EDTD 6416 Digital Portfolio

Hi, I'm Matt Foster! This year concludes my 18th year teaching in Polk School District.  I currently teach 8th grade Georgia Studies at Cedartown Middle School, where I also serve as the social studies department chair.  I am also the head tennis coach at Cedartown High School.  I earned my bachelors in political science at the University of Georgia, and a certificate in British and Commonwealth Studies at Oxford University.  I am working on my masters in curriculum at Augusta University, with the goal of having it complete this summer.

Outside of school, I am an elected member of the Cedartown city commission, a French tutor, a world traveler, and I'm a big fan of the Georgia Bulldogs football and Montreal Canadiens hockey teams.

I'm very passionate about making sure my students are not only "book smart" or perform on tests, but that they grow to be good, well-rounded people in a fast-moving, always changing world. In this, I have become increasingly interested in how technology in the classroom can improve student engagement, collaboration, and creativity, leading to better scores as well as more student buy-in.  I have seen technology change a lot over my nearly two decades in this role; it is my responsibility to learn current trends, integrate technology in my lessons, and ensure my students are using it safely, responsibly, and appropriately in the classroom, all the while becoming adept digital citizens.

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Students provide a guide for helping students develop the skills needed to learn, communicate, collaborate, and think critically in a dynamic digital world. The standards emphasize using technology as a tool for creativity, problem-solving, and meaningful learning experiences, and not just "tech-for-tech's-sake."

This digital portfolio explores the ISTE Standards for Students, and how tech can be intentionally used to support student learning. Each section of this portfolio focuses on a different ISTE standard, and includes resources, reflections, and connections related to tech integration in the classroom.