ISTE Standards Review

Introduction to ISTE Standards

• Serve as a framework for innovation and excellence in learning, teaching, and leading
• Offer a holistic approach to advance educator practice and professional growth
• Support digital learning, curriculum mapping, and school improvement
• Focus on learning, rather than tools
• Emphasize agency and transformation in teaching and learning

Section 1: Students

• Students leverage technology to choose, achieve, and demonstrate competency in learning goals
• Students should be informed by the learning sciences

1.1 Empowered Learner

• Setting learning goals and developing strategies using technology improves outcomes
• Building networks and customizing learning environments supports the learning process
• Technology can be used to seek feedback to improve practice and demonstrate learning
• Understanding fundamental concepts of technology allows effective use of current and thoughtful exploration of emerging technologies

1.2 Digital Citizen

• Students recognize responsibilities to digital communities
• Managing digital identity and understanding online behavior impacts help make safe, ethical decisions
• Empathetic, inclusive online interactions using technology contribute to communities
• Safeguarding well-being involves being intentional about online activity and time spent
• Taking action to protect digital privacy on devices and managing personal data and security while online

1.3 Knowledge Constructor

• Students use digital tools to curate resources, construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts, and create meaningful learning
• Effective research strategies are used to find resources supporting learning needs, interests, and pursuits
• Digital content is evaluated for accuracy, validity, bias, origin, and relevance
• Various tools and methods curate information from digital resources
• Actively exploring real-world issues/problems and pursuing answers/solutions builds knowledge

1.4 Innovative Designer

• Technologies are used within a design process to identify and solve problems imaginatively
• Deliberate design processes are used for generating ideas, testing theories, creating artifacts, and solving authentic problems
• Digital tools help plan and manage the design process and consider risks
• Prototypes are developed, tested, and refined as part of a cyclical design process
• Ambiguity, perseverance, and the ability to work with open-ended problems are tolerated

1.5 Computational Thinker

• Strategies are employed to understand and solve problems using technological methods
• Problem definitions are formulated for technology-assisted methods and algorithmic thinking in finding solutions
• Digital tools analyze collected data, and data represented to facilitate problem-solving/decision-making
• Problems are broken down to extract key information, and descriptive models develop to understand systems
• Automation is understood, and algorithmic thinking develops a sequence of steps to test automated solutions

1.6 Creative Communicator

• Platforms, tools, styles, formats, and digital media are used to communicate and express creativity
• Appropriate platforms and digital tools aid in meeting objectives
• Original works are created, or digital resources are responsibly repurposed/remixed
• Complex ideas are visually communicated using digital tools
• Content is published/presented that customizes the message and medium for audiences

1.7 Global Collaborator

• Perspectives are broadened, and learning is enriched by collaborating with others locally and globally via digital tools
• Digital tools connect with peers from diverse backgrounds, recognizing viewpoints and broadening understanding
• Collaborative technologies enable working with peers, experts, or community members to examine multiple viewpoints
• Project teams are contributed to constructively by assuming various roles to work toward a common goal
• Local/global issues are explored, and collaborative technologies are used to investigate solutions

Section 2: Educators

• Educators improve their practice through learning from others and exploring tech to improve learning

2.1 Learner

• Set professional learning goals to apply teaching practices made possible by technology
• Promising innovations are explored and effectiveness is reflected
• Pursuing professional interests through creating and participating in global networks
• Staying current with research supporting student learning outcomes, including findings from the learning sciences

2.2 Leader

• Seeking leadership opportunities to support student empowerment, success, and improve learning
• Shaping, advancing, and accelerating a shared vision for empowered learning with stakeholders
• Advocating for equitable access to technology and high-quality digital content to meet diverse needs
• Modelling the identification, experimentation, evaluation, curation, and adoption of new digital resources and tools

2.3 Citizen

• Teachers inspire students to contribute positively and participate in the digital world
• Providing experiences to make positive contributions and build inclusive communities online
• Fostering digital literacy by encouraging curiosity, reflection, and critical evaluation of digital resources
• Mentoring students in safe, legal, and ethical practices using digital tools/content
• Modelling and promoting data management, digital identity, and student data protection

2.4 Collaborator

• Collaborate with colleagues and students to discover and share resources to improve practice and solve problems
• Planning time is dedicated to collaborate and create authentic experiences leveraging technology
• New digital material is discovered, and students and educators co-learn
• Collaborative tools expand students' real-world learning via virtual engagement with experts
• Cultural competency is demonstrated when communicating/interacting with students, parents, and colleagues

2.5 Designer

• Authentic, learner-driven activities are designed that accommodate learner variability
• Technology creates/adapts/personalizes experiences that foster independent learning and accommodate differences
• Authentic learning activities that align with educational standards maximize learning with digital tools
• Instructional design principles create innovative and equitable digital environments that support learning

