Google and Digital Promise Team Up to Make Teachers More Tech-Savvy than Ever

Published on: 09 June 2018 Last Updated on: 24 July 2024
Digital Promise

Collaborating with innovators at Digital Promise, some brilliant minds at Google got together with some more at EdTechTeam to come up with a modern-day training program for teachers with a focus on making superb use of technology in the classroom teaching setting. This comes as much welcome news at a time when the government is launching into a cost-cutting mode for educational sectors in the USA, leaving many public schools rushing to cover their expenses for education in all fronts. The new teacher-training program announced by Google in association with Digital Promise and EdTechTeam will focus on imparting technological education for the teachers, enabling them to use that knowledge in classroom settings and to share that knowledge with educators.

The Dynamic Learning Project at a glance :

The Dynamic Learning Project (DLP) is a pilot of the teacher-training project brought to fruition by Google, Digital Promise, and EdTechTeam. The training program will focus on equipping the teachers with the necessary knowledge and resources to use technology in day-to-day classroom teaching experiences. Through the use of the technological resources at their disposal, the educators will be able to open newer vistas of knowledge for the students, thus bridging the gap between learning and technology successfully in the digital age.

50 middle schools from five states in the USA have been selected for the pilot of DLP. The states in the country that will be the first to receive the results of this unique and beneficial training program are Texas, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, California, and Alabama. If the reports from Google and EdTechTeam are to be believed, the coaches at the teacher-training program will be looking to provide customized learning solutions for teachers so that they can make the best use of technology that is available within the infrastructural framework of the schools. The DLP not only focuses on helping teachers to learn to use the Google resources, but other hardware or software platforms that are available and they are comfortable using.

Integrating learning with the assignment help of the latest technological advancements, the teachers from the 50 middle schools have started to undergo training under the able guidance of experts from EdTechTeam and Google. The disparity between the uses of technology in a traditional classroom setting has been more pronounced in the last few years despite most of the schools equipping themselves with smart learning software and hardware platforms in the country. As Liz Anderson from Google for Education states in her blog post for The Keyword, “This second-level digital divide is fueled by major differences in how effectively that technology is being used for teaching and learning.” DLP aims to overcome precisely that. By enabling the teachers to become tech-savvy within the classroom setting, the program imparts in them the invaluable knowledge of putting technology to good use so they can share that with their fellow teaching community.

What this means for educators and classroom teaching

“A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instil a love for learning.”

  • Brad Henry (American politician and lawyer)

Sometimes alluded to as the noblest profession on earth, teaching is the profession that creates all other professions. Whether we are diplomats, astronauts, dancers, chefs, or motivational speakers, all of us started from school someday, and the teachers were there for us to teach us the basics of all that we have learned so far. The significant role of the educators in our lives is thus undeniable, and the new teacher-training program launched by Google acknowledges just that. In the sphere of education, the new technical training program for teachers in the middle schools chosen for the pilot of DLP will be able to bring about a refreshing change in the way teaching was envisioned so far.

The pilot started off with Google sanctioning a $6.5 million grant to Digital Promise for conducting the research and implementing the professional skill development program for the teachers. EdTechTeam aided in creating a viable model for the training program that takes into account the resources within the school framework and the individual needs of the teachers undergoing the training program. The program has been in place since last fall, and the teachers from the schools that have selected from the programs are to be monitored and evaluated on the basis of their acceptance and performance within the existing framework. Based on the reports prepared from the pilot, Google aims to launch this program all over the country, creating a network within the teaching community for sharing knowledge on advanced technologies.

The teacher-training philosophy of the program has three fundamental benefits for the teaching community in a whole and is expected to form the foundation stone for many such innovative projects and programs in the coming years with more innovators and educators coming forward to make learning through technologies a fun and achievable reality. The primary focus of the pilot DLP thus aims at empowering teachers in the following ways.

