From July 11th to the 15th, the Saint Lucia ConnectEd Activity held a teacher professional development event where 50 educators learned new ways to use edtech tools in the classroom and teach digital skills to students. This is part of the mission of the ConnectEd Activity to improve instruction and make teachers and students digital leaders in their communities.
“Technology is an ever-evolving field. Most of the time educators try to find innovative and interesting ways to try to enhance learning for students and how to integrate that technology back into the classroom. This project this week gave us more insight into edtech tools we can use in our classrooms,” said one teacher.
In addition to discovering ways to leverage technology in school, teachers also curated over 100 digital activities using the edtech tools through World Education’s EdTech Maker Space process. These resources align with and complement curriculum in math, English, social studies, and health and family life education, and will be shared openly among teachers so they all have an abundance of teaching and learning activities at their disposal.
“I am ready to go back to my classroom and my school to share with my colleagues what I have learned, how they can use these resources to make the teaching and learning experience more effective, and of course, more fun and interactive for the students,” said another teacher.
During the second half of the training, teachers focused on strategies to effectively incorporate these tools and resources into their routines, and made action plans with explicit digital skills instruction they will use to grow their students’ knowledge.
“The framework that we were taught in planning for using these tools in the classroom is very central to what we are going to do moving forward. That way when we get into the classroom it is a seamless transition from our instruction to our students,” one teacher stated.
The ConnectEd Activity aims to build in-demand digital skills and soft skills, like problem solving, communication, and critical thinking that prepare students for our increasingly digital world and workforce. Engaging the education sector and equipping teachers with skills and tools is crucial for success. Educators who attended the professional development event enhanced their approaches and are ready to take on the upcoming school year.
The Saint Lucia ConnectED Activity is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this post are the responsibility of World Education, Inc. and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.
