CHEYENNE – One hundred Wyoming educators will have the opportunity to earn the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Certification for Educators with financial support from the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE). The certification is the only competency-based certification focused on digital-age teaching practices.
Today’s students are “digital natives,” but need skilled educators who can channel their use of technology for high impact learning. For success in their future, students need to be creators, not just consumers of technology, use digital tools to solve open-ended problems, work in design teams to address real-world issues, and communicate complex ideas that demonstrate their knowledge.
ISTE Certification for Educators training includes in-person workshops and online learning, followed by teachers applying what they have learned in the classroom. Teachers document their innovative classroom activities and submit the evidence of the activities in a portfolio as the final step to become certified. The certification process is rigorous, but Wyoming educators will be well-supported by the WDE.
The Professional Teaching Standards Board (PTSB) announced that educators who complete the ISTE Certification training are able to receive an Instructional Technology endorsement. Wyoming is leading the way as the second state in the nation to offer the endorsement after ISTE certification.
“I appreciate the collaborative efforts to recognize and create this exciting opportunity for Wyoming educators and our students,” said PTSB Executive Director Nish Goicolea.
The WDE also introduced Wyoming Digital Learning Guidelines for any educator who wants to learn more about integrating education technology to deepen student learning in their classroom. The guidelines are based on the ISTE Standards for Students. For educators interested in putting the guidelines into practical use in the classroom, the WDE will also offer a Wyoming Digital Learning Guidelines online course. The PTSB will offer .5 licensure renewal credits for educators completing the online course. Completion of the Wyoming Digital Learning Guidelines online course is a prerequisite to engaging in the ISTE certification training program. The guidelines are available digitally on the WDE website. Hard copies may be requested.
“With this financial and program support, we hope to empower Wyoming educators to embrace new trends in digital-age learning,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow. “Anytime we can support our educators in professional development and professional growth is a win for our students as well.”
ISTE developed the ISTE Standards for Students for use all over the world. These standards include “Empowered Learner,” that build student self-direction, “Computational Thinker,” and “Innovative Designer” that establish powerful problem solving skills.
“This is an exciting opportunity for educators in Wyoming,” said Carolyn Sykora, senior director ISTE Standards Program. “ISTE is proud to be working with Wyoming and we are so pleased to see the level of commitment to these educators. Wyoming is leading the country by providing support for teachers who are looking to take technology to the next level in their classrooms.”
For more information about the ISTE Certification for the Wyoming educators visit here.
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Media contact:
Michelle Panos
307-777-2053
michelle.panos1@wyo.gov
