Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.
1.3.a: Effective Research Strategies: plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits.
1.3.b: Evaluate Information: evaluate the accuracy, perspective, credibility and relevance of information, media, data or other resources.
1.3.c: Curate Information: curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and methods to create collections of artifacts that demonstrate meaningful connections or conclusions.
1.3.d: Explore Real World Issues: build knowledge by actively exploring real-world issues and problems, developing ideas and theories and pursuing answers and solutions.
ISTE Standard 1:3 (Knowledge Constructor) focuses on educators helping students use technology to find, evaluate, and create information. Teachers model how to use digital tools for research, critical thinking, and knowledge creation, guiding students to be effective and responsible technology users.
The four videos above describe ISTE Knowledge Constructor Standards 3a–3d. They emphasize helping students engage deeply with information by planning and employing effective research strategies, critically evaluating the accuracy and credibility of sources, curating meaningful collections of knowledge, and exploring real-world issues to develop practical solutions. Through collaborative projects, such as researching diverse topics, creating digital stories, or designing solutions like prosthetics, students learn how to gather, organize, and share relevant information, all while honing critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills. These standards guide students to not only seek out and use reliable information but also to synthesize it creatively and apply it to real-world contexts.
Harmon 2023 at Apple Education sums up how to help our students be knowledge constructors in one word.....MODEL! We can't just assume that our students know how to use the technology. While most of our students can teach us a thing or two about technology, most times, they still need support when learning a new program. By teaching them how to use programs (like the examples provided below), we are teaching them how to research and gain knowledge about different topics and use that knowledge to CREATE things using their creativity and knowledge gained through research.
WeVideo (2021) explains that ISTE Standard 1:3 teaches students to use digital tools to curate resources and artifacts and express their ideas clearly. They develop skills in researching, evaluating, and organizing information for meaningful learning. They stress the importance of this being a skill we must TEACH our students first.
Google Classroom supports ISTE Standard 1:3 by enabling students to gather resources, create, and work with peers using a variety of digital tools. It helps students organize materials, produce creative work, and collaborate in "real-time." Additionally, it allows for personalized learning paths allowing teachers to create/share differentiated assignments, and provide real-time feedback. This fosters meaningful, interactive learning that encourages reflection and deeper understanding of content.
Kahoot! supports ISTE Standard 1:3 by providing a platform where students can actively participate in creating, curating, and collaborating on learning activities while receiving immediate feedback to foster deeper understanding and reflection.
Padlet supports ISTE Standard 1:3 by enabling students to create digital content, collaborate with others, and provide feedback through interactive boards. It fosters collaboration in both group and independent work, allowing students to brainstorm and engage in project-based learning. Padlet encourages creativity and offers an interactive learning experience that helps students curate and reflect on content.
Canva supports ISTE Standard 1:3 by allowing students to take their research or knowledge gained and create digital content, organize their information, and collaborate with others (or work independently). Students can create presentations, posters, and videos fostering their sense of creativity and expression. Students can work in real time making this experience more meaningful and interactive.
Augusta University. (2023, September). Overview of ISTE Student Standards [Video]. D2L.
Google. (n.d.). Classroom help center. Google. https://support.google.com/edu/classroom/answer/6020279?hl=en#:~:text=You%20can%20use%20Classroom%20in,class%20stream%20or%20by%20email
Harmon, J. (2023, March 23). Sketchnoting to unpack the ISTE standards for educators & students. Apple Education Community. Retrieved March 21, 2025, from https://education.apple.com/story/250010740
Icons8. (n.d.). Canva icon. Icons8. https://icons8.com/icon/n5SduwU2J7N1/canva
Icons8. (n.d.). Google Classroom icon. Icons8. https://icons8.com/icon/TjZrOqmRckHa/google-classroom
Icons8. (n.d.). Kahoot icon. Icons8. https://icons8.com/icon/y5mRGbmVdnQz/kahoot
ISTE. (n.d.). ISTE official [YouTube channel]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@ISTEofficial
International Society for Technology in Education. (2025). ISTE standards for students. ISTE. https://iste.org/standards/students
Student Technology Leadership Program. (n.d.). Projects. Kentucky Department of Education. Retrieved March 21, 2025, from https://stlp.education.ky.gov/STLP_info/projects/
WeVideo. (2021, December 8). ISTE standards: Strategies for modern learning. WeVideo. https://www.wevideo.com/blog/iste-standards-strategies-for-modern-learning