NAC389.505. Technology and computers.

By the beginning of high school, pupils must know and be able to do everything required in the previous grades for technology and computers offered in public schools. Instruction in high school in technology and computers must be designed so that pupils meet the following performance standards by the completion of high school:

     1. For the areas of creativity and innovation, demonstrate creative thinking, build knowledge and develop innovative products and processes using technology, as demonstrated by the ability of the pupil to:

     (a) Independently or in collaboration with other pupils, apply prior and newly acquired knowledge to develop new ideas, products or processes using digital tools;

     (b) Create an original work using digital tools, including, without limitation, tools for planning, researching, editing and producing the original work;

     (c) Develop digital models or simulations to answer questions or solve problems; and

     (d) Use technology to conduct research, conduct experiments and report data from the experiments to determine trends and possibilities and use evidence to make and justify predictions.

     2. For the areas of communication and collaboration, use digital media and environments to communicate and work in collaboration with other pupils, including pupils outside of the classroom, to support the learning of the pupil and the learning of other pupils, as demonstrated by the ability of the pupil to:

     (a) Collaborate electronically with other pupils, persons and experts to create and publish digital products for real audiences;

     (b) Create digital text, images, sound and video for use in a communication;

     (c) Critique the appropriateness of digital formats for specific audiences and purposes;

     (d) Interact electronically with groups of persons who are culturally diverse for specific purposes;

     (e) Contribute electronically to a group project that identifies a problem, present solutions to the problem and evaluate those solutions; and

     (f) Choose and justify a method of electronically interacting with other persons for a specific goal or purpose.

     3. For the area of fluency of research and information, gather, evaluate and use information, as demonstrated by the ability of the pupil to:

     (a) Use digital tools to plan, organize and critique research-based inquiries;

     (b) For a research project, use digital tools to plan a timeline, track the progress of the project and cite the sources the pupil used for the project;

     (c) Use techniques of advanced searches to locate, access, synthesize and evaluate information in multiple sources to create an original product for a real audience;

     (d) Use digital tools to organize and compare information with main ideas and supporting documents;

     (e) Use digital resources to assemble and evaluate facts, opinions and points of view that are appropriate for a specific task;

     (f) Evaluate how other pupils use resources that are appropriate for a specific task;

     (g) Use multiple digital tools to analyze data and critique theories and hypotheses; and

     (h) Evaluate digital formats for reporting results to a variety of audiences and justify the use of those formats.

     4. For the areas of critical thinking, problem solving and decision making, use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems and make informed decisions using the digital tools and resources that are appropriate for the specific task, as demonstrated by the ability of the pupil to:

     (a) Identify a complex issue, develop a systematic plan for the investigation of the issue and present innovative solutions to the issue;

     (b) Analyze the capabilities and limitations of different digital planning tools for developing solutions or completing a project;

     (c) Choose and apply digital tools to collect, organize and analyze data to evaluate theories or test hypotheses; and

     (d) Use multiple processes to consider diverse perspectives on a problem that arises in an everyday situation, use digital resources to derive original solutions to the problem and assess the potential of those resources to address the social, lifelong learning and career needs.

     5. For the area of the appropriate use of technology, understand human, cultural and societal issues relating to technology and practice legal and ethical behaviors when using technology, as demonstrated by the ability of the pupil to:

     (a) Articulate the concepts and issues concerning intellectual and digital property rights;

     (b) Compare the similarities and differences between the acceptable use of technological resources at school and in the work environment;

     (c) Extrapolate how technology will affect the ability of the pupil to collaborate, learn and produce in postsecondary education and in a career;

     (d) Analyze the capabilities and limitations of current and emerging technologies and assess the potential of those technologies to address personal, societal, lifelong learning and career needs; and

     (e) Model appropriate behaviors in the use of technology while leading a group of pupils through a collaborative project using current and emerging technologies.

     6. For the areas of technological operations and concepts, demonstrate an understanding of technological concepts, systems and operations, as demonstrated by the ability of the pupil to:

     (a) Describe the components of technological systems and how those components interact;

     (b) Critique the selection of digital tools based on the efficiency and effectiveness of those tools;

     (c) Analyze and troubleshoot common hardware and software issues to optimize learning and productivity; and

     (d) Analyze the capabilities and limitations of current and emerging technologies based on the potential of those technologies to address personal learning, career needs and societal issues.

     (Added to NAC by Bd. of Education by R038-00, 6-20-2000, eff. 7-1-2000; A by R008-10, 6-30-2010)