  • Localization and empowerment within the teaching community is the first goal of this program. Through the course of the training program, teachers will be able to have in-depth knowledge on the learning resources that they have at their disposal to make classroom learning more innovative and will be able to use the resources for the completion of complex tasks as well.
    • Secondly, through the custom-made design of the program, the teachers will be able to infuse their pedagogy within the technological framework and not the other way round. This way, the challenges in the classroom will be overcome more quickly while supported by modern education technology.
  • Lastly, this program opens up a world of possibilities for further research within the educational sphere. Based on the success stories of this program, Google and its partners will be able to focus on the development of a teacher-training program in a much larger scale for the future that includes the entire country in the coming years.

Enabling the teachers to focus on equipping themselves with the resources of the modern age, this program brings the opportunity towards further networking and knowledge-sharing possibilities among the teaching community. DLP is thus a program of the future that aims to bridge the gap between traditional pedagogy and advancements in technology for education.

Read Also :

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

View all posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related

Memorize Vocabulary

Never Forget French: 7 Ways To Memorize Vocabulary Quickly!

Drained from spending hours and hours of learning vocabulary to forget it after a few days? Is memorize vocabulary skills hold you from speaking French fluently? Are your strategies of learning this beautiful language is in vain? Fret not; the article will help you! Learning French is beautiful, but when you get a huge list of unrelated words that are out of context, the learning becomes more complicated.  Solution? Focusing on vocabulary and memorizing words! However, memorizing is often given a bad rap because of rot learning words that are strange. So, if you want to decode the trick to memorize French vocabulary fast, here are the tricks: Different Ways You Can Memorize Vocabulary   There are multiple ways you can memorize the vocabulary for your business are as follows: Same Word=Same Family: Focus on learning words that share the same roots or family. For instance, if you are learning the word “write’’, learn its similar word “ writer” or “the act of writing.” This will help you increase your vocabulary exponentially, and you would have a clear meaning of everything in your mind. Moreover, when you stick to focusing on the same family at the same time, you will be able to memorize with ease. Keep in mind that there’s no such thing like having a good memory or a bad memory! Focus On Sentences, Not On Words! This is one of the most important rules and the right way with talk in French fluently! Doing this will make the whole learning process easier and will also help use the words naturally. But, if you learn the words: You would have no idea of using them They are hard to remember You might pick a word that would be of no use Many words are useless and have no meaning in real-life situations, so don’t pick that. Focus on learning through stories, books, and more. Memorize Vocabulary that can help you to achieve your goals in the best possible manner. Have Exposure To Your Targeted Language: Of its very important that you spend time reading and listening to French only, as it will help you explore more about the language. You can watch French movies, videos, French Tv and more. Memorize Vocabulary that can help you to achieve your goals. Additionally, the reading and hearing words will help you memorize in the long run. Plus, you will train your brain and ears to pronounce the words effectively and correctly. Start Form Cognates: Many words share the same meaning and have the same sound; you can start with that. Make a list of cognates on a paper with one column with a French word and another for the English. Learn them; make a flash card for the words you don’t remember and quiz yourself. Recall! Over And Over: consistency and repetition is the key to learn any new language! It’s even more important when you are learning a different and a new language. When you spend time to learn new French words, your brain will keep them in the short term memory. Only constant in learning and repetition can put them in long-term memory. Give at least 15-20 minutes daily and make sure you use them often. Practice With The Textbook: Illustrations can help you memorize things swiftly, so use them to learn vocabulary. Look at the pictures and try to describe them using words you have already learned. To ensure your answers are correct, read the captions to give yourself a score. Also, notice how you are using the vocabulary in the context. Pick A Word Of The Day: Make a goal and work accordingly. If you have a goal to learn vocabulary in a week, pick a word of the day and use it during the day. Write the chosen word on the posts, write it on paper and try to write it without using its English equivalent. Memorize Vocabulary that can help you to achieve your goals in the best possible ways. You can even place the word somewhere on the kitchen table or on your computer screen to see it as you go about the day. This way you will notice that the word is ingrained in your memory. Learning vocabulary takes time, but it’s well worth the effort and time you put in! Try the above methods and have a rich vocal to communicate with ease and more fluidly. Read Also: 5 Business Website Translation Tips 5 Golden Rules Of Children Language Learning

