Tag Archives: Chromebooks

#GraciasALosProfes: Celebrating Teacher Appreciation Day in Mexico

Today is Teacher Appreciation Day, or Día del Maestro, in Mexico, where 30 GEG (Google Educator Groups) leaders are at the helm of the movement to transform education through technology in Latin America. Our Mexican GEG leaders empower their fellow teachers to harness tech to meet students’ needs. We are amazed at the innovative and inspiring ways these teachers and leaders are building their movement across Mexico—from Guadalajara to Mexico City to Monterrey.

In Quéretaro, Nay Belaunzaran thought up an idea to scale the impact of tech across generations by mobilizing children to teach their parents about the internet. Under Nay’s leadership, primary school students prepare classes for their parents about G Suite for Education where the parents learn to jot their thoughts down in Docs, build presentations in Slides, and communicate with teachers through Google Classroom. Galvanizing students to bridge the generational tech literacy gap has made it easier for parents to stay engaged with kids’ schools.

4

Nay connected with fellow teachers from all over Latin America at last year’s Google for Education Certified Innovators Summit in Mexico City.

In Tijuana, Gabriela Torres Beltrán has paved the way for dozens of her students to become Google Certified Educators themselves. By building a community of future teachers who keep innovation and technology top of mind, Gabriela is making her mark on the future of education in her community.  “Seeing the smile of satisfaction on their faces as they explore ways to implement technology in class is extremely inspiring,” she shared with an inspired smile of her own.

RVP_8345baja_halfimage.jpg

Verónica stays after class on most days, providing extra support for students whose curiosity extends beyond school hours.

In Verónica Nuñez Loyo’s classroom in Mexico City, students find themselves at the intersection of traditions of the past and technology of the future. She challenges her middle schoolers not only to research the history of Mexico, but to leverage the internet to share their learnings. Recently, Verónica’s  seventh grade class collaborated to create a multimedia presentation about the Axolotl, an endangered amphibian species endemic to Baja California. Technology was at the heart of the project, whether students were exploring the Náhuatl origin of the word “Axolotl” or investigating how portrayals of this “walking fish” have changed over time.

These are three of many educators who work tirelessly to ignite curiosity and give life to the ideas of Mexico’s rising generation. Which teachers inspire you? Today—and everyday—join us in celebrating the educators who dedicate their lives to working with students to create a more connected Latin America. #GraciasALosProfes.

Source: Google Chrome


#GraciasALosProfes: Celebrating Teacher Appreciation Day in Mexico

Today is Teacher Appreciation Day, or Día del Maestro, in Mexico, where 30 GEG (Google Educator Groups) leaders are at the helm of the movement to transform education through technology in Latin America. Our Mexican GEG leaders empower their fellow teachers to harness tech to meet students’ needs. We are amazed at the innovative and inspiring ways these teachers and leaders are building their movement across Mexico—from Guadalajara to Mexico City to Monterrey.

In Quéretaro, Nay Belaunzaran thought up an idea to scale the impact of tech across generations by mobilizing children to teach their parents about the internet. Under Nay’s leadership, primary school students prepare classes for their parents about G Suite for Education where the parents learn to jot their thoughts down in Docs, build presentations in Slides, and communicate with teachers through Google Classroom. Galvanizing students to bridge the generational tech literacy gap has made it easier for parents to stay engaged with kids’ schools.

4

Nay connected with fellow teachers from all over Latin America at last year’s Google for Education Certified Innovators Summit in Mexico City.

In Tijuana, Gabriela Torres Beltrán has paved the way for dozens of her students to become Google Certified Educators themselves. By building a community of future teachers who keep innovation and technology top of mind, Gabriela is making her mark on the future of education in her community.  “Seeing the smile of satisfaction on their faces as they explore ways to implement technology in class is extremely inspiring,” she shared with an inspired smile of her own.

In Verónica Nuñez Loyo’s classroom in Mexico City, students find themselves at the intersection of traditions of the past and technology of the future. She challenges her middle schoolers not only to research the history of Mexico, but to leverage the internet to share their learnings. Recently, Verónica’s  seventh grade class collaborated to create a multimedia presentation about the Axolotl, an endangered amphibian species endemic to Baja California. Technology was at the heart of the project, whether students were exploring the Náhuatl origin of the word “Axolotl” or investigating how portrayals of this “walking fish” have changed over time.

These are three of many educators who work tirelessly to ignite curiosity and give life to the ideas of Mexico’s rising generation. Which teachers inspire you? Today—and everyday—join us in celebrating the educators who dedicate their lives to working with students to create a more connected Latin America. #GraciasALosProfes.

