NETS

It is most important for students to meet the NETS standard number 4: critical thinking, problem solving and decision making. This standard teaches the students to use critical thinking skills to solve problems, conduct research and use appropriate resources and digital tools. By mastering this standard, the students will be able to find and analyze information, conduct the research, solve the problem and make informed decisions off of the results. It will also help them see alternate solutions using different methods. This will help them all throughout school. How else would they be able to do more advanced work in middle and high school if they can not think critically? Every project in school requires a thought process. Then at work when their boss shows them declining statistics of their product, the boss is going to want the worker to be able to use the data to solve the problem.
Then for teachers, it is most important for them to meet the NETS standard number 1: facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity. Children are constantly looking to adults for examples of how they should do things. Teachers are the examples of how the students should use their knowledge to solve problems and find new methods of research. It is important for children to be creative so they take initiative and use innovative thinking. Teachers can model this kind of thinking for their students. Plus, if the teacher uses real life issues for the lessons, the students will clearly see the concepts of understand and the creative thinking processes. This can be done face to face or virtually.