Project NextTech helps students develop the 21st century skills needed for high school, college and the workforce
Today’s graduates need formal technology skills to be successful, whether pursuing higher education or entering the workforce after high school. Now available for district purchase and implementation, Project NextTech [1] is a two-semester course that provides project-based instruction to help students develop the technology proficiency, information literacy and media literacy skills needed to thrive in an increasingly digital world.
The content for Project NextTech is based on curriculum developed by the nonprofit Generation YES through years of research and student and teacher feedback.
Project NextTech addresses the 24 performance indicators in the ISTE Standards for Students and is aligned to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TA-TEKS) for high school curriculum–addressing all strands of the Fundamentals of Computer Science TA-TEKS.
Next page: Three important digital literacy focus areas
Project NextTech focuses on three core instruction topics:
Technology Proficiency: students develop formal technology skills and learn how to select the proper tool for the context, task and audience.
Information Literacy: students locate and access information, evaluate information critically and completely, and use the information effectively and ethically.
Media Literacy: students access, analyze, evaluate and create media in all of its forms.
“The competitive global economy demands sound digital literacy and formal technology skills,” said Keith Oelrich, Learning.com CEO. “Project NextTech ensures graduates leave school with a solid foundation of skills to succeed in postsecondary education and the 21st century workplace.”
Spanning two semesters, Project NextTech is divided into four nine-week curriculum blocks consisting of eight weeks of instruction and a one-week project. Each unit includes a teacher preparation section, student overview and performance-based activities to help evaluate student understanding.
Material from a press release was used in this report.