AASL and ISTE Standards Through the Eyes of a Newbie
August 25, 2021
Adjusting to the shift from classroom teacher to library media specialist has proved to be full of new experiences. One such point of growth comes regarding the standards dictating the expectations for my lessons with my elementary learners. As a classroom teacher, all instruction was standards or progression based and worked towards mastery of a specific skill. In the library setting, The American Association of School Librarian's National School Library Standards in conjunction with the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards provide a guideline for learners of all levels.
Both sets of standards have been developed to help guide the instruction of students to achieve real-world skills. In all honesty, I have a long way to go before I feel confident implementing either set of standards. Based on my limited understanding of these standards, the AASL National School Library Standards embody an overarching inquiry or project-based learning approach where the students are masters of their own learning, and the ISTE standards focus on tangible steps of the learning process. Looking at the standards from a lesson planning standpoint, I find that the ISTE standards are more focused, whereas the AASL standards provide vague guidance that requires purposeful planning and a determined understanding of the standard and its implications to achieve.
Although they vary in wording and expectations, I believe the two sets of standards could be used in conjunction to create an effective pathway. Both encourage student voice and choice and the exploration of real-world problems. The school librarian works as a facilitator of learning and ensures that any necessary materials or resources are available to the learners. The AASL standards would outline the goals within the inquiry-learning process, and the ISTE standards would supplement that goal with tangible steps that often include the use of technology. An example would be a lesson focusing on the Include foundation and the Create domain. The AASL standards encourage learners to interact with, evaluate, and represent varied perspectives. The ISTE standards ask learners to utilize collaborative technology to network and learn about other perspectives. These two sets of standards align perfectly to create a project that addresses a real-world situation and takes advantage of technology in order to interact with other perspectives. A simple application of this standard could be studying schools around the world. Students could reflect on their own educational experiences, then use technology to learn more about the experiences of others. They could research schools and perhaps even connect with students or teachers in other parts of the world to gain a new perspective.
I personally believe that understanding and applying both sets of standards when designing my lesson plans would allow me to create complex thinkers and problem solvers who know how to interact with information. This feeds right into our Profile of a South Carolina Graduate and would teach skills that will serve students throughout their lives.
Resources
AASL. (2021, January 11). National school library standards. American Association of School Librarians.
Retrieved August 25, 2021, from https://standards.aasl.org/
ISTE. (2021). ISTE standards for students. International Society for Technology in Education. Retrieved August 25,
SCASA Superintendents’ Roundtable. (n.d.). Profile of the South Carolina graduate. https://ed.sc.gov/about/profile-of-sc-graduate/
For more information check out these sites:
Congratulations on your new adventure as a school librarian! I was a classroom teacher for three years before I switched to the library, and it took me the full three years to truly start to understand my content area standards! The AASL and ISTE standards are even more involved than the ones I knew for my music classes, so I also have a long way to go before I feel comfortable with them. Sometimes it can be easy to get overwhelmed because I want to be relevant in every content area. Some areas are easier for us to be a part of than others, but I think that the combination of the very detailed and organized AASL and ISTE standards makes that easier for us. I love your connection to the Profile of a South Carolina Graduate. One more set of standards to cross reference, but another great guideline for librarians!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Hannah! After being so familiar with my content area standards as a third grade teacher, I feel like I've been knocked off balance with AASL and ISTE. I look forward to trying new lessons and ideas as I try to understand and implement them appropriately. I just have to keep affording myself grace and reminding myself I don't have to be an expert yet.
DeleteI love that you brought up the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate! Based on the current workforce, it is so important that we prepare students to analyze material (particularly digital) to make their own decisions. The AASL and ISTE Standards do seem to complement each other well and provide the necessary guidance for developing these skills in students. I completely understand your thoughts about transitioning from strictly academic standards, and I think that they can definitely still guide us in the use of AASL and ISTE Standards. I can only imagine how different it will be addressing the needs of students from many different grade levels, and I'm sure that you will do a great job combining the standards to prepare your students for the future!
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Ford
Elizabeth, thank you so much for your encouraging words! It is certainly daunting trying to find ways to implement these standards when I teach students ranging from 3 to 11 years old every day. I know it will take some creative thinking on my part, but I do love a challenge!
DeleteAs someone who will (hopefully) soon be making the transition from classroom teacher to school librarian, I really appreciated and enjoyed your post! I loved the idea that you provided in this blog post about combining the AASL and ISTE standards to possibly connect your students to teachers and students in other parts of the world. That would be such a neat and meaningful experience for them that also helps to build the skills outlined in each set of standards. In the feature article by Mary Lou Caron O'Connor in our reading for this week, she describes how she uses a menu format in order to engage students and give them choice. It is always so encouraging to read ideas from fellow educators! Congratulations on your new venture! I look forward to following along on your journey through your blog posts!
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