1

ISTE Standard 5 Connected Learner

Ebony Dixon

EDIT*760*D1 Instructional Tech Leadership - 24/SP

March 26, 2024

 2

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

promote ongoing professional learning for themselves and others.

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

individualized pacing of instruction to computer-based instruction, to interest-oriented class time

like digital games (Porath & Hagerman, 2021). Being that connected learning is a specialized

form of personalized learning that includes an emphasis on relationships and personal

connections. It is important that educational leaders provide tools, resources, support, and

professional development opportunities for teachers to learn ways to make instruction more

personalized and learner centered.

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
 3

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

importance of incorporating emerging technologies such as virtual and augmented reality,

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.

Therefore, promoting a more in-depth comprehension of scientific and technological concepts,

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
 4

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

necessary when working with technology.

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
 5

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,
 6

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

instruction and technology.

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

opinion is where having reflective approaches is important. As previously mentioned, setting

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
 7

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

tech tools (Gheith & Aljaberi, 2018).

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

of continuous improvement by providing professional developments based on concepts that are

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

standard is the importance of engaging in reflective practice as well as the importance of

participating in professional developments. However, the inclusion of technology must be

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
 8

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

with one another.

 9

Reference

Gheith, E., & Aljaberi, N. (2018). Reflective Teaching Practices in Teachers and Their Attitudes

toward Professional Self-Development. International Journal of Progressive Education,

14(3), 160–179.

McConnell, T. J., Parker, J. M., & Eberhardt, J. (2013). Virtual Professional Learning

Communities: Teachers’ Perceptions of Virtual versus Face-to-Face Professional

Development. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 22(3), 267–277.

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-012-9391-y

Porath, S., & Hagerman, D. (2021). Becoming Connected Learners through Personalized

Learning. Middle School Journal, 52(2), 26–37.

https://doi.org/10.1080/00940771.2020.1868058

Silva-Díaz, F., Marfil-Carmona, R., Narváez, R., Silva Fuentes, A., & Carrillo-Rosúa, J. (2023).

Introducing Virtual Reality and Emerging Technologies in a Teacher Training STEM

Course. Education Sciences, 13(10), 1044. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13101044

 10

Appendix

Figure 1