Technology Literacy is a crucial part to a student’s ability to be successful in a global age. Many people even think that it is the most important tool a student needs to develop to remain competitive in any career.  As knowledge becomes more readily available it becomes less useful for a student to be “taught” things and more important for a student to learn how to find knowledge, to synthesize different subjects, to create their own unique view, and to contribute that view to community. ICT has made this easy and schools must eventually change to stay relevant in the 21st century. This is why technology literacy has far less to do with developing ‘hard’ skills and instead favors ‘soft’ or ‘life’ skill development. Students must become life-long learners or face a future on the sidelines.

TechYES Technology Literacy Certification is a process designed to lead students through these steps using ICT as the mechanism for exploration. It uses authentic assessment so there is no test or grade student receive to show how many specific skills they have learned- these change to quickly over time to be meaningful. The TechYES process shows what students can do- not measure what they know according to prescribed answers on a test.

TechYES Technology Literacy Certification demonstrates that a school seriously values the significance of ICT in the 21st century. A MySTL school is sends the message to parents, students, and the community that they are willing to be an ICT leader in education and truly understand the challenges faced by young people as they move beyond the doors of the school.