wk_150Promoting 21st Century Education [through Digital Literacy, Digital Citizenship and Well-being]

See what previous participants have said:

  • ‘I realised that I have a duty to equip my pupils for the digital world they have been thrust into, rather than just being beholden to out-of-date curriculum orders and performance management tables. I am looking forward to redefining what ICT is capable of offering to my pupils, my school, and to me.’
  • ‘The WISE KIDS (training) conference was not only informative, but I also found it inspirational and enlightening. The topics discussed are a step forward in our current digital age, with the aim of not replacing a working education system, but “upgrading” it to something current. Taking responsibility but removing fear’. 
  • ‘Important to look at  teacher’s digital literacy to enable them to better design learning.’
  • ‘Given me confidence to try new Digital Literacy Skills/Tools with my students within the classroom.’
  • ‘Good mix of practical and theory and video – good practical ideas to implement in lessons.’

Programme flier below:

Introduction

We live at a time of almost constant connectivity to the Internet via increasingly commonplace devices like smart phones, tablets, game console, and laptops. The Internet today not only offers great opportunities for education, learning, socialising, business and entertainment, but it is also transforming how we do these things.

One of the greatest areas of transformations is in the field of Education. Across the world, educators and learners today have access to rich multi-media content and content creation tools, ‘expert communities’, freely available social and collaborative platforms. These networked technologies are also driving the development of newer, pupil-centred pedagogies which provide new ways of engaging, inspiring and supporting learners and delivering deeper learning.

Alongside the immense opportunities provided by the Internet, there are challenges too – as young and old now need to better understand the ‘digital spaces’ in which they operate, and learn to manage their personal data, interaction with peers, privacy, online reputation, as well as exposure to unwanted interactions, inappropriate content and more.

These developments point to a need for educators to rethink the digital skills and literacies needed by young people today to be empowered digital citizens, able to manage their safety, whilst fully confident and able to be active creators and participants online. This has been highlighted in the recent Donaldson report, which proposes a key strand of digital competence for all, across the curriculum.

This Training Programme

This interactive training programme aims to provide secondary school teachers with ideas and strategies for both staff and pupils to develop effective and engaging cross-curricular digital competencies.

The session will highlight a range of creative and engaging online tools, communities and services which provide opportunities to develop pupil critical thinking skills; effective collaboration, participation and online communication. It will explore how schools can develop a culture of digital citizenship and well-being which embraces positive values and behaviours.

The session also draws on research findings from the WISE KIDS Generation 2000 report to develop pupil-led initiatives to support the digital agenda in the secondary phase. Teachers will have the opportunity to reflect on newer pedagogies enabled by digital to enhance learning and teaching across the curriculum.

Programme Outcomes/Expectations

By attending this programme, participants will be able to:

  • Develop creative and engaging use of online technologies to support pupil digital competencies across the curriculum
  • Develop practical strategies to develop pupil-led initiatives to become effective and responsible digital citizens
  • Use online tools, resources and communities to support staff CPD
  • Implement strategies to support parental engagement in the development of digital competencies
  • Easily use live-blogging techniques in your classroom
  • Develop an action plan for a whole-school approach to digital citizenship and wellbeing
  • Gain access to an online site as a resource base to support the training.

Format

All participants will also gain insights into use of multimedia tools and blogs, as they will be participating in group discussions and reflective activities and ‘live blogging’. Some of the demonstrations will also include use of Twitter using a designated training event hashtag.

Resources

All participants will also be given access to a specially created website which will have links to the material presented, video clips used, and other useful links.

Essential Notes

As part of this interactive training day, the trainer and participants will be using handheld camcorders/cameras/smart phones to create multimedia output which will be used in the training day demonstration sessions. Some of this content may also be used in our blogs/ promotional materials. Participants are encouraged to bring their own mobile devices in.