Transform Learning Through Technology: A Guide to the ISTE Standards for Coaches

Introduction

The instructional technology coach is the critical lever in ensuring high-impact transformational learning with digital technology. The effective coach, personified in the ISTE Standards for Coaches, is the person who empowers and inspires educators, education leaders and students to harness technology to improve pedagogy and reach higher learning goals. The coach’s role has dramatically evolved since this position was initially implemented in schools. The ISTE Standards for Coaches (2019), reflect the characteristics, activities, philosophies and dispositions of today’s instructional technology coach and those needed for future practice in this evolving role.

These standards were developed through close investigation of the learning sciences of how students and adults learn, and with research evidence and practitioner experience on effective practices, to ensure that learning with technology is high-impact learning that’s sustainable, scalable and equitable for all.

The Evolving Role of the Instructional Technology Coach

The inclusion of digital technology had a destabilizing effect on educational approaches in traditional schools and classrooms. As early technologies seeped from the surrounding society into schools, a need emerged for someone to guide how, when and why to incorporate technology into the curriculum. Educational strategies and methods had to be examined. This led to the role of the technology facilitator in schools. This role has greatly changed over a relatively short time. This evolution of the role of coach can be seen in the ISTE Standards for Coaches (2019), which followed the ISTE Standards for Coaches (2011) and the ISTE Standards for Technology Facilitators (2001). Across schools and districts, the role of coach has been reimagined several times due to changes in teaching strategies, technology, society and new knowledge from the learning sciences. These changes can be broadly categorized as three phases. See Figure 1.

Figure 1. The Changing Role of Instructional Technology Coach.

Phase One: Technology Facilitator

The early thinking was that teachers could be supported by showing them how to use well-publicized programs, such as Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint. By teaching them to use these tools, they would be able to show students how to use them. This technocentric phase lasted for a few years before it became clear that this model was not working, as educators were not implementing technology in the classroom.

Phase Two: Past Coaching Role

The name shifted to coach from the business and management sector (Smither & Reilly, 2001) as it was recognized that educators needed higher quality professional development. The focus was on the role of the technology coach to show teachers how to consider technology alongside teaching practice. This was a major change in thinking as this was connecting technology and pedagogy. However, this approach was one of the technology coach as the director of learning. The coach would inform the teachers of what strategy and technology they should be using and support teachers in doing that. This included developing and maintaining communication with teachers, managing assessment and materials and conducting training sessions (Rivera, Burley, & Sass, 2004). The focus was often in support of current school/district initiatives and reforms.

Phase Three: Today and Future Coaches

This final phase involves a great many changes that include research-based best practices on adult learning for effective professional development that causes a shift in practices, philosophies, goals and dispositions of instructional technology coaches. The shift resulted from a better understanding of job-embedded professional development and research showing that situational learning activities successfully transform teaching (Wesely & Plummer, 2007). This brought about more modeling and collaborative supportive practices. This coach works in collaboration with both educators and educational leaders, listening to their needs and developing relevant professional development opportunities. This coach also uses iterative, cyclical coaching frameworks to provide ongoing support and development strategies. Table 1 provides an overview of the shifting role of the technology coach.

Table 1. Three Phases in the Changing Role of the Technology Coach

The ISTE Standards for Coaches (2019) take into account these new understandings, providing a set of seven standards with indicators that provide specific examples of what it looks like for a coach to meet each standard. The standards include factors that ensure they remain up to date and relevant. The ISTE Standards for Coaches are goals for coaches to reach to ensure they’re supporting educators, education leaders and students in using technology for high-impact practices.

Characterizing the Coaching Standards

This section of the booklet unpacks each of the seven standards to outline the meaning behind the text. This will help educators understand the standards and how to best apply them to their