ISTE Endorses IWitness for Another Two Years

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) has once again awarded IWitness its Seal of Alignment for another two years, recognizing IWitness’s focus on building students’ technology skills according to ISTE Standards.

IWitness first received the ISTE “Proficient” Seal of Alignment in 2013 when it the site first launched in beta. A score of Proficient indicates that IWitness offers flexible implementation and provides opportunities to practice the skills and knowledge necessary to meet the ISTE Standards.

ISTE is the creator and steward of the definitive education technology standards in the United States. Its mission is “to empower learners to flourish in a connected world by cultivating a passionate professional learning community, linking educators and partners, leveraging knowledge and expertise, advocating for strategic policies, and continually improving learning and teaching.”

ISTE Standards stress creativity and innovation, communication and collaboration, research and information fluency, and critical thinking, problem solving and decision making. By integrating testimony-based education with the development of digital literacy and other 21st-century competencies, IWitness encourages critical thinking and self-reflection, and helps students get a sense of their own place in history and of the profound impact their words and actions can have on the lives of others. As of May 2015, IWitness has engaged 32,000 students and 8,000 educators from 59 countries and all 50 states.

USC Shoah Foundation education staff said the ISTE Seal of Alignment indicates that IWitness is an effective tool for educating students about not just the Holocaust and genocide, but also developing their critical thinking, empathy, digital literacy and other 21st-century competencies.

“USC Shoah Foundation is honored to receive the ISTE Seal of Alignment,” said IWitness manager Jenna Leventhal. “Three years after its launch, IWitness continues to engage students and educators around the world and encourage today’s students to be productive, responsible global citizens.”