Source: Google Chrome


#GraciasALosProfes: Celebrating Teacher Appreciation Day in Mexico

Today is Teacher Appreciation Day, or Día del Maestro, in Mexico, where 30 GEG (Google Educator Groups) leaders are at the helm of the movement to transform education through technology in Latin America. Our Mexican GEG leaders empower their fellow teachers to harness tech to meet students’ needs. We are amazed at the innovative and inspiring ways these teachers and leaders are building their movement across Mexico—from Guadalajara to Mexico City to Monterrey.

In Quéretaro, Nay Belaunzaran thought up an idea to scale the impact of tech across generations by mobilizing children to teach their parents about the internet. Under Nay’s leadership, primary school students prepare classes for their parents about G Suite for Education where the parents learn to jot their thoughts down in Docs, build presentations in Slides, and communicate with teachers through Google Classroom. Galvanizing students to bridge the generational tech literacy gap has made it easier for parents to stay engaged with kids’ schools.

4

Nay connected with fellow teachers from all over Latin America at last year’s Google for Education Certified Innovators Summit in Mexico City.

In Tijuana, Gabriela Torres Beltrán has paved the way for dozens of her students to become Google Certified Educators themselves. By building a community of future teachers who keep innovation and technology top of mind, Gabriela is making her mark on the future of education in her community.  “Seeing the smile of satisfaction on their faces as they explore ways to implement technology in class is extremely inspiring,” she shared with an inspired smile of her own.

RVP_8345baja_halfimage.jpg

Verónica stays after class on most days, providing extra support for students whose curiosity extends beyond school hours.

In Verónica Nuñez Loyo’s classroom in Mexico City, students find themselves at the intersection of traditions of the past and technology of the future. She challenges her middle schoolers not only to research the history of Mexico, but to leverage the internet to share their learnings. Recently, Verónica’s  seventh grade class collaborated to create a multimedia presentation about the Axolotl, an endangered amphibian species endemic to Baja California. Technology was at the heart of the project, whether students were exploring the Náhuatl origin of the word “Axolotl” or investigating how portrayals of this “walking fish” have changed over time.

These are three of many educators who work tirelessly to ignite curiosity and give life to the ideas of Mexico’s rising generation. Which teachers inspire you? Today—and everyday—join us in celebrating the educators who dedicate their lives to working with students to create a more connected Latin America. #GraciasALosProfes.

Source: Google Cloud


#GraciasALosProfes: Celebrating Teacher Appreciation Day in Mexico

Today is Teacher Appreciation Day, or Día del Maestro, in Mexico, where 30 GEG (Google Educator Groups) leaders are at the helm of the movement to transform education through technology in Latin America. Our Mexican GEG leaders empower their fellow teachers to harness tech to meet students’ needs. We are amazed at the innovative and inspiring ways these teachers and leaders are building their movement across Mexico—from Guadalajara to Mexico City to Monterrey.

In Quéretaro, Nay Belaunzaran thought up an idea to scale the impact of tech across generations by mobilizing children to teach their parents about the internet. Under Nay’s leadership, primary school students prepare classes for their parents about G Suite for Education where the parents learn to jot their thoughts down in Docs, build presentations in Slides, and communicate with teachers through Google Classroom. Galvanizing students to bridge the generational tech literacy gap has made it easier for parents to stay engaged with kids’ schools.

4

Nay connected with fellow teachers from all over Latin America at last year’s Google for Education Certified Innovators Summit in Mexico City.

In Tijuana, Gabriela Torres Beltrán has paved the way for dozens of her students to become Google Certified Educators themselves. By building a community of future teachers who keep innovation and technology top of mind, Gabriela is making her mark on the future of education in her community.  “Seeing the smile of satisfaction on their faces as they explore ways to implement technology in class is extremely inspiring,” she shared with an inspired smile of her own.

RVP_8345baja_halfimage.jpg

Verónica stays after class on most days, providing extra support for students whose curiosity extends beyond school hours.

In Verónica Nuñez Loyo’s classroom in Mexico City, students find themselves at the intersection of traditions of the past and technology of the future. She challenges her middle schoolers not only to research the history of Mexico, but to leverage the internet to share their learnings. Recently, Verónica’s  seventh grade class collaborated to create a multimedia presentation about the Axolotl, an endangered amphibian species endemic to Baja California. Technology was at the heart of the project, whether students were exploring the Náhuatl origin of the word “Axolotl” or investigating how portrayals of this “walking fish” have changed over time.

