Implementing the #ISTE17 Standards: 4 Ideas for Success from #HackEd17

The new International Society for Tech in Education Standards are a hit among innovative educators, but how do you bring them to your classroom, school, or district?

That was the topic of the discussion I proposed and participated in at the #HackEd17 unconference at #ISTE17. The group was comprised of teachers, district administrators, and college professors.  Below are the ideas we discussed that would help lead to a successful implementation.

Getting Started

Here is a video featured on the ISTE Site from Flocabulary, that provides a fun and insightful overview of the student standards. It’s a great way to get started.

Ideas for success

1. Steering Committee: Form a steering committee to support this work. Include key stakeholders such as  tech teachers, librarians, administration, students, parents.
2. Assess What’s Already Happening: Look at the standards and determine what is already happening in alignment with the standards and identify where this is happening. Live local examples will resonate and bring the standards to life.  
3. Recognize Teachers: Have professional development to get teachers going, but also opportunities for teachers to have a higher level of recognition as those who are effectively incorporating standards into their work.  
4. Use ISTE Student Standards for Assessment: Tech teachers sometimes struggle with finding meaningful way to assess students. The ISTE student standards provide a great way to look at each standard and indicate how students are meeting them.  Dr. Leigh Zeitz introduced the idea of an artifacts matrix (which he describes on his digital portfolio site) and I created a sample artifacts matrix you can copy and use.  Here are some interesting insights to consider.
• One artifact is likely to meet several standards.
• Artifacts can be created across the grades and used in the matrix which will grow as the student advances from grade to grade
• Each artifact links to its own page answering the questions:
• What? So What? No What?
• These make great brag streets and become a digital portfolio that can be used for:
• Parent / teacher conferences
• To explain student achievement to administrators

So, what do you think? Are these standards that you have or plan to implement where you work? What are some keys to success, concerns, or challenges you have experienced or are considering where you work?

Want to learn more? Connect with other educators in the ISTE Standards Community and learn how to use the standards in the classroom with the ISTE Standards for Students ebook.