Summary and Personal Connection to 'Speak Up' Article and NETS

The Speak Up program is a National Research Project conducted in many schools throughout the United States. Its main focus has been on the use of technology in the classroom and how students have been wanting or needing a greater use of pieces of technology such as computers, internet searches, personal social networking sites, and even smart phones in the education setting. It has been a growing worry among the researchers that students that do not have ready access to such pieces of technology are finding themselves behind the curb of instruction compared to those students and schools that have such resources available to them.

Over 50% of high school students use communication tools such as social networking sites to keep in touch with each other, and there is a growing percentage of students using such technologies to communicate with their teachers as well (Speak Up 2009, 5). Many of these students want to increase their capacity to communicate with their educators at this level, and even the parents of such students are promoting the idea and approving of their use of such technology.

Even in the classroom, there is a growing want for students to be able to use their mobile devices to increase the information available to them. Among high school students, 70% of students with phones with internet access use them for online searches, and 56% of them use their phones to record lectures and to take notes (Speak Up 2009, 9). However, there are still worries brought up by teachers and administrators about allowing the use of these phones because of the possibility for distraction caused by students. This, along with the disparity between students who have access to such devices and those that don't are the two main concerns for teachers allowing their use at school (Speak Up 2009, 11).

However, the potential for the use of such devices can make a positive change in the education system, especially when compared to the National Educational Technology Standards for Students. Each of the NETS has specific cparts that connect to this research. This includes the research, organization, and ethical use of information found in electronic seaches, to the basic understanding and use of electronic equipment. it is important that these skills be learned by the youth of today, since so many jobs are becoming more technical, and requrie these kinds of skill. Even adults today are needing to brush up on their technical skills if they wish to remain competitive in today's job market.