Systemic Improvement
ISTE-A Standard - Educational Administrators provide digital-age leadership and management to continuously improve the organization through the effective use of information and technology resources.
a. lead purposeful change to maximize the achievement of learning goals through the appropriate use of technology and media-rich resources
b. collaborate to establish metrics, collect and analyze data, interpret results, and share findings to improve staff performance and student learning
c. recruit and retain highly competent personnel who use technology creatively and proficiently to advance academic and operational goals
d. establish and leverage strategic partnerships to support systemic improvement
e. establish and maintain a robust infrastructure for technology including integrated, interoperable technology systems to support management, operations, teaching, and learning
For additional details, visit the ISTE web site ISTE Standards for Administrators.
a. lead purposeful change to maximize the achievement of learning goals through the appropriate use of technology and media-rich resources
b. collaborate to establish metrics, collect and analyze data, interpret results, and share findings to improve staff performance and student learning
c. recruit and retain highly competent personnel who use technology creatively and proficiently to advance academic and operational goals
d. establish and leverage strategic partnerships to support systemic improvement
e. establish and maintain a robust infrastructure for technology including integrated, interoperable technology systems to support management, operations, teaching, and learning
For additional details, visit the ISTE web site ISTE Standards for Administrators.
Pre-Assess Yourself
After reviewing the ISTE Standards for this Capstone, where do you see yourself?
Fostering Systemic Improvement
According to the Glossary of Education Reform, systemic improvement is synonymous with systemic reform and impacts multiple levels, philosophies, changes, and phases. Within every organization comes the need for change, thus impacting multiple facets of the educational landscape. In a professional learning community, the process is collaborative and comprehensive. Rarely does reform impact a single element within a system, but more a multi-faceted approach to making things better. The pursuit of systemic change within a continuous improvement process is a more accurate description.
Instructional leaders who seek change do their homework and gather data to make informed decisions. Let's engage and explore some top resources in your analysis of how to bring about Systemic Improvement.
Instructional leaders who seek change do their homework and gather data to make informed decisions. Let's engage and explore some top resources in your analysis of how to bring about Systemic Improvement.
Engage & Explore
Continuous improvement is driven by data and the conversations we have surrounding it. In this Capstone you will be asked to review data types, collection tools, and the laws and guidelines associated with educational data inquiry and access.
Teacher analysis and interpretation of indicators of student growth and performance are now a part of the culture:
Teacher analysis and interpretation of indicators of student growth and performance are now a part of the culture:
- Charting of individual student, subgroup, or whole class performance
- Pre- and post-assessments
- Progress monitoring with formative checks for understanding

Visit Thing 17: Evaluation & Assessment of the 21Things for the 21st Century Educator (21things4teachers). Review the FERPA/HIPAA resources, the data types, and the T3PD Model.
Dialogue vs. Discussion
Discussions about data should lead to data driven dialogue. Knowledge, meaning, and commitment result from dialogue around the story the data is telling.
Discussions about data should lead to data driven dialogue. Knowledge, meaning, and commitment result from dialogue around the story the data is telling.
- Dialogue is a reflective learning process, seeking to understand another’s viewpoint.
- Discussion is where participants attempt to reach decisions through voting or consensus
Explain
What types of data do you collect? Give an example of a technological means of collecting perception, process, demographic, and achievement data.
Elaborate
Explore the T3PD model
- Examine the frames and the tools/resources available to demonstrate the collection of data. Review the progress monitoring, perception, achievement, and demographics frames.
- Model/demonstrate the use of the data collection using tools found in the T3PD model with staff.
- Present your information using an innovative method:
- Create your own PlayPosit, Teachem, BlendSpace, or PhotoPeach to embed questions in content.
- Follow-Up: Challenge staff to try 1-3 new tools in their classroom. .
Dig Deeper
Go above and beyond by exploring possible resources for your transformation:
Go above and beyond by exploring possible resources for your transformation:
- Explore MISchoolData or your local data warehouse, student information system, or classroom/building/district data sets.
- Engage staff in the data driven dialogue process of making predictions, observations, and inferences
- Explore PD Opportunities for your staff with 21things4teachers, including an overview of using spreadsheets and charts in Thing 18: Dig the Data
Evaluate
Watch the FERPA 101 video and complete the embedded quiz questions. As you complete your task, consider how you or your staff could use a tool like PlayPosit to create your own interactive experience. If prompted, use the following link and the Code: 190159-371882
Next, complete the FERPA/HIPAA Quiz with staff, and review the answers.
Next, complete the FERPA/HIPAA Quiz with staff, and review the answers.
ISTE Essential Conditions |
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Reflect on your own readiness to support continuous systemic improvement in your building/district as related to this ISTE-A Standard.
- ISTE defines Essential Conditions, 14 critical elements necessary to effectively leverage technology for learning. They offer educators and school leaders a research-backed framework to guide implementation of the ISTE Standards,tech planning and systemwide change. How many of these 14 elements are in place in your building/district?
- What are some challenges you see in moving forward? Define your own strengths for leadership in this area.
- Discuss personnel needs related to FERPA or additional technology professional learning in these areas including data proficiency.
- Does your technology infrastructure support your vision and goals?
Post-Assess Yourself
After completing the activities for this Capstone, where do you see yourself?

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