In December 2019, I began the process of earning educator certification from International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). I was looking for a way to improve my technology skills to enhance my classes. I pinpointed ISTE professional development and applied for a grant. I was excited when I went to the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) headquarters for the two-day face to face training. I took the class with a variety of educators from all over the state of Texas. Then there were participants from Puerto Rico too. The interesting part of the training is that it is not just for classroom teachers. There were administrators, higher education instructors, technology teachers, and district personnel in the group.
The two-day training is not the only certification requirement. The training prepares educators for an interactive online class consisting of modules, materials, and assignments for each ISSTE Educator standard. A roadmap, a standard pamphlet, templates, and a handbook are provided. These materials prepare participants for the course and the documentation needed for certification. If participants work through the course and promptly complete assignments, they can get feedback on their work. Ultimately, some of these materials can become part of the portfolio.
After the online class is finished, candidates move to the next stage. This stage is the portfolio creation step. Although I thought I had researched the process, I underestimated the commitment that I would need to make progress. When I took the face-to-face training, I was confident that I would have more artifacts done by the end of the online class. I was not close to being done.
Therefore, I recommend that candidates take the time extension if they need it. Initially, I did not want to take an extension. The extension felt like a badge of shame. But I had an important deadline to meet. Candidates should not feel ashamed if they need the extension. I was not judged. In fact, early on in the process, participants receive messages telling them how to apply for the extension. I tried to avoid needing to extend, but in the end, I took it, and it relieved some of the pressure.
With this said, here are some tips for completing the portfolio. My first tip is to make friends with the people in your cohort. Exchange contact information during the two-day class. Then classmates can check each other’s work.
Next, use research skills to find tips from other people that have finished the certification process. Candidates can search for materials that have been submitted by previous ISTE certified educators. They often detail their experiences on blogs. I was inspired by the blogs that I read. But, be careful. The requirements have changed, and documents are configured differently now.
Another tip is to think about some of the materials that already exist that can be adapted. Candidates may need to teach a lesson again and change it to incorporate the standards. Reenvision what has been done through a reflective scope to finish quicker.
After the training portion of the process, it is easy for one to believe that they know how to create each standard example. When the portfolio submission site is accessible, candidates will see examples of submissions for each standard. The models are based on the subject taught and the position of the candidate. It is best to review the examples so that one can conceptualize how to create artifacts.
Candidates need plenty of feedback. There will be meetings to enable interaction with other participants and ISTE facilitators. During the meetings, participants can share an artifact and ask a specific question about it. Also, sessions will cover each standard. In conjunction with posting portfolio samples to the discussion board, these meetings can be beneficial for receiving feedback.
Review the examples in the ISTE site early because they can be quite detailed. It took me a considerable amount of time to plan activities for each standard. Then the portfolio requires participants to put the examples in a format that is easy for the reviewers to read. There must be a short narrative based on the standards’ content to explain how materials fit the criteria. I also had to edit several videos or identify specific time frames in the videos to make my examples concise for reviewers.
At the end of the process, participants will need to summarize what they have learned in a written narrative or a video. I found it easier to create the video. I recommend reviewing the summary requirements in advance and taking notes during the portfolio development.
In all, I feel like the ISTE Certified Educator process has helped me to be more mindful of my teaching and leadership practices for technology integration. Creating the portfolio forced me to spotlight my strengths and weaknesses in a way that demanded action and documentation of the steps that I took. While I passed, I will admit that I missed some standards. These are the areas that I have made it a priority to fix. If you want an honest critique of how you are utilizing technology to facilitate your school community's learning, I highly recommend that you complete the ISTE Certified Educator training.
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