ISTE Standards
Educational Leaders

As an instructional designer, it is essential to be familiar with the updated version of the ISTE Standards for Educational Leaders, which were developed by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) to provide a framework for integrating technology into education leadership. These standards consist of five benchmarks that describe what education leaders should know and be able to do with technology to promote equitable, innovative, and effective teaching and learning.

The five ISTE Standards for Educational Leaders are:

1. Equity and Citizenship: Educational leaders model and promote equitable, ethical, and responsible use of technology to support positive social and community impact. They strive to ensure that technology use is inclusive and culturally responsive and promotes digital citizenship and ethical practices.
2. Visionary Planning: Educational leaders engage with stakeholders to develop a shared vision for using technology to improve learning and teaching. They use data, research, and educational trends to create a strategic plan for technology integration that aligns with the organization’s mission and goals.
3. Empowered Professional Learning: Educational leaders provide personalized, job-embedded, and collaborative professional learning opportunities that empower educators to use technology to improve student outcomes effectively. They support ongoing professional development that is relevant, accessible, and aligned with educators’ needs and interests.
4. Robust Infrastructure: Educational leaders ensure the organization’s technology infrastructure is reliable, secure, and scalable to support digital learning. They oversee the selection, implementation, and maintenance of technology tools and systems and promote the use of data to inform decision-making and continuous improvement.
5. Innovative Learning Designs: Educational leaders create and support innovative learning environments that use technology to maximize learning and teaching. They encourage the use of technology tools and resources to personalize learning, foster creativity and collaboration, and prepare students for future careers and civic engagement.

By understanding and applying the ISTE Standards for Educational Leaders, instructional designers can collaborate effectively with education leaders to develop and implement technology-enabled learning environments that support student success and organizational growth. The ISTE Standards for Educational Leaders provide a roadmap for leveraging technology in education leadership, and instructional designers can play a key role in translating these standards into practice.