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Improve your student’s digital learning and literacy skills

To develop the 21st century skills every student needs, they must access new digital learning models that not only enhance their learning experience, but also guide them along the path to becoming effective digital citizens.

We’ve partnered with award-winning educator, Detra Price-Dennis and the top-ranked Teachers College, Columbia University, to build digital literacy training for educators.

By taking this course, K-8 teachers will be prepared to develop their own digital literacy skills, as well as those of their students. With an emphasis on current theory and research in digital learning as it applies to the K-8 classroom, teachers in this course will refresh and expand their understanding of digital literacies. They will also learn the practical strategies they need to be successful educators in the 21st century classroom.

On completing the course, teachers will not only be able to evaluate digital tools and technology and their relevancy in the K-8 classroom, they will also know how and when to incorporate digital tools and technology into their curriculum in useful and creative ways. Finally, teachers will learn how to build lesson plans that increase students’ digital literacy and ability to succeed in the global digital community.

START TIME

Anytime

LOCATION

Online

COURSE TYPE

Professional certificate

PREREQUISITES

None

DURATION

30 Hours

COST

$395 USD

CREDIT

3 Continuing Education Unites (CEUs)

FORMAT

100% online and self-paced

SUBJECT AREA

Digital learning for educators

Help your students maximize their digital literacy

Practical takeaways

Practical takeaways

You’ll get access to resources, including lesson plans and worksheets, that can be implemented in your classroom right away.

Student outcomes

Built by teachers, for teachers

The team that created this peer-reviewed course are all educators from Teachers College, Columbia University, one of the top-10 ranking schools of education in the US, and the course content was developed by a leading expert on best practices in digital learning in the classroom.

Training

Quality course content, by world-renowned faculty

We’ve partnered with Teachers College, Columbia University and award-winning educator, Detra Price-Dennis, to create innovative professional development to help close the digital skills gap in today’s classrooms.

Course Curriculum

After this module, participants will be able to:

  • Articulate how literacy, learning, and pedagogical approaches are changing as a result of technological innovations.
  • Explain why digital literacies matter for 21st century learning.
  • Summarize learning theories and make connections to digital literacies/learning in the classroom.
  • Develop a line of inquiry to sustain pedagogy and interest in digital learning across the academic year.

After this module, participants will be able to:

  • Compare and contrast the affordances of educational tools and technology that promotes inquiry, collaboration, accessibility, multimodal production and the curation of student learning.
  • Explore the purpose and application of digital tools, apps and platforms that can support the tenets of 21st century teaching and learning.
  • Identify digital tools, apps and platforms that you can incorporate in the classroom.

After this module, participants will be able to:

  • Examine theoretical frameworks that help identify areas in your practice and existing curricula to integrate digital tools and technology
  • Analyze traditional teaching practices and strategies for opportunities to foster digital literacies in the classroom.
  • Develop lesson plans that incorporate digital tools to foster creativity, position students as producers of digital content and support collaborative learning.
  • Understand various ways teaching practices can develop the skills required for your students to be an active participant in today’s globalized digital community.

After this module, participants will be able to:

  • Design a plan for assessing any student learning that takes place using digital tools and technologies.
  • Explore the purpose, application and assessment of digital tools, apps and platforms that can support the tenets of 21st century teaching and learning.
  • Advance curriculum development and teaching in the classroom.

 

Meet your Course Creator

Detra Price-Dennis

Detra Price-Dennis, Ph.D

Assistant Professor of Education, Department of Curriculum and Teaching Teachers College, Columbia University

Detra Price-Dennis is an award-winning, Assistant Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University. As a teacher educator, Price-Dennis focuses her work on transformative literacy pedagogies that seek to create and sustain equitable learning environments for all students. She is interested in the sociopolitical and sociocultural aspects of literacy learning and engagement among middle childhood students, as well as teacher preparation. Her research interests also include critical perspectives on children’s and young adult literature. Most recently, Price-Dennis received the American Educational Research Association’s Division K Early Career Award for her research record and contribution to the field of teaching and teacher education.

Frequently Asked Questions

Course-specific questions

Digital literacy is the complete set of skills necessary for individuals to participate in digital spaces, and to fully harness and make meaningful use of the affordances of technology in the form of smartphones, computers, laptops, etc. Digital learning is learning that is facilitated by the direct or indirect use of technology or digital tools. The implementation of digital learning in a classroom is crucial to developing digital literacies as well as digitally literate people.

We recognize that understanding theory is not what makes a good teacher so the focus of the course is on analyzing, critiquing and creating practical strategies and activities that you can implement in your classroom straight away. However, developing an inquiry into your practice requires an understanding of major teaching and learning theories, therefore certain elements of the course are based on theory and research.

You will learn how to assess digital tools in order to choose the tool that best suits your pedagogical style and the content at hand.

This course was designed by educators, for educators. It was also peer reviewed by education experts from Teachers College, Columbia University. Many courses that promote digital literacy are designed by technology experts and can lack a focus on its application to teaching practices.

As with digital tools, you will learn to consider the affordances of technology at your disposal, the placement of this technology in the learning. You will also be tasked with developing work using a variety of tools and technology allowing you to get to know them first hand so you can apply your newfound knowledge straight into your practice.

You will be required to access the course through an internet connection, beyond that, we’ll encourage and support you to try new tools and technology to enhance your digital practice!

If that makes you nervous, consider that the feelings/thoughts you will experience will be what your students face when trying new tools and technology – that alone will enhance your practice.

Yes! Course participants will be invited to join a teacher community where they can post/share assignments, lesson plans, ideas and content (PDF, jpeg, etc). There is also a course hashtag – #TCDigitalLiteracy – where learners can connect with each other on social.

Eligibility

None. Participants are not required to hold a Bachelor’s degree or teaching license in order to enroll.

You need to have a love for education and a desire to educate yourself and others in becoming digital citizens.

Absolutely! The course can be taken from anywhere in the world.

Yes, you do not have to be a licensed teacher to take this course. This course has been designed for all educators at any point in their career.

A word processor is required when taking the course as you will need to download materials and submit assignments.

The course is compatible with most electronic devices. While the recommended device is a laptop or desktop, the course can be accessed via a browser on most smartphones and tablets.

No. Books and physical materials are not required for the course. All materials needed to complete the course will be available online through the course platform.

Enrollment

The course is assessed through a variety of formative and summative activities. For each module, you will be required to submit stages of your inquiry on Digital Literacy, as well as an ‘action’ piece created using some of the tools and technology you may choose to implement in your classroom.

The course awards 3 Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

No. There are no in-class components to the course. 

We advise you to check with your district and state licensure requirements as the certificate may satisfy these requirements.

Participants can purchase the course here.
After purchasing the course, you will receive an email with a code and a link to get started. You are required to use the code in order to activate your account so you can create a profile and get started!

$395 USD.

You will have one year from the date of purchase to complete the course.

Visa, American Express, Mastercard and Paypal are all accepted as methods of payment.

We offer a special discounted rate for institutions looking to provide professional development for their teachers. Contact us to find out more.

No. Payment for the course is due in full upon registration and payment plans are not available.

Financial aid is not available.

This course is non-refundable. Please make sure that a course is approved by your governing body for any professional development requirements before purchasing.

Enroll now