7 ISTE Standards for Students – Learn & Grow with Skills That Matter
At Serena Skills, we believe that true success in life comes from mastering both digital fluency and real-world soft skills.That’s why our courses in communication, presentation, critical thinking, and teamwork are built upon the 7 ISTE Standards for Students – a global framework that empowers learners to become confident, responsible, and future-ready.
Each standard shows you how to:
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Each standard shows you how to:
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Use technology to express yourself clearly
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Work with others across digital platforms
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Think critically and creatively
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Become a respectful digital citizenTake charge of your own learning journey
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Explore the 7 ISTE standards below – and discover how they come to life in your Serena Skills experience!
7 ISTE Standards
for Students
The ISTE Standards for Students are a framework created by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) to guide how students use technology in learning. These standards help students become empowered learners, creative communicators, global collaborators, and responsible digital citizens. By integrating technology meaningfully, students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation skills needed to succeed in a rapidly changing world. The 7 ISTE Standards provide a clear vision of what it means to learn and thrive in the digital age — not just by consuming technology, but by using it thoughtfully and ethically.
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Image by Phanan, via Napkin.ai
Video for Visually Impaired Users
Video by ISTE website, is licensed under CC BY-SA
1. Empowered Learner
Students leverage technology to take an active role in setting their learning goals, choosing learning paths, and demonstrating their knowledge, based on learning science.
Examples:
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Example: In a presentation skills class, students record themselves speaking, track improvements over time, and use tools like Google Slides or Canva to design their speech visuals.
2. Digital Citizen
Students recognize the rights, responsibilities, and opportunities of living, learning, and working in a digital world. They act in ways that are safe, legal, and ethical.
Examples:
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In a communication skills lesson, students learn how to write respectful emails, comment constructively in online discussions, and protect their digital identity.
Video for Visually Impaired Users
Video by ISTE website, is licensed under CC BY-SA
Video for Visually Impaired Users
Video by ISTE website, is licensed under CC BY-SA
3. Knowledge Constructor
Students critically select and use digital tools to build knowledge, create original content, and design meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.
Examples:
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In a critical thinking session, students research multiple viewpoints on a topic, assess their credibility, and construct arguments based on well-sourced evidence.
Video for Visually Impaired Users
Video by ISTE website, is licensed under CC BY-SA
Video for Visually Impaired Users
Video by ISTE website, is licensed under CC BY-SA
5. Computational Thinker
Students develop strategies to understand and solve problems by applying data analysis, modeling, and algorithmic thinking.
Examples:
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In a critical thinking task, students break down a failed conversation into smaller elements (tone, body language, feedback) and use that to develop more effective strategies.
Video for Visually Impaired Users
Video by ISTE website, is licensed under CC BY-SA
Video for Visually Impaired Users
Video by ISTE website, is licensed under CC BY-SA
7. Global Collaborator
Students use digital tools to connect with others and work collaboratively with peers, experts, or communities from different backgrounds to solve real-world problems.
Examples:
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In a teamwork project, students co-create documents on Google Docs, leave feedback on Padlet, and engage in respectful collaboration with peers locally and globally.