READ MOREDetails
online certification courses

Topic 3 – Transform your Career with Online Certification Courses

You can never breeze through an IT career, believing you know everything! Your degrees did teach you something. Your work experience has educated you too. Nonetheless, you must continue to garner meaningful information all the time. Note that technology is advancing at a rapid rate. Therefore, your technical and professional skills need regular updating too. Towards this end, apply for relevant certification courses online. Yes, you have to pay for them, but they are well worth your time, money, and effort. After all, you are heading towards a lucrative career! Six Sigma Green Belt Have you been working full-time over the last 3-4 years? If so, you may apply for this certification. If you possess an analytical and logical mindset, it is a bonus. There must be a passion for persevering. Leadership qualities are a plus point too. How will you benefit by completing this course? As a leader, you have a team under you. You tutor them in becoming great team players. With the conglomeration of individual skills, you can manage projects beautifully as the quality of every business process improves. After all, you know how to define, measure, analyze, improve, and control. These qualities come under one umbrella – DMAIC. Earn this credential, and you never have to look back! CSM The acronym expands as Certified Scrum Management. The certification is highly popular across the globe. Do go for it if you belong to a scrum team. You could be the owner of a product or various products. You may be working as a developer. You could be a Scrum Master. Alternatively, you could be managing a scrum team all by yourself. In case your team is moving into this particular arena, and every member has to train. This certification can offer a lucrative career to someone desiring to pursue a career in scrum management. After you apply for the course, the institution requests you to participate in a two-day training program. It is akin to a workshop. Later on, you have to sit for an exam. If you get through the small number of questions successfully, you acquire your certification. Any organization welcomes you. There you are a manager who manages the typical project! You bring the team together. Your vigilance ensures that no external or internal distractions interfere with your team’s performance. PMP You need to be a Project Management Professional if you are in charge of diverse projects. Complete this certification and see what happens! The amount of recognition and respect that comes your way can astound you! After all, you can manage yourself, your team, and the concerned project wonderfully well! Now, you cannot just walk into a certification course without fulfilling specific criteria. For instance, you do not have a degree related to the IT field. You must display around 7,500 hours of work experience. This experience must relate to project management alone if you do have the requisite degree, around 4,500 hours of work experience to do. Then again, you must have 35 hours of project management training under your belt. Once you get through the course successfully, you must sit for an exam that lasts four hours. If you pass the exam, you will receive your certification. However, you have to renew it every three years. The renewal process demands that to display 60 professional development units or PDUs. You have three years before each renewal. As a PMP, you help your organization to achieve its goals faster. Your team completes projects in alignment with set deadlines. You are also able to adhere to an affordable budget. All sectors of industry are open to you. You can opt for any geographical location you want too. CISSP Are you keen to demonstrate your skills in maintaining cybersecurity? If yes, go in for Certified Information Systems Security Professional certification. However, you have to demonstrate a working experience of five years first. Additionally, you must be in a full-time job. Your experience must relate to the requisite field only. Do not curse these restrictions! Remember that you must be kind enough to beat hackers, fraudsters at their games! Correct, you must study hard, for the final examination is not easy to pass. However, if you obtain the certificate, you have to seek another job again! You can use the organizational resources at your disposal to create a secure security system. You know how to bring different tools to play at the right times. To sum up, the establishment can trust you to keep every bit of data safe and secure. CISSP certification requires renewal every three years. Towards this end, you must earn 120 Continuing Professional Education credits before that. CEH This means that you are a Certified Ethical Hacker. Unlike criminal hackers, you gain legal permission to intrude into private spaces. You have trained and written exam to acquire this permission. Therefore, nobody can object! You are a boon to any organization. Novel viruses, spyware, ransomware, and malware are unwelcome visitors. Technological advancements cannot seem to handle them. Therefore, the management has to put up with them until someone like you comes along to remove them! Do ensure that you remain on your toes all the time. This is possible if you keep updating your knowledge, experience, and expertise regularly. Those mentioned above are just a few examples of certification courses. There are several others, which come in equally handy. For instance, you may opt to become an Amazon Web Services Certified Solutions Architect – Associate. You develop familiarity with the architecture of large-scale distributed systems. Similarly, you may decide to become an Amazon Web Services Certified Developer – Associate. Other certifications include CRISC (Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control), CISM (Certified Information Security Manager), CGEIT (Certified in the Governance of Enterprise Information Technology). Do not be confused. Assess your area of interest and choose wisely. Read Also: Online Schools The Only Source For Personalized Education 7 Reasons Why Online Education Is Very Popular The Many Benefits Of Online Education

