ISTE Standards to Develop Dalian

1) Crompton (2023) & The Dalian Digital Divide

Crompton’s (2023) article,the review provides empirical evidence that specific ISTE-algigned practices lead to measurable learning gains. The ISTE standard 2.5- Designer: Research emphasizes moving away from passive consumption and towards students using technology to create and construct knowledge.Students engaged in active knowledge construction experience empowerment and a sense of fulfillment. Crompton notes that when educators design authentic learning activities that align with content standards, students show higher engagement and academic growth.

ISTE standard 2.7- Analyst: An emphasis on data to guide instruction, using technology to provide immediate feedback and using that data to personalize instruction is a powerfully effective practice. The research shows feedback from tech tools can help students’ identify mistakes, measure knowledge, and formulate future learning pathways.

Connecting to Dalian’s Digital Divide, my survey discovered a major outcome divide, where students are stuck at a 1.7/5 score for creative production. Students are still primarily using technology for passive consumption and utilizing technology to complete traditional learning tasks in only a new format. This reflects what Magana (2017) categorizes as Translational Learning (T1), specifically the Automation stage, where digital tools are used to perform established teaching and learning tasks without fundamentally enhancing or reaching a higher level of cognitive complexity. This research serves as supporting evidence to provide with administrator’s at schools that technology won’t be purchased just for watching videos, but adopted because research proves student-led activities are what drive the learning gains our district seeks. Additionally, national policy demands a shift toward innovation. According to the CPC Central Committee and State Council (2025), China’s primary educational objective is to establish a high-quality system by 2035 that fosters a 'steady stream of outstanding, innovative individuals.

2) Gonzales (2019) & 1:1 Initiatives

The Gonzales (2019) article highlights school leaders managing a 1:1 laptop initiative in school is often met with struggles around the financial sustainability and expectations rather than just technical implementation. The American schools that participated in the Gonzales article had similar experiences of after the initial purchase of equipment for 1:1 laptops was met with the challenge of sufficient funds each year to maintain or upgrade in the future. While some schools were able to be creative with allocating funds and taking pro-active measures to upgrade the equipment as the budget allowed, it is insightful and necessary for a budget to be planned for when purchasing and maintaining a 1:1 initiative. The ISTE Education Leader Standards provide support for implementing the finances, as well as sustaining a Technology Integration Plan with teachers, leaders, and the community.

ISTE 3.2 Visionary Planner: Having a specific budget and a strategic plan for implementation is crucial. This plan will need to be school/ organization specific and is inclusive of timelines for teacher training on specific technologies, implementation of new technologies, integration policy, communicating with stakeholders, how to evaluate progress, and opportunities for sharing success. An emphasis for Dalian schools is production activities rather than implementation of devices.

ISTE 3.3 Empowering Leader: Empowering educators to exercise agency, build leadership skills, and professional learning opportunities. 90% of teachers surveyed in my district were willing to mentor other teachers if the digital mentor program was initiated. Focusing on teacher training, professional development communities, and evaluation systems that foster growth, inspire a culture of innovation a creation and collaboration are imperative for growing

3) ISTE Standards & Essential Conditions to Address Inequity

For Students

1.3 Knowledge Constructor: I will use this to show parents and community members that the goal is for students to "critically curate resources" to solve local problems. This addresses the 33% "fear of scams" found in my community survey by building digital competence.

For Educators

2.4 Collaborator: I will use this to frame the Digital Mentor program, encouraging teachers to learn alongside students.

For Leaders

3.1 Digital Citizen Advocate: I advocate that all students engage in the active use of technology for learning and build their digital citizenship skills. Ensure students without home laptops can still achieve high-level T2 production.

Leveraging ISTE Essential Conditions

For this technology integration plan to come to fruition a shared Vision and implementation planning are needed. Aligning our the plan with the China 2035 goals, we create a sense of urgency. We can then use the Technical Support condition to address the the areas teachers requested support in such as AI supportive tools and multi-media creation/ editing in their survey responses.

Resources:

CPC Central Committee, & State Council. (2025, January 20).China unveils blueprint for building strong education system by 2035 https://english.www.gov.cn/policies/latestreleases/202501/20/content_WS678d85c6c6d0868f4e8eef83.html

Crompton, H. (2023). Evidence of the ISTE standards for educators leading to learning gains. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 39(4), 201-219.   Evidence of the ISTE Standards for Educators Leading to Learning.pdf

Gonzales, M. M. (2020). School technology leadership vision and challenges: Perspectives from American school administrators. International Journal of Educational Management, 34(4), 697-708. School_technology_leadership_vision_and.pdf

Helen Crompton (2023) Evidence of the ISTE Standards for Educators leading to learning gains, Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 39:4, 201-219, DOI: 10.1080/21532974.2023.2244089

Magana, S. (2017). Disruptive Classroom Technologies: A Framework for Innovation in Education. Thousand Oaks: Corwin. Magana Chapter 2.pdf