Standard Five
Standard Five
Standard Five
Ebony Dixon
Introduction
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards were created to
improve teaching and learning through innovative technology. It was also created to improve the
performance of teachers, learners, and leaders and to influence them to use technology in a
meaningful way. One of the main goals of the education leaders’ section of the ISTE standards is
to ensure that leaders have the knowledge, skills, and behaviors necessary to empower teachers
and boost student learning and achievement. The fifth standard under the ISTE standards for
educational leaders is the connected learner standard. It outlines how leaders should model and
Connected learning occurs when the student has a personal interest in their learning with
the support of teachers and leaders. Studies have shown that students learn best when they are
actively engaged and are creating works that they care about. It also applies the learning sciences
and new technologies in a connected world. Many leaders and teachers use personalized learning
to create connected learners. Personalized learning can take many different forms, from
like digital games (Porath & Hagerman, 2021). Being that connected learning is a specialized
connections. It is important that educational leaders provide tools, resources, support, and
professional development opportunities for teachers to learn ways to make instruction more
Indicators
The first indicator under the fifth ISTE standard for educational leaders’ states that
leaders should set goals to remain current on emerging technologies for learning, innovations in
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pedagogy and advancements in learning science. Essentially this means that leaders should know
about and encourage teachers to incorporate new technologies within their teaching to create
meaningful learning. Also, they should also understand the increasing impact of technology in
education. As the world continues to evolve and new technologies become available. It is
important that educational leaders and teachers keep up with these emerging technologies. That
way they can be incorporated into their teaching. There are recent studies that highlight the
computational thinking, and 3D modeling into science education (Silva-Díaz et al. 2023). One
article state that teachers should integrate STEM education in their learning curriculum.
which is important for fostering 21st-century skills in students (Silva-Díaz et al. 2023). As
previously mentioned, one of the many ways to create a connected learner is through their
interest. Studies have shown that student engagement and success in reaching their learning goals
are more obtainable when teachers are up to date on emerging technologies, and they use them in
their lessons.
Some teachers may feel that some emerging technologies can be overwhelming. Which
can make them feel ill equipped or that they do not have the skills to effectively use these
technologies within the classroom. Therefore, establishing a goal to learn about new technologies
is something many teachers should strive for. Setting goals is a vital task for the professional
growth of teachers and leaders, but also vital in adding in the growth of learners. This leads into
the second indicator under the connected learner standard. It states that for an educational leader
to be a connected learner they must participate regularly in online professional learning networks
to collaboratively learn with and mentor other professionals. We are all aware of the various
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benefits of professional learning communities (PLC’S) and how they can shape teaching and
learning. They will expose you to new ideas and perspectives perhaps you have not thought of
before. Professional learning communities can assist teachers in achieving their professional
goals because it allows you to see growth within yourself. As well as give you the necessary
tools and resources needed for teachers to achieve those goals in an efficient manner. Which is
At the school I currently work at the PLCs are held in person on specific days a times
each week. The topic for the week is sent out to teachers ahead of the PLC so that we bring the
necessary materials. They are also grade level PLCs which mean that only one grade level at a
time is meeting together. Many times, these PLCs are academic based, or they may be related to
an engagement structure. I cannot remember a time where a PLC was centered around learning
about a new technology or allowing us to explore. Therefore, I asked my principal were there
any existing professional development opportunities related to technology. She stated that she
was not aware of any and if there were they would be offered at a district level. These
professional developments are normally held at the beginning of the school year and many times
over the summer. Our district has a professional growth platform (figure 1) for teachers to search
for learning opportunities available. I took this as a chance to see if there were any technology
professional developments available. To my surprise there were two upcoming learning sessions,
for two separate technology tools that will be held virtually. However, they are two tools that
teachers have been using for some years and not new or emerging technologies.
For this indicator I composed some questions and sent them to teachers through a google
form (figure 2) for them to answer that relates to PLCs and more professional development
opportunities regarding technology. The first question was “Would you like to see more
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professional development opportunities that are related to emerging technology?”. The teachers
responded saying that they would like to know if there are other technology apps and tools
available to students that will keep them engaged. Some of the tools that the students use now
can become redundant and boring after a while. One teacher mentioned that they wish they could
collaborate with other teachers from other schools to see what they are using. We have noticed
that not all schools use the same technology tools. Another teacher mentioned that they would
rather have school level PLCs to focus on supporting the teacher in the classroom and strategies
to help specific difficulties. The next question that was asked was “Would you like for some of
the PLCs to be virtual?”. Some teachers stated that they like attending face to face PLCs. It
allows for them to brainstorm about curriculum and determine what is needed to meet the
learning needs of their students. One teacher even mentioned that it is easier to collaborate with
someone in person rather than virtual because of the presence felt in the room. Other teachers
said no because of fear of being required to stay after school to complete these sessions.