These are three of many educators who work tirelessly to ignite curiosity and give life to the ideas of Mexico’s rising generation. Which teachers inspire you? Today—and everyday—join us in celebrating the educators who dedicate their lives to working with students to create a more connected Latin America. #GraciasALosProfes.

Source: Education


Creating a professional growth culture: 3 lessons from school districts

Whether it’s a 3D printer, a language app, or a Chromebook on a student’s desk, technology represents potential. The results can be profound, but learning how to make the most of new tools often requires dedication outside of the standard school day.

We spoke with teachers and administrators at Cicero Public School District 99 in Illinois and Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools in Ohio about how they designed technology professional development programs to engage teachers for the long term. Here we share three lessons learned from their experiences building programs that impact educators and students alike.

Lesson 1: Incentives help overcome inertia

When the Cicero Public School District 99 board set the goal of giving every child access to a Chromebook, professional development for teachers became a top priority. CIO Cao Mac believed any tech rollout was bound to fail unless teachers got the right training. So his team came up with a plan to motivate teachers to get Google Certified—they’d offer them early access to new classroom devices.

The district now has 104 Google Certified Educators, and has seen a shift in how teachers use devices in the classroom. Before the training, students used laptops and tablets for activities like math games and music videos. Two months after the Chromebook rollout, the top five sites accessed across the district included Google Classroom, Google Docs and Khan Academy. “Right off the bat, they were no longer using their machines randomly,” Mac says. “Their use was more focused.”

Superintendent+StaffLincolnTrainingRoom.JPG

Lesson 2: Time is a precious resource

Chagrin Falls Exempted Village School District is the first public school district to train all of its teachers to become Google Certified Educators. Administrators say they achieved 100 percent participation by customizing the program around teachers’ schedules.

“We made it easy for teachers get certified whenever it was most convenient,” says Nancy Kevern, a technology integration and instructional coach at Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools. “Grouping teachers by grade level helped us emphasize the lessons they would find most useful.”

The district also started a committee that works on solutions for fitting professional development into teachers’ busy schedules. They’ve proposed incorporating trainings into the school day—for instance, by delaying student start times.

Lesson 3: Community makes a movement

Cicero Public School District 99 took a grassroots approach to training its teachers. A group of technology resource teachers actively recruited teachers to get certified, leveraging their relationships to build a team of early adopters. This group influenced the rest of the district.

“We knew if these ambassadors were on board, their friends would be, too,” Mac says. “Adoption needs to happen teacher by teacher, grade by grade.”

This momentum has led Cicero Public School District 99 to extend its 1:1 Chromebook program to grades K-8. None of this would have been possible without support from teachers and the entire district.

This isn’t my initiative,” Mac says. “This is the village of Cicero’s initiative. This is ours. Cao Mac
CIO at Cicero Public School District 99

Professional development is about more than introducing new tools. By helping educators develop the skills and confidence to grow professionally, school districts are investing in their students and building cultures that embrace technology. “It doesn’t matter how many devices you have,” Mac says. “If you don’t know how to integrate technology with teaching, it becomes just another add on.”

Visit the Training Center to learn more about the Google for Education certification programs. And if you’re a district interested in help from a Certified Professional Development Partner, learn more here.

Source: Google Chrome


Creating a professional growth culture: 3 lessons from school districts

Whether it’s a 3D printer, a language app, or a Chromebook on a student’s desk, technology represents potential. The results can be profound, but learning how to make the most of new tools often requires dedication outside of the standard school day.

We spoke with teachers and administrators at Cicero Public School District 99 in Illinois and Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools in Ohio about how they designed technology professional development programs to engage teachers for the long term. Here we share three lessons learned from their experiences building programs that impact educators and students alike.

Lesson 1: Incentives help overcome inertia

When the Cicero Public School District 99 board set the goal of giving every child access to a Chromebook, professional development for teachers became a top priority. CIO Cao Mac believed any tech rollout was bound to fail unless teachers got the right training. So his team came up with a plan to motivate teachers to get Google Certified—they’d offer them early access to new classroom devices.

The district now has 104 Google Certified Educators, and has seen a shift in how teachers use devices in the classroom. Before the training, students used laptops and tablets for activities like math games and music videos. Two months after the Chromebook rollout, the top five sites accessed across the district included Google Classroom, Google Docs and Khan Academy. “Right off the bat, they were no longer using their machines randomly,” Mac says. “Their use was more focused.”

