Blog Post #1: AASL and ISTE Standards

Throughout my time as an early childhood educator, the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards weren’t something I encountered often, at least not until I began working toward my first master’s degree in Instructional Technology at Coastal Carolina University. Before then, I wasn’t fully aware of their purpose or importance, which, looking back, feels like a missed opportunity.

As I aspire to become an elementary school librarian, I now understand the importance of both the ISTE and AASL (American Association of School Librarians) standards in supporting learners at various developmental levels and abilities. In my experience, some younger students arrive at school already confident in using a keyboard, while others act as if they’ve never seen one before. This range of digital readiness underscores the importance of having a standards-based approach in place. As a future school librarian or media specialist, integrating both ISTE and AASL standards can help bridge those gaps.

The AASL framework is newer to me, but learning more about its structure, connecting the learner, the school librarian, and the school library program, has been incredibly valuable. One idea that stood out was the concept of offering an "appealing menu" of digital literacy tools and resources. It was eye-opening and made me think deeply about how this idea could be applied to younger learners.

I loved the quote in the KQ article:

"Think of life as a menu; trying new things is how you will discover interests, genres, strengths, weaknesses, friends, talents—and these can grow into career choices" (Freedman & Robinson, 2019, p. 21).

This quote resonated with me because it perfectly captures the possibilities of life. I believe that sometimes, educators of young learners don’t always give them the freedom to explore and experiment, but they should. When we step outside the rigid “do this, do that” structure and offer students choice, we empower them to discover what they’re good at. Self-discovery is powerful and can shape not only how they learn but also who they become.

ISTE, on the other hand, focuses specifically on technology integration, including design thinking, digital tools, computational skills, and more. While the standards have been around for a while, in my experience, they haven’t been consistently emphasized in some South Carolina schools. However, they offer teachers clear guidance and inspiration for embedding technology into learning in ways that promote creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. They also provide a framework for helping students become digital citizens, innovative designers, and empowered learners.

Although ISTE and AASL standards are different in focus, they complement each other well and should be used in tandem. In our fast-paced, technology-driven world, these two frameworks work best when aligned. Both are rooted in a shared mission: empowering students to be successful, responsible, and lifelong learners. While the content they cover may differ, their areas of learning are deeply interwoven. When used together, these standards support shared goals such as information literacy, creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and responsible participation in a digital world.

References

American Association of School Librarians: National School Library Standards. (2018, August). National School Library Standards crosswalk with ISTE Standards for students and educators. https://standards.aasl.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/180828-aasl-standards-crosswalk-iste.pdf 

Freedman, J. L., & Robinson, A. (2019). School librarians level up!. Knowledge Quest, 47(5), 10-15.

ISTE Standards. ISTE. (n.d.). https://iste.org/standards