The significance of selecting Standard 1 and 3 is that the use of technology will be driven by what students need to learn in these areas. Therefore the instructional models will demonstrate the use of technology (notably classroom computers) to support learning environments that emphasize the ability to access, interpret and synthesize information NOT the use of technology for rote memorization and the acquisition of isolated skills. We look forward to developing a valuable resource for East Ramapo educators that will assist staff in using technology to facilitate exploration, communication, information management and high-level thinking.

A common strand that runs throughout all New York State learning Standards is the development of higher level thinking skills. It is not longer sufficient to know something well enough to recognize it, students must understand it well enough to explain or demonstrate it. Even the ability to explain something must be taken to the next steps of analyzing and evaluating it. In the 1950's Benjamin Bloom of the University of Chicago created taxonomy for categorizing levels of abstraction in the cognitive domain. These levels for categorizing levels of cognitive competence (knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation), which require increasing amounts of critical thinking ability, are included throughout the Learning Standards and must be taught and assessed in our classrooms. The major difference between the new State examinations and the old is the increased amount of application, analysis and synthesis required of students. Therefore, projects that teachers assign and unit examinations they create during the year must increasingly require students to utilize and demonstrate higher level thinking skills.

SCANS SKILLS

In 1990, United States Secretary of labor Elizabeth Dole appointed the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) to determine the skills young people will need to succeed in the world of work of the 21^st century. A year later, the Commission- comprised of education, business and labor leaders- issued its initial report, What Work Requires of Schools (SCANS Report), to help teachers understand how curriculum and instruction must change to ensure that students develop the high performance skills needed for success in the high performance workplace. The report outlines the "fundamental skills" and "workplace competencies" (known jointly as SCANS Skills) that will be required of our workforce.