Superintendent+StaffLincolnTrainingRoom.JPG

Lesson 2: Time is a precious resource

Chagrin Falls Exempted Village School District is the first public school district to train all of its teachers to become Google Certified Educators. Administrators say they achieved 100 percent participation by customizing the program around teachers’ schedules.

“We made it easy for teachers get certified whenever it was most convenient,” says Nancy Kevern, a technology integration and instructional coach at Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools. “Grouping teachers by grade level helped us emphasize the lessons they would find most useful.”

The district also started a committee that works on solutions for fitting professional development into teachers’ busy schedules. They’ve proposed incorporating trainings into the school day—for instance, by delaying student start times.

Lesson 3: Community makes a movement

Cicero Public School District 99 took a grassroots approach to training its teachers. A group of technology resource teachers actively recruited teachers to get certified, leveraging their relationships to build a team of early adopters. This group influenced the rest of the district.

“We knew if these ambassadors were on board, their friends would be, too,” Mac says. “Adoption needs to happen teacher by teacher, grade by grade.”

This momentum has led Cicero Public School District 99 to extend its 1:1 Chromebook program to grades K-8. None of this would have been possible without support from teachers and the entire district.

This isn’t my initiative,” Mac says. “This is the village of Cicero’s initiative. This is ours. Cao Mac CIO at Cicero Public School District 99

Professional development is about more than introducing new tools. By helping educators develop the skills and confidence to grow professionally, school districts are investing in their students and building cultures that embrace technology. “It doesn’t matter how many devices you have,” Mac says. “If you don’t know how to integrate technology with teaching, it becomes just another add on.”

Visit the Training Center to learn more about the Google for Education certification programs. And if you’re a district interested in help from a Certified Professional Development Partner, learn more here.

Creating a professional growth culture: 3 lessons from school districts

Whether it’s a 3D printer, a language app, or a Chromebook on a student’s desk, technology represents potential. The results can be profound, but learning how to make the most of new tools often requires dedication outside of the standard school day.

We spoke with teachers and administrators at Cicero Public School District 99 in Illinois and Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools in Ohio about how they designed technology professional development programs to engage teachers for the long term. Here we share three lessons learned from their experiences building programs that impact educators and students alike.

Lesson 1: Incentives help overcome inertia

When the Cicero Public School District 99 board set the goal of giving every child access to a Chromebook, professional development for teachers became a top priority. CIO Cao Mac believed any tech rollout was bound to fail unless teachers got the right training. So his team came up with a plan to motivate teachers to get Google Certified—they’d offer them early access to new classroom devices.

The district now has 104 Google Certified Educators, and has seen a shift in how teachers use devices in the classroom. Before the training, students used laptops and tablets for activities like math games and music videos. Two months after the Chromebook rollout, the top five sites accessed across the district included Google Classroom, Google Docs and Khan Academy. “Right off the bat, they were no longer using their machines randomly,” Mac says. “Their use was more focused.”

Superintendent+StaffLincolnTrainingRoom.JPG

Lesson 2: Time is a precious resource

Chagrin Falls Exempted Village School District is the first public school district to train all of its teachers to become Google Certified Educators. Administrators say they achieved 100 percent participation by customizing the program around teachers’ schedules.

“We made it easy for teachers get certified whenever it was most convenient,” says Nancy Kevern, a technology integration and instructional coach at Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools. “Grouping teachers by grade level helped us emphasize the lessons they would find most useful.”

The district also started a committee that works on solutions for fitting professional development into teachers’ busy schedules. They’ve proposed incorporating trainings into the school day—for instance, by delaying student start times.

Lesson 3: Community makes a movement

Cicero Public School District 99 took a grassroots approach to training its teachers. A group of technology resource teachers actively recruited teachers to get certified, leveraging their relationships to build a team of early adopters. This group influenced the rest of the district.

“We knew if these ambassadors were on board, their friends would be, too,” Mac says. “Adoption needs to happen teacher by teacher, grade by grade.”

This momentum has led Cicero Public School District 99 to extend its 1:1 Chromebook program to grades K-8. None of this would have been possible without support from teachers and the entire district.

This isn’t my initiative,” Mac says. “This is the village of Cicero’s initiative. This is ours. Cao Mac CIO at Cicero Public School District 99

Professional development is about more than introducing new tools. By helping educators develop the skills and confidence to grow professionally, school districts are investing in their students and building cultures that embrace technology. “It doesn’t matter how many devices you have,” Mac says. “If you don’t know how to integrate technology with teaching, it becomes just another add on.”