According to McConnell, Parker, & Eberhardt, 2013, PLCs are more effective in
improving instruction and student achievement when there are collaborative efforts extended
over time. Research has shown that many teachers prefer professional learning opportunities that
focus on practical classroom strategies targeting their specific needs rather than generic
opportunities (McConnell, Parker, & Eberhardt, 2013). A study depicted how two groups of K-
12 teachers from across Michigan enrolled professional developments for the implementation of
inquiry-based science learning. One group enrolled in virtual PLCs and another group of teachers
attended face to face professional development. One of the findings that I found interesting was
that both groups expressed the importance of meeting with colleagues from other schools as a
factor that influenced the nature of the discussion during the PLCs. According to the article,
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teachers felt when collaborating with colleagues from their own building they can tend to get off
task. Whereas, collaborating with teachers from other buildings they can in a sense be more
focused. This can be important especially when trying to learn new technology tools and
applications. Teachers and leaders need to be present and willing to actively participate during
the PLCs without distractions. However, the results from the study did not show virtual or face to
face PLCs to be inferior to the other. Therefore, I would like to ask my principal if we are able to
schedule a PLC with another school during normal hours so we could collaborate regarding
The third indicator under the connected learner standard for educational leaders’ states
that leaders should use technology to regularly engage in reflective practices that support
personal and professional growth. One of the most beneficial traits that leaders and teachers can
have is to be a reflective practitioner. To do so, they must be able to learn through their
experiences and mistakes to grow and develop from it. John Dewey states reflective thinking is a
process of giving meaning in which a person can move from one experience to another with a
deeper understanding of their relationship with a previous one (Gheith & Aljaberi, 2018).
Leaders should constantly think about ways they can be a better leader, how they can lead by
example, as well as how they can model growth. With the ever-evolving world and technology,
leaders must evolve with the times as well. This means to think of ways that they can modernize
their traditional approaches of assisting teachers in engaging and teaching students. This in my
goals is important for leaders. Therefore, they should define their purpose and goals for
reflection. Leaders can take notes using digital platforms after conferences so that they are able
to look back on any key points and takeaways from that conference. They can also log any
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concerns that teachers have so that they can figure out ways to address them. When leaders have
all of that data so to speak, they can use tech tools to reflect on the evidence and plan actions.
The findings can also be shared so leaders can collaborate on the reflections with teachers using
Indicator four states that educational leaders must develop the skills needed to lead and
navigate change, advance systems, and promote a mindset of continuous improvement for how
technology can improve learning. When I read this indicator, I felt that it reiterated what the first
three indicators broke down. To be able to navigate change and promote a mindset of continuous
improvement, the leader must be able to be a reflective practitioner as mentioned in the third
indicator. They should be aware of situations within their organization that need to be addressed
so that the learning of students is not affected. Also, during PLCs a leader can promote a mindset
beneficial to teachers. One way in doing this is by leading by example. If teachers can witness a
leader seeking ways to improve themselves through setting goals or professional development,
they will feel motivated as well, especially when it comes to improving learning.
After researching the five standards for educational leaders, I believe that for me this
standard was one of the less difficult ones to understand. Two of the biggest takeaways from this
present because it provides leaders and teachers with new ways to conduct and present learning,
network with peers and experts, and make an impact beyond the classroom. As a result of my
survey that I sent to teachers I believe that sometimes as educators we become complacent and
sometimes, we need to branch out especially if it takes us out of our comfort zone. With that
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being said, I made sure to suggest for the upcoming school year that various grade levels conduct
PLCs with other schools during the day so that we can share ideas, technologies, and collaborate
Reference
Gheith, E., & Aljaberi, N. (2018). Reflective Teaching Practices in Teachers and Their Attitudes
14(3), 160–179.
McConnell, T. J., Parker, J. M., & Eberhardt, J. (2013). Virtual Professional Learning
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-012-9391-y
Porath, S., & Hagerman, D. (2021). Becoming Connected Learners through Personalized
https://doi.org/10.1080/00940771.2020.1868058
Silva-Díaz, F., Marfil-Carmona, R., Narváez, R., Silva Fuentes, A., & Carrillo-Rosúa, J. (2023).
Appendix
Figure 1