Working on ISTE Standard 1-6: Creative Communicator has helped me with my understanding of how students can use technology not only to share information but to craft meaningful, audience-focused messages. What stood out most in this section was the emphasis on choice, clarity, and audience. Both of the videos I reviewed reinforced this point. In Digital Storytelling in the Classroom with Victoria Thompson, students used multiple forms of media, such as images, narration, and video, to design and share narratives. This reminded me that when students are offered a choice of tools, they take more ownership of their work and think more intentionally about how best to express their ideas. Similarly, the Customizing Platforms and Tools video highlighted the importance of students evaluating which digital platform will help them achieve their goals. I believe that having that intentional selection process is a crucial skill that goes beyond technology and into strategic communication.
My other resource choices added valuable strategies and classroom applications. Canva, for example, allows students to visually design messages and share them in polished formats. Creative Educator’s lesson plans and the list of digital storytelling tools provide concrete ways to expand student choice, showing me how simple it can be to build communication options into lessons. The ISTE blog post on innovative approaches showed practical classroom examples of students moving beyond slideshows to create podcasts, videos, and interactive presentations. Finally, ISTE’s own instructional ideas emphasize that creativity and audience awareness must be woven into instruction across subjects.
What I take away from this standard is that communication in today’s classroom is no longer limited to writing essays or giving oral presentations. Instead, students can combine text, visuals, video, sound, and interactivity to make their learning visible in authentic ways. They also learn to tailor their work for a specific audience, whether their audience is their classmates, parents, or a broader online community. I appreciate that the standard also emphasizes responsible remixing. Students can build on existing content ethically, which mirrors real-world practices of collaboration and adaptation.
Moving forward, I really want to integrate choice boards for student projects, allowing learners to decide whether to present through a video, infographic, podcast, or digital story. I also want to incorporate feedback opportunities, so students refine their communication before publishing. By using tools like Canva and the digital storytelling platforms I explored, I can provide both structure and flexibility, and build scaffolding communication skills while encouraging creativity.
Overall, this section of the portfolio reminded me that effective communication is both a skill and an art. By designing lessons that let students explore multiple platforms, create original or remixed content, and present to authentic audiences, I can help them grow not only as learners but as communicators ready for the digital world.
References
Thompson, V. (2022, October 13). Digital Storytelling in the Classroom with Victoria Thompson, M S [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E94fFOJHv3M YouTube
ISTE. (2024, July 20). Customizing Platforms and Tools (ISTE Standards for Students) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYcUBjzciKE YouTube
Canva. (n.d.). Canva Education – Free for K-12 Teachers & Students. https://www.canva.com/education/ SOUTH BRUNSWICK SCHOOLS K5 TECH WEEBLY+1
Creative Educator / Tech4Learning. (n.d.). Digital Storytelling Lesson Plans. https://creativeeducator.tech4learning.com/lessons/digital-storytelling/ WeVideo+1
Pappas, C. (2025, March 11). 18 free digital storytelling tools for teachers and students. eLearning Industry. https://elearningindustry.com/18-free-digital-storytelling-tools-for-teachers-and-students WeVideo
ISTE (UNC/Chapel Hill). (n.d.). ISTE Student Standard 6: Creative Communicator – Instructional Ideas. https://iste.web.unc.edu/standards/creative-communicator/ ISTE+1
ISTE. (n.d.). Innovative Approaches Inspire Students to Be Creative Communicators. ISTE Blog. https://iste.org/blog/standards-spotlight-innovative-approaches-inspire-students-to-be-creative-communicators
WeVideo. (2023, January 15). Digital storytelling lesson plans. https://www.wevideo.com/blog/digital-storytelling-wevideo