Developing Digital Learning Practices and Career Technical Education

CEU Course Description

Part 1: One current trend that is taking American K-12 school districts by storm is that of 1-1 computing. As an educational paradigm in which every student has a digital device, 1-1 computing could completely change the nature of a previously very paperwork-based educational system. However, it has the power to do far more than just introduce sustainability into your classroom. With the resources available over the Internet, 1-1 computing offers a less stressful way for teachers to personalize lessons to each student, be more available for each student, and create more dynamic, engaging in-class activities to appeal to students across different learning modalities. While critics have much to say about the negatives of excess screen time, early studies are showing that students and teachers in 1-1 computing programs are happier--and test scores are on the rise. 

Part 2: We’re living through the Information Age. Your students are likely spending a lot of their time on social media. It can be tempting to think that their savviness with gifs and internet-related acronyms means that they know how to comport themselves respectfully on the internet. This is not necessarily the case. Digital Citizenship is a student standard that is being taught in a growing number of classrooms across the nation. If you prioritize teaching your students how to be good citizens of the online community, you’re handing your students the tools to respect, protect, and educate themselves and others in the ever-evolving online sphere for the rest of their lives. 

Part 3: Career and Technical Education, or CTE, is the subject of an emerging trend in American education. Long equated with similarly practical programs such as vocational school, CTE now represents a targeted approach that--for some students--might help forge a path towards careers that would usually require a Bachelor’s degree. Studies are also beginning to reveal that the focused nature of high-quality CTE programs also provide innate benefits to the student, enhancing their educational experience and likelihood of success. Their cost efficacy makes these types of programs an excellent consideration for schools to invest in over the coming years.

Part 4: As the number of English learners continues to increase in the United States, educational technology developers are encouraged to take the needs of English learners and their educators into consideration in their technology design.  The purpose of this continuing education course, developed using information from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, is to provide guidance on how educational technology can meet the needs of English learners, what specific supports should be included, how to assist districts when adopting certain technology, and what types of professional development will be the most useful to educators during this process.  In addition, guiding principles are included to assist educators as they begin to explore new ways of working with and supporting their English learners through technology utilization.

CEU Course Objectives

Part 1:

1. Examine the benefits and critiques of adopting a 1-1 computing paradigm for your students. 
2. Explore the pros and cons of the most popular devices chosen for 1-1 computing. 
3. Review the resources available to teachers and students in 1-1 computing classrooms. 
4. Discuss the proper way to implement a 1-1 computing system. 
5. Posit the ways that 1-1 computing can benefit the teachers, parents, and administrators of your school as well as the student.