ISTE Standards: For Students

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Today’s students must be prepared to thrive in an evolving technological landscape. The student section of the ISTE Standards is designed to empower student voice and ensure that learning is a student-driven process. Discover ways to use the standards in the classroom with the ISTE Standards for Students ebook.

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The ISTE Standards

1. For Students 2. For Educators 3. For Education Leaders 4. For Coaches

The ISTE Standards

1. For Students 2. For Educators 3. For Education Leaders 4. For Coaches

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1.1 Empowered Learner 1.2 Digital Citizen 1.3 Knowledge Constructor 1.4 Innovative Designer 1.5 Computational Thinker 1.6 Creative Communicator 1.7 Global Collaborator

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1.1 Empowered Learner 1.2 Digital Citizen 1.3 Knowledge Constructor 1.4 Innovative Designer 1.5 Computational Thinker 1.6 Creative Communicator 1.7 Global Collaborator

1.1 Empowered Learner

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Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving and demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences.

1.1a Learning Goals

Students articulate and set personal learning goals, develop strategies leveraging technology to achieve them and reflect on the learning process itself to improve learning outcomes.

1.1b Customized Learning Environments

Students build networks and customize their learning environments in ways that support the learning process.

1.1c Feedback to Improve Practice

Students use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice and to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.

1.1d Technology Operations

Students understand the fundamental concepts of technology operations; demonstrate the ability to choose, use and troubleshoot current technologies; and are able to transfer their knowledge to explore emerging technologies.

1.2 Digital Citizen

Students recognize the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of living, learning and working in an interconnected digital world, and they act and model digital citizenship in ways that are safe, legal and ethical.

1.2.a Digital Footprint

Students cultivate and manage their digital identity and reputation, and are aware of the permanence of their actions in the digital world.

1.2.b Online Behavior

Students engage in positive, safe, legal and ethical behavior when using technology, including in social interactions online or when using networked devices.

1.2.c Intellectual Property

Students demonstrate an understanding of and respect for the rights and obligations of using and sharing intellectual property.

1.2.d Digital Privacy

Students manage their personal data to maintain digital privacy and security, and are aware of data-collection technology used to track their navigation online.

1.3 Knowledge Constructor

Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.

1.3.a Effective Research Strategies

Students plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.

1.3.b Evaluate Information

Students evaluate the accuracy, perspective, credibility and relevance of information, media, data or other resources.

1.3.c Curate Information

Students curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and methods to create collections of artifacts that demonstrate meaningful connections or conclusions.

1.3.d Explore Real-World Issues

Students build knowledge by actively exploring real-world issues and problems, developing ideas and theories, and pursuing answers and solutions.

1.4 Innovative Designer

Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions.

1.4.a Design Process

Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts or solving authentic problems.

1.4.b Design Constraints

Students select and use digital tools to plan and manage a design process that considers design constraints and calculated risks.

1.4.c Prototypes

Students develop, test and refine prototypes as part of a cyclical design process.

1.4.d Open-Ended Problems

Students exhibit a tolerance for ambiguity, perseverance and the capacity to work with open-ended problems

1.5 Computational Thinker

Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems in ways that leverage the power of technological methods to develop and test solutions.

1.5.a Problem Definitions

Students formulate problem definitions suited for technology-assisted methods such as data analysis, abstract models and algorithmic thinking in exploring and finding solutions.

1.5.b Data Sets

Students collect data or identify relevant data sets, use digital tools to analyze them and represent data in various ways to facilitate problem-solving and decision-making.

1.5.c Decompose Problems

Students break problems into component parts, extract key information and develop descriptive models to understand complex systems or facilitate problem-solving.

1.5.d Algorithmic Thinking

Students understand how automation works and use algorithmic thinking to develop a sequence of steps to create and test automated solutions.

1.6 Creative Communicator

Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.

1.6.a Choose Platforms or Tools

Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication.

1.6.b Original and Remixed Works

Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.

1.6.c Models and Visualizations

Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations.

1.6.d Customize the Message

Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.

1.7 Global Collaborator

Students use digital tools to broaden their perspectives and enrich their learning by collaborating with others and working effectively in teams locally and globally.

1.7.a Global Connections

Students use digital tools to connect with learners from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, engaging with them in ways that broaden mutual understanding and learning.

1.7.b Multiple Viewpoints

Students use collaborative technologies to work with others, including peers, experts and community members, to examine issues and problems from multiple viewpoints.

1.7.c Project Teams

Students contribute constructively to project teams, assuming various roles and responsibilities to work effectively toward a common goal.

1.7.d Local and Global Issues

Students explore local and global issues, and use collaborative technologies to work with others to investigate solutions.

An interdisciplinary field bringing together findings from research into cognitive, social and cultural psychology, neuroscience and learning environments, among others, with the goal of implementing learning innovations and improving instructional practice.

Recognize and evaluate the steps taken to meet learning goals—What worked? Why did things unfold as they did? What could be approached differently? What will you do differently in the future?

Age-appropriate opportunities for students to have a say in their learning goals and make choices on how to meet them.

Local, physical and online environments, both formal and informal.

