Enter standards for student learning from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). For the third time since 1998, with the last update occurring in 2007, ISTE is leading a collaborative effort to revise its standards, which help schools understand what skills students should learn in the education technology space. Three major trends prompted the update:
- Broadband and mobile device access has increased in schools.
- More students and teachers are comfortable with technology in their personal lives.
- Learning environments and digital resources became available at a rapid rate.
The draft identifies seven traits of students:
- Empowered learner
- Digital citizen
- Knowledge curator
- Innovative designer
- Computational thinker
- Creator and communicator
- Global collaborator
Each of these traits includes four signs of how students will behave once they incorporate a trait into their identity. For example, an innovative designer would solve problems by asking questions, working with digital and physical tools, and testing solutions.
And overall, educators should give students opportunities to explore, design and create something with the help of technology tools, Murray said. Instead, educators often give students digital worksheets.
"This is a teaching and learning conversation that's empowered by technology," Murray said. "It's not a technology conversation that then determines learning. It's leading with the learning piece that's key there."
Educators can provide feedback on the second public draft through March 31. In June, ISTE plans to release the final version.