Technology Self-Assessment: School 2.0 (NETS 1)

The standard that I investigated was “I. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity” which really caught my attention right away. I feel as though creativity has been disappearing from the classrooms for a long time. Using creative technology in school curriculum is something that appeals to me as a parent and as a potential educator. When I was a student, the times we were able to be creative were so exciting that it often impacted me more.


The resource that I chose to look at was the website Rock Our World project where students from all over the world participate in collaborative music. They use an Apple program called GarageBand to create the music itself. The song will start in one country and then go to another, then another, eventually coming back to where it started. While doing this, the children also get a chance to video chat with the students working on the same project in other countries.


This seems like such a great opportunity for kids to connect with others around in the world in a positive manner. Music is an international language that speaks to everyone in some way. They aren’t just learning how to make music either. They are learning about other cultures and people around the world, group collaboration skills, geography, language, math, and of course technology. The YouTube video about the program is worth checking out too.