A few weeks ago, the technology team at Neuqua Valley High School was given the opportunity to offer a Digital Learning Day to selected staff members. The Digital Learning Day provided teachers the opportunity to work with members of their professional learning community and learn from other teachers who utilized instructional technology in their classrooms. While there were short instructional opportunities throughout the day, the purpose was to give teachers time to collaborate, create, and share ideas for digital learning in their classrooms.
 |
| SAMR Model |
Our vision for the day was for teachers to realize that while we already do wonderful things in our classrooms, certain lessons, activities, assessments, and student artifacts can be enhanced and transformed through digital learning. We referenced the SAMR Model when discussing how to add educational technology to what teachers already do in their classrooms. After asking teachers to consider what they already do in the classroom and how digital learning can enhance and transform their classroom environment, we gave them time to work together in order to make this a reality.
We invited 2-3 teachers from each subject level to the Digital Learning Day and asked 6 teachers to act as “Tech Leaders” for the attendees participating in the Digital Learning Day. Our morning discussion centered on collaboration and communication, and in the afternoon, we shifted focus to assessment through student artifacts. We decided to set up the learning space in order to generate discussions between different content specialists. For example, Math and Social Studies teachers were stationed at one round table. While they were specifically working with their PLC’s, attendees were given the chance to share ideas with other teachers who they do not normally get the chance to work with during the day. In addition to the blended round tables, each Tech Leader was stationed at a round table and asked to work with the attendees. Their role was to talk the content teachers through some of their ideas and offer assistance with digital learning tools that attendees were considering.
After breaking from lunch and before moving into our discussion about student artifacts, the Tech Leaders participated in a Digital Learning SLAM and shared one of their favorite digital tools with the group. Tech Leaders were given 1 minute to share one of their favorite digital tools, and the Digital Learning attendees were asked to vote on the tool they thought sounded the most exciting. The SLAM provided a competitive, fun component to the day and gave the Tech Leaders a chance to showcase one of the tools they are excited to use in the classroom.
Here is a list of the digital tools shared during the SLAM:
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
At the end of our Digital Learning Day, the attendees were asked to split up and share their day’s work with the other teachers. In addition to verbally sharing what they created and planned to do with digital learning in their classrooms, the Tech Leaders contributed to a Digital Learning Day Google Site which became our digital artifact of the day’s work.
Overall, the Digital Learning Day was a success. The participating teachers were thankful for the time given in order to experiment with useful digital tools and were motivated to start incorporating digital learning into their classrooms. It was rewarding to see the excitement of the room and collaboration between colleagues. It is our goal to continue offering Digital Learning Days for staff at our school in order to model the benefits of Digital Literacy in the classroom.
Click here for our Digital Learning Day site. All resources from the day are available on the site.
My newest problem becomes the balancing act that all working moms must try to maneuver: being a great mom and a great teacher. As a teacher, my "kids" have always been my students and a top priority in my life. Nothing like 150 high school "kids" to keep me on my toes. Now, in addition to the students that take over my classroom, I will come home everyday to my little guy that needs love and attention. As I return to work this August, I am anxious about how I will tackle all of my roles: teacher, instructional technology coach/coordinator, and most importantly, MOM. 