Choosing and making changes to meet Universal Design for Learning, and accessibility, for example, by using audio, video, dynamic glossaries, highlighting, note taking, voice command, text to speech, social bookmarking, cloud collaboration tools.

Enrich learning by making online connections with other learners and experts for personal or academic interests, for example, via social media, connecting through email, video conferencing, digital pen pals, etc.

Seek digital or human feedback, for example, via spell-check and grammar-check tools, online search, learning analytics programs that measure how time is spent on a problem or identify specific challenge areas, collaborative spaces that allow others to give feedback, reaching out to experts for input.

For example, new software, applications, tools and devices that can be used for educational purposes

Basic knowledge of how to use devices and software applications.

Individuals who intentionally and transparently adopt and demonstrate best practices.

Model best practices and behaviors; lead, mentor and support others

Digital content is everlasting, even when individuals delete it or believe privacy settings fully protect them from scrutiny.

How an individual is represented online in the public domain, based on activities, connections or tagging, for example, social media posts, photos, public online comments/reviews, awareness and monitoring of how others are depicting you online.

Content or ideas created by an individual or entity, for example, music, photos, narration, text and designs.

Abiding by copyright and fair use, citing resources, gaining or giving permission to use (content), avoiding plagiarism, understanding and using creative commons.

For example, activate privacy settings on social media accounts and search engines, recognize sites that use encryption, secure login and password information on shared devices, read and be conscientious about accepting privacy policies and access requests from apps and websites.

Finances, human capital

For example, digital camera or video, audio software, graphic design software, writing software.

To gather, select and categorize resources into themes in ways that are coherent and shareable.

For example, using multiple sources (digital, online, print, etc.), using library databases and catalogues, using advanced tools and criteria for online searches, CRAPP test, using online bookmarking tools, using online note-taking tools.

Does the source meet your needs? Does it have the information you are looking for?

Who wrote/published the resource and what are their credentials? How objective is the author and how reliable is the publication source? For clues, look at the domain name, affiliation, mission and vision.

Who is the resource trying to reach? What is its tone and mission? Does it show indications of problematic bias?

When was resource last updated or copyrighted (i.e., is it current?); sources of information; links to other valid sources; factual correctness; URL cross-check on databases; use of .com, .org, .edu, etc.

Learning that reflects a theme, proves a thesis or builds knowledge around an authentic topic.

For example, portfolio, multimedia presentation, paper, project, video, demonstration, etc.

Construct and expand understanding and perspective on a topic or idea.

A methodology for problem-solving; a series of steps used to solve a problem and design a solution. For example, human-centered design process, project-based learning, engineering design processes, scientific method. (ISTE)

Real-world problems, for example, design challenges, science explorations, philosophical questions, service learning projects, social issues (recycling, composting, pollution, hunger, poverty).

Artifacts created by new methods, original thinking or improvements to an existing artifact. For example, 3D printed artifacts, computer programs, robotics, simulations, virtual representations, prototypes, etc.

A decision made after careful estimation of the probable outcome.

For example, time, money, expertise, materials, conditions and potential obstacles.

A first or preliminary model of something from which other versions are developed or copied.

Problems that have many or undefined solutions.

Continued effort in the face of obstacles and/or uncertain outcomes.

Comfort with the unknown or uncertainty.

For example, concept maps, mindmaps, flowcharts and prototypes.

The ability to develop precise instructions or sequences that form the basis for algorithms.

Methods that benefit from the application of technology and make something easier, more efficient, effective or powerful; computing.

Create and articulate a precise and thorough description of a problem designed to facilitate its solution, including conditions and constraints that must be taken into account.

Depicting and organizing data in appropriate graphs, charts, words or images.

Could be big data, public access information, or private databases, for example, population or global food source databases, public data streams from weather satellites.

For example, surveys, online data sets, physical measurements.

A series of ordered steps taken to solve a problem or achieve some end; an algorithm, for example, as part of computer programming, including coding.

Having computers or machines do repetitive or tedious tasks.

Changing the way something was originally used or combining original assets in a unique way and, as needed, seeking permission to use content from the author/creator and using proper attributions.

Representation or imitation of systems or situations that are not easily subject to experimentation or not readily accessible.

For example, infographics, word clouds, interactive charts and graphs.

Any product, asset or artifact that is digital.

Deconstruct information and/or data and synthesize so it is more simply conveyed to increase understanding. For example, use of metaphors, compare/contrast, categorization.

Serve as liaison between stakeholders to carry out the vision and solve problems.

Applications that facilitate teamwork and collaboration between students and experts around the globe. e.g. knowledge sharing tools; videoconferencing; digital project spaces and sites; chat; collaborative schedulers

Practice communication skills by experiencing different roles; e.g., team lead, subject matter expert, beta tester, timekeeper, notetaker, scheduler

Facilitate or engage in collegial feedback, manage timelines and scope of project, engage team decision making, and contribute in ways that are measurable.

The ability to address and potentially solve significant problems in students’ communities and around the world, both independently and in collaboration with others.

e.g., virtual field trips, research projects, e-pals, action projects using digital tools.