines:

• Name

• Class level

• Current Address

• Local Phone (if you work please include a work phone)

• E-mail address

Next use these topics as a guide to describe yourself in a paragraph

• Hometown and Family

• Education background

• Teaching work experience (if applicable)

• Feelings about technology

• Your aspirations upon graduation from college

• Any other information you would like me to know about you

Part 2 - Computer Skills Self Assessment
This part of the journal will help me understand your computer skills and also will help you when you look back at the end of the term to reflect on how much you have learned. Please answer the following questions. If you don't know an answer, that is all right. You will not be graded on how many questions you answer correctly (see rubric below). DO NOT look up answers you do not know; just write, "I don't know."

1.   What kind of computers have you used?

2.   What kind of computer do you have access to besides those in the lab?

3.   What software have you used?

4.   What is operating system software?

5.   What is application software?

6.   What are two key terms used in describing databases?

7.   What is the World Wide Web and how do you access it?

8.   What is PowerPoint?

9.   What is a web site? If you have one, give the URL.

10. Describe 4 ways that technology is used in the classroom?

Part 3 - Learning Plan

1. What new knowledge and understandings do you have after reading the ISTE and State Technology Standards for Teachers and Students?

2. Describe what you expect to learn in this course and on which areas you feel you need to focus most intently.