Pursue professional learning that deepens expertise in the ISTE Standards in order to serve as a model for educators and leaders.
The ISTE standards are closely tied to the successful integration of 21st century skills in classrooms and in teacher development programs. In the October 2021 post 21st Century Skills in the Higher Education Classroom, I explored ways in which higher education instructors, in particular, might be more effective in their teaching by prioritizing student acquisition of 21st century skills and seriously considering standards for technology use (such as the ISTE standards). In short, higher education instructors must be willing to move away from a teacher-directed model wherein the main objective in a course is transferring content knowledge. Instead, the slow-moving machine that is higher education must prioritize student-centered learning that promotes an active exchange of ideas, the acquisition of new skills, and the application of those skills to solve problems in real-world situations.
As further evidence of promoting the ISTE standards and technology integration for the benefit and professional development of educators and leaders, the March 2022 post What If Professional Development Could Be…Fun!? suggests models for PD which increase collaboration, communication, and leveraging technology in support of authentic outcomes among adult learners.
