NJCCCS Technology = WOW!

I am completely impressed by the standards set for technology education in the state of NJ. If technology programs in all schools can be implemented well enough to support this curriculum it will do wonders for the next generation of students. Having been through school before much of this technology was available has left me somewhat in the dark when it comes to dealing with life in the computer age. From the simplest tasks, such as paying bills, to major undertakings, such as earning a college degree, computers have become absolutely necessary for successful day-to-day living. Being able to master using the computer and internet before leaving high school will give students amazing opportunities that will make their lives much easier.
I am currently student teaching in a fourth grade class, and just today witnessed the students in action during their technology class. These 9 year old children were creating Power Point presentations, something I did not learn how to do until last year! The students all seemed very comfortable navigating their way around the computer, using a program called Kidspiration to create word webs to plan out the information they wanted to include in their slides. They were taking pictures with digital cameras that they will later upload onto the computers and use for their presentations. The school district is doing its best to follow the state curriculum, and it is evident that its efforts to make technology accessible to the students has been extremely beneficial.
As technology advances, it seems it would be in the public's best interest to start educating students on using computers at an even younger age. As soon as students learn handwriting they should learn to type. As soon as students start taking notes they should be issued laptops. The way things are going with the growing need to conserve our natural resources, I would not be surprised if textbooks become entirely computer or even internet based, and students start submitting their homework via email. Though it seems foreign to me (for now!- I am getting better), and possibly most of the older people in this country, it is completely necessary that we educate the next generation to be able to keep up with the times, and grow up prepared for the changing world.