Teaching with Technology
Teaching with Technology
"Using interactive methods, Teaching with Technology helps to organize ICT skills and knowledge on how to use technology in the class. Moreover I was able to evaluate my personal progress in the course of learning."
The Teaching with Technology curriculum helps educators assess competencies and fill learning gaps as they integrate Information Communication Technology (ICT) into their teaching and learning practice.
What standards are covered?
The Teaching with Technology curriculum meets a number of widely recognized teaching
standards, including; The
UNESCO ICT Competency Framework for Teachers (UNESCO ICT-CFT), Technology
Literacy Approach and
ISTE NETS for Teachers.
It can also help support educator success as the U.S. Common Core student standards require a high level of technology integration.
What makes this professional development offer relevant?
The Teaching with Technology self assessment and curriculum are competency-based and can be customized to meet each educator’s needs:
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Customized learning paths
The self assessment helps identify specific learning needed creating a customized learning report.
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Learn at your own pace
The amount of time required to develop competency using the self assessment and Curriculum depends on an individual's learning needs.
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Ability to focus on specific competencies
Each unit of study stands on its own so educators can focus on a specific area of interest or need.
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Created by educators, for educators
Created by experts from around the world, it includes a range of learning scenarios and best practices.
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Teaches skills that can be applied in any classroom environment
Whether a classroom has one computer or a laptop for every student, the educator will be able to apply what they have learned to their individual context.
What is compentency-based professional development?
Competency-based means they help build the skills and the ability to apply those skills to perform a particular job or task. Along with the global community of educators found on the Partners in Learning Network, Teaching with Technology provides the six key components for effective competency-based professional development:
- A common set of competency standards defined by role or educational goals
- Methods for identifying learning gaps
- Help filling competency gaps with a rich and varied set of aligned resources, such as job shadowing, classes, workshops, and online learning
- Assessments, observation, or portfolio work that help verify improved teacher competencies
- Peer support or mentoring to help teachers carry forward ICT use to the classroom
- Ongoing refinement of teacher competency materials
There are multiple ways to support your educators by encouraging and rewarding progress:
- Ask them to share the results of their self assessment If an educator answered the questions based on their current practice, it will provide good information to create a customized professional development plan.
- Each course has a summative assessment The summative assessment is a good indicator that the educator understands the concepts presented in the course; however, it is not a measurement of competency. Educators who pass the summative assessment can print a certificate of completion.
- Coming soon! Microsoft Certified Educator Exam
To assess competency, Microsoft is currently piloting a Microsoft Certified Educator
exam in Ireland and Russia. The exam measures an educators’ competency against the
UNESCO ICT-CFT, Technology Literacy assessment objectives.
Contact-PILN@microsoft.com to be notified when more information is available.
Getting started
There are two ways to access the self assessment and Teaching with Technology online learning:
There is no charge for accessing Teaching with Technology via the Partners in Learning Network, and there is added value in enabling teachers to connect to a global community of educators and create communities of practice to support them through their learning.
If your school has an IT Academy membership, educators can access the six online learning courses and self assessment via the IT Academy member site. Microsoft IT Academy provides students with the future ready technology skills they need to be successful in college and a career, and educators with the resources they need to help their students get there. Detailed tracking let’s administrators see how their teachers and students are progressing in their learning.
Download the facilitator guide, to develop a plan for supporting teachers in their learning. Online learning is most effective when combined with face to face instruction and communities of practice. Opportunities to practice newly acquired skills with a coach or a mentor will help embed new learning.
