North Carolina Digital Learning Standards and the International Society for Technology in Education Standards for Students (ISTE)
ISTE Student Standards
“The State Board of Education and the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction are committed to providing personalized, digital-age education that K-12 students need to be successful in college, careers, and as globally engaged, productive citizens. For student standards in the areas of Digital Learning (K-12), North Carolina has adopted the International Society for Technology in Education Standards for Students.
Implementation of the NC Standard Course of Study for Digital Learning Grades K-12 began in the 2020-2021 school year. North Carolina’s Digital Learning Standards are designed to be delivered by classroom teachers in all curricular areas and grade levels providing students the equitable opportunity to learn in a digitally enabled classroom. The Digital Learning Standards encompass the following:
- Digital citizenship, data privacy, and cyber safety
- Digital-aged skills that enable students to be college and career ready
- Creation, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking skills
- Inquiry and design thinking learning opportunities
Supporting resources are located in the NCDLS Toolkit as well as the NCEES professional learning system and #GoOpenNC. NCBOLD professional learning sessions (includes recordings) also support educators as they implement the standards in NC classrooms. The standards are directly supported by resources available from EBSCO & Britannica via NCEdCloud. Supporting materials are located in the Resources Toolkit.”
Resource: Digital Teaching and Learning Standards from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
ISTE Educator Standards
At the April 2023 State Board of Education Meeting, the Office of Digital Teaching and Learning proposed an update to the North Carolina Digital Learning Competencies. The proposed changes were the result of 4 job-alike workgroups that included Classroom Teachers, Administrators, Coaches, and School Library Media Coordinators from each of the 8 regions. The educators on these workgroups looked at the updated North Carolina Digital Learning Plan, the North Carolina Digital Learning Standards for Students, and the North Carolina Portrait of a Graduate to ensure the updated Digital Learning Competencies aligned with these items. The State Board of Education Passed the suggested update to align with the standards created by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). This includes updates for the:
- Digital Learning Competencies for Teachers
- Digital Learning Competencies for School Administrators
- Digital Learning Competencies for Digital Learning and/or Instructional Coaches
In addition, all educators in the state of North Carolina have access to an ISTE membership. This membership provides a multitude of resources aligned to these competencies. To access this free account, go to your NCEd portal and click on the ISTE icon.
Resource: Digital Teaching and Learning Standards from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