Visit the Training Center to learn more about the Google for Education certification programs. And if you’re a district interested in help from a Certified Professional Development Partner, learn more here.

Source: Education


Creating a professional growth culture: 3 lessons from school districts

Whether it’s a 3D printer, a language app, or a Chromebook on a student’s desk, technology represents potential. The results can be profound, but learning how to make the most of new tools often requires dedication outside of the standard school day.

We spoke with teachers and administrators at Cicero Public School District 99 in Illinois and Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools in Ohio about how they designed technology professional development programs to engage teachers for the long term. Here we share three lessons learned from their experiences building programs that impact educators and students alike.

Lesson 1: Incentives help overcome inertia

When the Cicero Public School District 99 board set the goal of giving every child access to a Chromebook, professional development for teachers became a top priority. CIO Cao Mac believed any tech rollout was bound to fail unless teachers got the right training. So his team came up with a plan to motivate teachers to get Google Certified—they’d offer them early access to new classroom devices.

The district now has 104 Google Certified Educators, and has seen a shift in how teachers use devices in the classroom. Before the training, students used laptops and tablets for activities like math games and music videos. Two months after the Chromebook rollout, the top five sites accessed across the district included Google Classroom, Google Docs and Khan Academy. “Right off the bat, they were no longer using their machines randomly,” Mac says. “Their use was more focused.”

Superintendent+StaffLincolnTrainingRoom.JPG

Lesson 2: Time is a precious resource

Chagrin Falls Exempted Village School District is the first public school district to train all of its teachers to become Google Certified Educators. Administrators say they achieved 100 percent participation by customizing the program around teachers’ schedules.

“We made it easy for teachers get certified whenever it was most convenient,” says Nancy Kevern, a technology integration and instructional coach at Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools. “Grouping teachers by grade level helped us emphasize the lessons they would find most useful.”

The district also started a committee that works on solutions for fitting professional development into teachers’ busy schedules. They’ve proposed incorporating trainings into the school day—for instance, by delaying student start times.

Lesson 3: Community makes a movement

Cicero Public School District 99 took a grassroots approach to training its teachers. A group of technology resource teachers actively recruited teachers to get certified, leveraging their relationships to build a team of early adopters. This group influenced the rest of the district.

“We knew if these ambassadors were on board, their friends would be, too,” Mac says. “Adoption needs to happen teacher by teacher, grade by grade.”

This momentum has led Cicero Public School District 99 to extend its 1:1 Chromebook program to grades K-8. None of this would have been possible without support from teachers and the entire district.

This isn’t my initiative,” Mac says. “This is the village of Cicero’s initiative. This is ours. Cao Mac CIO at Cicero Public School District 99

Professional development is about more than introducing new tools. By helping educators develop the skills and confidence to grow professionally, school districts are investing in their students and building cultures that embrace technology. “It doesn’t matter how many devices you have,” Mac says. “If you don’t know how to integrate technology with teaching, it becomes just another add on.”

Visit the Training Center to learn more about the Google for Education certification programs. And if you’re a district interested in help from a Certified Professional Development Partner, learn more here.

Creating a professional growth culture: 3 lessons from school districts

Whether it’s a 3D printer, a language app, or a Chromebook on a student’s desk, technology represents potential. The results can be profound, but learning how to make the most of new tools often requires dedication outside of the standard school day.

We spoke with teachers and administrators at Cicero Public School District 99 in Illinois and Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools in Ohio about how they designed technology professional development programs to engage teachers for the long term. Here we share three lessons learned from their experiences building programs that impact educators and students alike.

Lesson 1: Incentives help overcome inertia

When the Cicero Public School District 99 board set the goal of giving every child access to a Chromebook, professional development for teachers became a top priority. CIO Cao Mac believed any tech rollout was bound to fail unless teachers got the right training. So his team came up with a plan to motivate teachers to get Google Certified—they’d offer them early access to new classroom devices.

The district now has 104 Google Certified Educators, and has seen a shift in how teachers use devices in the classroom. Before the training, students used laptops and tablets for activities like math games and music videos. Two months after the Chromebook rollout, the top five sites accessed across the district included Google Classroom, Google Docs and Khan Academy. “Right off the bat, they were no longer using their machines randomly,” Mac says. “Their use was more focused.”

Superintendent+StaffLincolnTrainingRoom.JPG

Lesson 2: Time is a precious resource

Chagrin Falls Exempted Village School District is the first public school district to train all of its teachers to become Google Certified Educators. Administrators say they achieved 100 percent participation by customizing the program around teachers’ schedules.