2.6 Facilitator

• Learning is facilitated with technology to support student achievement
• A culture where students take ownership of their goals in independent and group settings is fostered
• Management of technology/student learning strategies in digital platforms, virtual environments, makerspaces, or in the field
• Learning opportunities designed to urge students to use design processes and/or computational thinking
• Creativity provides and models inspiration for creative expression, to communicate ideas, knowledge, or connections

2.7 Analyst

• Data is understood and used to drive instruction and support students in achieving their learning goals
• Alternate ways provide students with competency using tech for reflection
• Technology is used to design/implement various assessments that accommodate needs, provide feedback, and inform instruction
• Assessment data guides progress, personalizes learning, or feedback to stakeholders in support of students' goals

Section 3: Education Leaders

3.1 Equity and Citizenship Advocate

• Leaders use technology to increase equity, inclusion, and digital citizenship practices
• Ensuring all students learn from educators skilled in using technology to create authentic and engaging experiences
• Access to technology, inclusive content, and learning environments need to meet the needs of all students
• Technology is used inclusively to solve problems and strengthen community
• Ethical use of technology and critical analysis of digital content is modeled

3.2 Visionary Planner

• Leaders engage others to establish a vision, strategic plan, and ongoing evaluation cycle for transforming learning with technology
• Include wide range of perspectives from the community to develop/sustain a vision for using technology to advance learning
• Shared vision builds by collaboratively creating a strategic plan articulating how technology will enhance learning
• Progress on strategic plan is evaluated, impact measured, and effective approaches are scaled to transform
• Effective communication with stakeholders to gather input, celebrate successes, and engage in continuous improvement
• Best practices, lessons, challenges, and impact of learning with technology is shared

3.3 Empowering Leader

• Leaders create a culture where teachers/learners are empowered to use technology in innovative ways
• Educators are empowered to exercise agency, teacher leadership skills are built, and personalized professional learning is pursed
• Educators' confidence and competency are built to put ISTE Standards into practice
• A culture of innovative problem-solving and collaboration allows exploration and development of teaching practices using digital tools
• Educators are supported in using technology to advance learning that meets diverse needs
• Learning assessments develop to provide a personalized, actionable view of student progress in real time

3.4 Systems Designer

• Implement teams and systems to support and improve the use of technology to support learning
• Equitable technology policies that support effective learning are established
• Resources/infrastructure for supporting effective use of technology for learning are sufficient and scalable
• Effective privacy and data management policies protect privacy
• Partnerships support the strategic vision, learning vision, and improve operations

3.5 Connected Leader

• Continuous profession learning is continuously promoted by leaders
• Set goals in the current technologies for learning, innovations from pedagogy, and advancements in sciences
• Participate in learning networks to learn with and mentor others
• Technology practices engage to support personal and professional growth
• Skills needed to navigate change, advance systems and promote a mindset of improvement in how technology can improve learning

Section 4: Coaches

4.1 Change Agent

• Coaches inspire educators/leaders to use technology so there is equitable high-quality learning
• Vision shared to learn using technology
• Facilitate the equitable use of digital learning tools so everyone is met where they are
• A coaching culture that is supportive encourages educators and leaders to achieve their vision
• Recognize educators using technology effectively to teach
• Connect educators, leaders, and technical support to maximize the potential for technology

4.2 Connected Learner

• Coaches need to improve their coaching and teaching practices
• Pursue learning to serve as a model for other leaders
• Enhance coaching practice by being active in networks
• Reflect on shared successes and goals

4.3 Collaborator

• Relationships established between leader, educators, and coaches
• Support educators in identifying digital learning
• Partner with leaders to learn about other teachers and see how well teachers are doing
• Support educators to improve student learning

4.4 Learning Designer

• Meet all types of student needs and interests
• Collaborate with students and educators
• Give feedback from the teacher data
• Support students of all different learning abilities

4.5 Professional Learning Facilitator

• The impact that different learning strategies will impact educators and leaders
• Frameworks for working and collaborating with students
• Build the capacity for leaders in education
• Evaluate the impacts made by learning strategies and make needed improvements

4.6 Data-Driven Decision-Maker

• Data is supported to make decisions and to better inform professional learning
• Best practices are used when analyzing data
• Educators provide the necessary data to make decisions
• Students are empowered to use learning data to make learning goals

4.7 Digital Citizen Advocate

• Coaches support, model, and recognize responsible opportunities digitally
• Community challenges are addressed with technology
• Collaborate with educators to foster more inclusive online spaces
• Support students and educators when examining online content
• The personal data is protected when making decisions

Adopting the ISTE Standards

• Research-based and can meet local goals
• May take different forms based on various factors
• Can be district-level expectations
• Guide for systemwide planning, improvement, or learning
• Professional development plans and professional growth goals
• Curriculum mapping
• Design lessons so that useful technology is included
• Web system or a learning management system
• Preparation from teachers across the curriculum
• Hiring decisions and job descriptions