The following seven critical elements are what ISTE considers to be “essential conditions” for effectively leveraging technology to support learning. They offer educators and school leaders a research-backed framework to guide implementation of the ISTE Standards, technology planning and systemwide change.
These conditions reflect a deepening body of research in the field of educational technology as well as ISTE’s nearly 50 years of experience supporting districts, schools and educators as they work to support student learning.
Shared Vision | Implementation Planning | Equitable Access | Prepared Educators | Skilled and Sufficient Technical Support | High Quality Learning Activities and Content | Ongoing Evaluation
Shared Vision
Create a shared vision for transforming student learning through the effective use of technology with participation from all stakeholders (including teachers, support staff, administrators, students, parents, teacher-preparation programs, policy makers and members of the community) and align that vision to established frameworks or standards.
Why is it essential?
When a school system is guided by a clearly defined vision and leaders actively collect, incorporate, and share input from stakeholders at all levels, a community of understanding and collaboration develops to propel the organization forward.
Without a clear vision for learning, schools and districts risk purchasing technology, materials and building infrastructure without a plan for how they will use it or a set of criteria for measuring success. Similarly, top-down development of a vision for learning – meaning visions developed solely by either a tech- or teaching-centric group – get limited buy-in. And, finally, visions for learning drafted without guidance of established standards and frameworks often fail to consider all the conditions necessary for success.
Community participation and partnerships are critical to long-term success. At the planning stage, aligning the initiative’s vision to the community’s shared values, policies and support structures can strengthen its ability to take root. At the implementation stage, many successful schools and districts partner with local businesses and other organizations to secure additional resources for executing tangible goals related to an initiative.
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Implementation Planning
Develop a comprehensive plan for building and sustaining technology infrastructure, evaluating and selecting digital learning resources, and providing and sustaining professional learning and coaching.
Why is it essential?
School systems that embark on solid planning are more likely to make better-informed decisions regarding infrastructure needs as well as the purchase of technology tools and digital materials. Thorough planning provides grounded reflection points for measuring progress, reminders of key goals and objectives, and filters for weighing important decisions during implementation.
Without a plan for infrastructure needs, devices and bandwidth will fall short of current and future needs. School systems without a plan for evaluation and selection of learning materials end up wasting resources, losing focus and hindering their ability to evaluate effectiveness. Those schools and districts with no clear path to sustained professional learning quickly find themselves with expensive tools being poorly used.
A key part of any successful implementation plan is identifying funding to sustain digital learning initiatives. Implementation plans should establish policies and formal partnerships with other organizations to bolster expertise and funding.
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Equitable Access
Ensure robust and reliable access to digital devices, internet connectivity, capable teachers and technology platforms required to support the learning vision for all students (including language learners, students with physical or learning disabilities, foster or homeless youth, etc.).
Why is it essential?
Schools and districts that provide equitable access to devices, connectivity and capable teachers will find that their technology initiatives narrow the opportunity gaps among students.
When planning for technology implementation, it’s imperative to consider not only the number of devices and amount of bandwidth needed, but also how to involve families and caregivers in developing digital citizenship skills in creating a healthy tech culture in their homes.
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Prepared Educators
Ensure educators and education leaders know how to use technology in appropriate ways, aligned to learning research and the school system’s vision for learning.
Why is it essential?
To avoid unregulated procurement and use of technology, districts and schools need to invest in systemic and sustained professional learning to effectively evaluate technology tools, ensure those tools are used to improve learning, and ensure that students have a strong foundation of digital citizenship.
Levels of support for improving teacher capacity will determine a technology initiative’s success or failure. At the center of preparing educators are supportive edtech coaches – those who understand learning sciences and how to use technology in the most effective ways.
When they understand the distinction between tool training (eg. how to use a particular learning platform) and foundational knowledge for using technology effectively, school systems are better prepared to meet their vision of learning.
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Skilled and Sufficient Technical Support
Ensure technology leadership and sufficient technical support staff capable of maintaining the learning infrastructure and providing technical support for learning.
Why is it essential?
Successful school systems ensure appropriate support for teachers and students in the use of their digital tools. This includes being responsive to teachers and students in configuring digital tools to prioritize easy access and an intuitive user experience both in the physical classroom and in virtual spaces. Tach leaders engage collaboratively with tech providers to improve the quality of products based on teacher and student feedback.
High Quality Learning Activities and Content
Select effective digital learning activities and content aligned to standards, and create authentic and creative learning experiences that support the school system’s vision for learning.
Why is it essential?
Successful school systems understand that digital learning materials must be high-quality, research-based, and culturally inclusive. They consider open-licensed as well as traditional learning materials. These schools and districts build processes to select high-quality digital learning content aligned to learning outcomes. These processes prioritize digital content and activities that are culturally responsive and support student agency.
More concerning than a lack of digital learning content is a glut of poorly designed or unevaluated content and activities. School systems with no clear, vision-aligned plan for selecting and curating digital learning content and resources find themselves paying for apps and materials that have negligible and sometimes negative effects on learning.
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Ongoing Evaluation
Continually evaluate learning experiences in partnership with all stakeholders identified in Condition #1.
Why is it essential?
Educational technology and the infrastructure that supports it are often outdated shortly after they are purchased and installed. Districts that fail to build processes and set timelines for the review of the alignment, adequacy and effectiveness of their educational technology efforts find themselves rooted firmly in the past.
School systems with effective technology evaluation processes have feedback loops to inform course corrections and allow leaders to measure return on investment. They also provide benchmarks to assist teachers, students and leaders in demonstrating their growth in implementing practices aligned to the ISTE Standards. Additionally, approaches such as A/B studies, rapid-cycle evaluations, and cataloging and management of ed tech contribute to a holistic picture of the initiative’s success and help administrators pinpoint areas of weakness. The use of free or low-cost systems to evaluate technology use and measure return on investment helps school systems purchase right-sized educational technology that can reduce or eliminate unnecessary costs.