ISTE Standards for Educators: The Learner (source:
https://www.iste.org/standards/for-educators)
Educators continually improve their practice by learning from and with
others and exploring proven and promising practices that leverage technology to
improve student learning. Educators:
Ø 1a Set professional learning goals to explore and
apply pedagogical approaches made possible by technology and reflect on their
effectiveness.
Ø 1b Pursue professional interests by creating and
actively participating in local and global learning networks.
Ø 1c Stay current with research that supports improved
student learning outcomes, including findings from the learning sciences.
Educators should model a
life-long learner standard. Part of this is setting educational goals. Teachers
should set new goals each year. If you are not sure where to start, reading is
always a good place. Reading new material can lead to improving current
classroom practices and inspire one to try new things, and it is a great place
to start with setting new goals.
Read everything you have time
for related to your educational discipline. This can include blogs and wikis
but also research. If you have more time, read material related to other educational
disciplines to stretch yourself. If you are an elementary math teacher,
learning more complex mathematical concepts may inspire how you teach the basics.
Also, read about educational standards and practices in other countries.
Finally, decide what is most
important to you this year. The article “Goal-Setting for Teacher: 8 Paths to
Self-Improvement” at cultofpedagogy.com
provide some good starting points.
When you consider a PLN, think
not just what you can get from it but what you have to offer. If you are an
experienced teacher, you have a great deal to share and you can help mentor
less experienced teachers. Teachers love
to teach, right? What better way is there than to share all that you have
learned through your joys and struggles to help others become better teachers
themselves?
If you are a member of ISTE, you
probably are already aware of the PLNs available through the organization. That
is a wonderful place to start. Periodically, you want to revisit the Learning Networks
page to see what is new and what meets your needs in the place you currently
are. The key to meeting the ISTE Learn standard requires more than just
membership; it requires meaningful participation. If online PLN’s are not what
works for you, consider joining or starting one at your school or campus. You can
invite educators in your school and neighboring schools.
1c Stay Current with Research
If you have been reading to
set your goals for the year, you already have this one covered. Choosing what
research to read can be an overwhelming task. I recommend not going it alone. One
thing you might do is ask members of your PLN to read different sources and
then come together to share what you have learned. You can do this face-to-face
or using a blog or wiki. If you are someone who prefers to work alone, limit
your research choices to one specific area at a time. Read the abstracts
carefully so you know if a research study is right for you. Finally, if you do
not have the time to read a whole article or study, read just the introduction
and the conclusions.
Perhaps your professional
goal for this year will be to become more active in a PLN, or even start one so
that you can stay current with best practices in your field of education.
·
The Library of
Congress Research Tools at loc.gov
·
ISTE Professional
Learning Networks at iste.org
·
Education PLNs on
Pinterest
·
Goal-Setting for
Teacher: 8 Paths to Self-Improvement at cultofpedagogy.com