READ MOREDetails
College Textbooks

How to Reduce the Cost of College Textbooks

Textbooks are a painful purchase for any student. Year after year, prices continue to rise, often resulting in textbook fees being added to the pile of crippling student loan debt facing the nation. Fortunately, there are some ways that you can reduce the cost of your books. College Textbooks can make things simple for a student.  There is almost never a need to buy a brand new textbook at full price, so explore your options before you commit to anything. Keep in mind that you shouldn’t plan on buying all of your books in one transaction because purchasing them individually will net the most savings. Forget the Campus Bookstore Unless you are bound by a tuition stipend or other financial means to purchase your books at the campus bookstore, stay away. This is the guaranteed way to pay the highest prices for textbooks, even when buying used. The bookstore used to be the source for students, but thanks to technology, there are plenty of other ways to get the books that you need for a lot less. The exception here is for research purposes; in most cases, the campus store is going to have the highest prices. However, there may be a rare occasion where they don’t. Feel free to call or visit and get a list of prices for the books that you need, just for the sake of comparison when you go online to shop around. Always Buy Used Unless there is a specific text you will keep forever or absolutely need the brand new edition of for some reason, buy your books used. These are at least ⅓ less than the cost of brand new books, and offer the same information on the pages. Some are in better condition than others, but most used resellers will provide condition information and pictures of the book you are purchasing so that you can see what you are actually getting. You can find thousands of used copies online at prices that you can afford. When you are buying used books, check out their resale value and the return policy of the seller you purchase from. Reselling your books after the semester is over is a great way to recoup some money that can go towards next semester’s books. Or, you can take the money and treat yourself for saving hundreds on your textbooks by buying used in the first place. The return policy is important because if a book arrives in unusable condition, you need to be able to send it back. Your class won’t be nearly as informative with a partial textbook, after all. Rent or Borrow Books The school or public library might have books that you need for classes. Before you spend a dime, look into these sources for common texts, literature books, and other texts available for you to borrow. Libraries are a great resource that often gets overlooked. The downside here is that you may only be able to borrow a book for a part of the semester. Ask about their renewal policies when considering this option. College Textbooks can make your life easier by all means. There is an increasing market in the campus bookstore realm for textbook rentals. This is another exception to the “avoid the bookstore” rule, of course. The most expensive texts are usually available for rental from your campus store, which might be the best financial option. Before you rent, though, make sure that you know what you are signing up for. Take extra good care of the books so that you aren’t charged for damage upon their return, or forced to purchase them outright (which is what you were trying to avoid in the first place). You can also rent textbooks online, or download ebook versions of the texts that you need for your college classes. Sell Your Old Books You can reduce the cost of your next semester’s textbook bill by selling your old books. Don’t sell them back to the campus bookstore, because they usually don’t offer much. Plus, you might only get credit to use in the store. Instead, consider selling them online or through community marketplaces. Advertise them around campus for other students, too. When you sell textbooks online, you can often choose the price and compare what others are selling. That gives you a better idea of how much you can actually earn. Feel free to look around and get a few different quotes before you commit. Most re-seller websites that buy college texts will allow you to enter the ISBN and get an estimate of how much you will get for the books you are selling. See where you can get the most money for your books, even if you have to sell them in a few different places. A Little Research Goes a Long Way Your college book purchases don’t have to break the bank. Whether you need to reduce the cost on the front end or just make up the difference and sell textbooks to help cut the costs, there are plenty of options available. Just give yourself a little time to explore your options. An extra hour of your time could save you hundreds, no matter what degree you are studying. Read Also: 5 Ways College Students Can Minimize Back To School Stress 5 Tips For College Students On How To Begin Investing Using Their Saved Pocket Money The Importance Of Writing Business Reports In College

READ MOREDetails