“We made it easy for teachers get certified whenever it was most convenient,” says Nancy Kevern, a technology integration and instructional coach at Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools. “Grouping teachers by grade level helped us emphasize the lessons they would find most useful.”

The district also started a committee that works on solutions for fitting professional development into teachers’ busy schedules. They’ve proposed incorporating trainings into the school day—for instance, by delaying student start times.

Lesson 3: Community makes a movement

Cicero Public School District 99 took a grassroots approach to training its teachers. A group of technology resource teachers actively recruited teachers to get certified, leveraging their relationships to build a team of early adopters. This group influenced the rest of the district.

“We knew if these ambassadors were on board, their friends would be, too,” Mac says. “Adoption needs to happen teacher by teacher, grade by grade.”

This momentum has led Cicero Public School District 99 to extend its 1:1 Chromebook program to grades K-8. None of this would have been possible without support from teachers and the entire district.

This isn’t my initiative,” Mac says. “This is the village of Cicero’s initiative. This is ours. Cao Mac
CIO at Cicero Public School District 99

Professional development is about more than introducing new tools. By helping educators develop the skills and confidence to grow professionally, school districts are investing in their students and building cultures that embrace technology. “It doesn’t matter how many devices you have,” Mac says. “If you don’t know how to integrate technology with teaching, it becomes just another add on.”

Visit the Training Center to learn more about the Google for Education certification programs. And if you’re a district interested in help from a Certified Professional Development Partner, learn more here.

Source: Google Chrome


Creating a professional growth culture: 3 lessons from school districts

Whether it’s a 3D printer, a language app, or a Chromebook on a student’s desk, technology represents potential. The results can be profound, but learning how to make the most of new tools often requires dedication outside of the standard school day.

We spoke with teachers and administrators at Cicero Public School District 99 in Illinois and Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools in Ohio about how they designed technology professional development programs to engage teachers for the long term. Here we share three lessons learned from their experiences building programs that impact educators and students alike.

Lesson 1: Incentives help overcome inertia

When the Cicero Public School District 99 board set the goal of giving every child access to a Chromebook, professional development for teachers became a top priority. CIO Cao Mac believed any tech rollout was bound to fail unless teachers got the right training. So his team came up with a plan to motivate teachers to get Google Certified—they’d offer them early access to new classroom devices.

The district now has 104 Google Certified Educators, and has seen a shift in how teachers use devices in the classroom. Before the training, students used laptops and tablets for activities like math games and music videos. Two months after the Chromebook rollout, the top five sites accessed across the district included Google Classroom, Google Docs and Khan Academy. “Right off the bat, they were no longer using their machines randomly,” Mac says. “Their use was more focused.”

Superintendent+StaffLincolnTrainingRoom.JPG

Lesson 2: Time is a precious resource

Chagrin Falls Exempted Village School District is the first public school district to train all of its teachers to become Google Certified Educators. Administrators say they achieved 100 percent participation by customizing the program around teachers’ schedules.

“We made it easy for teachers get certified whenever it was most convenient,” says Nancy Kevern, a technology integration and instructional coach at Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools. “Grouping teachers by grade level helped us emphasize the lessons they would find most useful.”

The district also started a committee that works on solutions for fitting professional development into teachers’ busy schedules. They’ve proposed incorporating trainings into the school day—for instance, by delaying student start times.

Lesson 3: Community makes a movement

Cicero Public School District 99 took a grassroots approach to training its teachers. A group of technology resource teachers actively recruited teachers to get certified, leveraging their relationships to build a team of early adopters. This group influenced the rest of the district.

“We knew if these ambassadors were on board, their friends would be, too,” Mac says. “Adoption needs to happen teacher by teacher, grade by grade.”

This momentum has led Cicero Public School District 99 to extend its 1:1 Chromebook program to grades K-8. None of this would have been possible without support from teachers and the entire district.

This isn’t my initiative,” Mac says. “This is the village of Cicero’s initiative. This is ours. Cao Mac
CIO at Cicero Public School District 99

Professional development is about more than introducing new tools. By helping educators develop the skills and confidence to grow professionally, school districts are investing in their students and building cultures that embrace technology. “It doesn’t matter how many devices you have,” Mac says. “If you don’t know how to integrate technology with teaching, it becomes just another add on.”

Visit the Training Center to learn more about the Google for Education certification programs. And if you’re a district interested in help from a Certified Professional Development Partner, learn more here.

Source: Google Chrome