home

Professional Development Plan for Integrating Educational Technology "Digital Toolbox for 21st Century Learning"  Multimedia and ICT in the classroom

“Effective eLearning comes from using information communications technology (ICT) to broaden educational opportunity and help students develop the skills they—and their countries—need to thrive in the 21st century. An emerging body of evidence suggests that eLearning can deliver substantial positive effects:
 * Students are more engaged and able to develop 21st century skills.
 * Teachers have a more positive attitude toward their work and are able to provide more personalized learning.
 * Family interaction and parental involvement may increase.
 * Communities benefit from bridging the digital divide.
 * Economically disadvantaged students and children with disabilities benefit particularly.
 * Economic progress can result from direct job creation in the technology industry as well as from developing a better educated workforce.”

[|The Positive Impact of eLearning]

The focus of this series of professional development sessions will be developing the confidence of teachers to embrace technology that can enhance teaching and learning in their classrooms. By providing teachers with the knowledge of tools that are available, examples of how they may be used and opportunities to reflect and discuss their practice, it is hoped that they will give their students increasing numbers of opportunities to demonstrate their learning using digital tools. It is also proposed that teachers working collaboratively will determine the ways in which these tools can be used most effectively to engage students in meaningful and productive learning across the curriculum.

Teachers will be encouraged to create their own blog (Wordpress, Tumblr, Weebly, Edublogs or Google Site) for reflection as life-long learners during the course. We would like to offer a range of alternative tools for teachers to use and ask them to reflect on which they prefer for specific purposes. A collaborative wiki could be used for teachers to share their ideas about teaching and learning strategies and the most appropriate tools to use. Beginning of each session could include time for participants to share what they have discovered in the interim - a new tool, teaching/learning strategy, reflection or challenge.