Kelly Phillips
Secondary Librarian
Utahloy International School Guangzhou
Upcoming Cohorts
ISTE Certification for Educators is the only vendor-neutral, internationally recognized credential for educators who have demonstrated mastery of the ISTE Standards for Educators. ISTE Certification focuses on pedagogy, not on tools or devices, and is designed to change your educational practice, whether you’re an instructional designer, library media specialist, technology coach or in another role. The program combines 14 weeks of professional learning with a six-month portfolio application and review process, and recipients can apply to receive up to four graduate-level credits for their participation. Is it rigorous? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes!
What makes ISTE Certification unique?
- Focus on pedagogy: ISTE Certification prioritizes pedagogy over learning specific tools or devices and is designed to change your practice.
- Credible design: ISTE Certification is grounded in the ISTE Standards for Educators and is facilitated by ISTE Certified Trainers who are vetted and trained by ISTE, are experts in their field and who have demonstrated a deep understanding of the ISTE Standards in practice.
- Rigor: The program involves 14 weeks of online learning, followed by up to six months to apply learning and develop job-embedded artifacts for portfolio submission. Participants can apply for up to four graduate-level credits.
- Outcomes: ISTE Certified Educators are prepared to model effective practice for others in their schools.
- Lifelong community: ISTE Certified Educators join a global community of educators dedicated to supporting each other as they put the Educator Standards into practice.
Steps to becoming an ISTE Certified Educator
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Program Kickoff
The structure of the fully online ISTE Certified Educator Course is to blend dynamic synchronous sessions with adequate time for independent and group asynchronous work in between. The 14 week course is designed to prepare you to work on your portfolio independently (but with support from ISTE and 21C Trainers).
Note: Currently only Online Certifications are being offered due to the Pandemic. We hope to have face-to-face sessions resuming in 2022.
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Part 1: 14 Week Online Course
The 14 Week Online Course comprises 5 Synchronous sessions of 2 hours each. There are two weeks in between synchronous sessions during which there is 6-8 hours of asynchronous work.
Combined with offline work you should expect to spend approximately 40 hours in total on the 14 week online course. Actual time will vary depending on our prior experience with technology integration frameworks introduced and ISTE Standards.
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Part 2: Curation and Submission of Portfolio
After successful completion of the online learning program, you’ll have six months to prepare and submit a full portfolio, which typically takes about 40 hours to curate. During the process, you can access a certification portal with support resources, as well as a community of others seeking the ISTE Certification. Once submitted, a team of trained evaluators will review your portfolio. Successfully meet the criteria and you’ll become an ISTE Certified Educator!
Download Sample Syllabus
Why is it relevant to me?
This credential recognizes educators who understand how to use edtech for learning in meaningful and transformative ways.
Educators: Focused on Pedagogy. Based on the ISTE Standards
ISTE is focused on pedagogy, not tools. It’s not about edtech per se, it’s about what you do with the technology to transform learning and improve student outcomes.
For Classroom Educators, Coaches and Library Media Specialists
ISTE Certification helps build an educator’s professional profile and provides a digital credential to demonstrate mastery and earn recognition for his or her work in the application of the ISTE Standards, which define what it means to be a 21st century educator using technology to transform learning.
For School & District Leaders
ISTE Certification provides education leaders with a way to identify a school or district’s educators who are leading the way with digital age teaching practices and demonstrates to leaders those who have the initiative, drive and skills needed to transform, personalize and empower learning in the classroom and school. It also offers a way to recognize and support educators who are focused on growth. The certification also provides a vendor-neutral edtech credential that can be used in staff hiring decisions.
Why Get ISTE Certified?
ISTE Certification challenges you to stretch yourself as an educator and positions you as an expert among your colleagues. Becoming ISTE certified:
- Deepens and expands your teaching skill set in applying the ISTE Standards for Educators in practice.
- Allows you to earn up to four graduate-level credits.
- Connects you with an international community of education change-makers.
- Prepares you to model effective practice for others in your school or district.
- Identify yourself with the ISTE Certified Educator email signature and digital badges
Enhance your professional status and employability
With your certification in hand, you’ll earn the international recognition you deserve for your technology leadership skills. And you’ll be prepared to support your teacher network in integrating tech for all of the right reasons!
Join An Elite Group of 21CL ISTE Certified Educators
Nat Whitman
ES Librarian & Literacy Specialist
International School Bangkok
Renee Boey
Founder & Educational Director
Baker & Bloom
Katie Robbins
Grade 4 Teacher
Shanghai American School
Ximena Nunez Del Prado
IT Coordinator
Colegio Franklin Delano Roosevelt - The American School of Lima
Huda Barghouti
Technology Integration Specialist
Al Bayan Bilingual School
Ruben Jr Velarde
Director
Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.
Heather Breedlove
Digital Learning Coach
Seoul Foreign School
Agisa Abdulla
Teacher
German European School Singapore
James Knight
Digital Lead
Shrewsbury International School
Coby Reynolds
Head of Primary IT
The ISF Academy
Tyler Rumley
English Teacher
Keystone Academy
Jason Tiefel
Instructional Technology Coach
Shanghai American School (Pudong Campus)
Iulius Carebia
EdTech Coach
German European School Singapore
Troy Harkin
Instructional Coach - Technology
Shanghai American School (Puxi Campus)
Rory Bell
Year 4 Class Teacher
Kellett School
Temitope Ray-Odekeye
MYP Facilitator - Sciences
Al-Rayan International School
Carol Li
Mandarin Teacher
Discovery Bay International School
Manisha Monga
Computer Science and Lead Educational Technology Coach
Dulwich College International High School Programme--Suzhou High School
Erin Gillespie
Digital & Information Literacy Subject Leader and Teacher
German Swiss International School
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